Rolex Oyster Perpetual 6006

Pink-gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 6006 with black dial and subsidiary seconds — Monaco Legend Auctions, 2019, lot 131. The catalogue identifies this as the 1952 Mondani Collection watch, case 927300.

Christie's describes ref. 6006 as an Oyster Perpetual Super Precision and calls a circa-1940 example a Bubble Back. Later catalogues identify 6006 watches dated 1952, 1953, and circa 1955. The records describe both central and subsidiary seconds, 28–29 mm cases, and gold examples. These are object-level attributions; production span and configuration frequency remain unsettled.

Core facts

detail	documented evidence
reference	6006; described as Oyster Perpetual or Oyster Perpetual Super Precision
family	Bubbleback, a collector term also used in auction catalogues
dates	Individual catalogue dates run from circa 1940 to circa 1955; production start and end remain unverified
movement	Automatic examples; Antiquorum reports Cal. 520 in one 1952 watch
seconds	Central seconds and subsidiary seconds are both documented
case	Catalogue examples measure 28 or 29 mm; 14K and 18K gold are documented
suffixes	The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists /0 steel and /8 rose-gold versions, both with subsidiary seconds
bracelet	Christie's describes one gold expanding Oyster bracelet; original fitment is not established

Where it sits in the line

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual places the 6006 in its Bubbleback table. Bubbleback is a collector nickname for early Oyster Perpetuals with large, domed casebacks; Rolex did not use it as a model name. Christie's also calls its circa-1940 ref. 6006 a Bubble Back. The records show more than one case form, but give no sequence for those changes.

Production outline

Auction catalogues date individual 6006 watches to circa 1940, 1952, 1953, and circa 1955. Christie's gives 1953 for case 911863 and movement A60951, and circa 1955 for case 911866; Antiquorum dates case 927300 to 1952. Another Christie's watch is dated circa 1955. The sequence is a set of lot attributions; exact production boundaries remain unverified.

Movement notes

The records identify the 6006 as automatic. Antiquorum names Cal. 520 and 17 jewels for the pink-gold case 927300. Christie's describes the 1953 watch's movement as nickel-finished with jewelled lever escapement but does not give a caliber. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual leaves its 6006 caliber field blank. Cal. 520 is therefore documented for one example, not established as the only or standard 6006 movement.

The 1952 catalogue says Cal. 520 was produced from 1940 to 1948 and remained in use for some years after. Antiquorum separately dates case 927300 to 1952.

Dial map

The catalogued dials differ in both layout and seconds display. Christie's describes a circa-1940 gilt matte dial with applied dagger numerals and central seconds. Its 1953 watch has a silvered matte dial, luminous dagger numerals, and central seconds. The 1952 Antiquorum watch has a black dial, pink-gold dart indexes, luminous dots, an outer minute track, and subsidiary seconds; Antiquorum grades that dial as restored. Christie's describes a circa-1955 silver matte dial with applied gold dagger markers, an outer minute track, and subsidiary seconds.

These are descriptions of individual watches. Antiquorum identifies the 1952 dial as restored, so it records the watch as offered rather than a dependable factory configuration.

Monaco Legend Auctions, 2019, lot 131: the black dial on case 927300. Antiquorum described it as restored.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

Christie's gives 29 mm for its circa-1940 and 1953 examples and describes both cases as tonneau-shaped. The 1952 Antiquorum catalogue also gives a 29 mm tonneau case, 14 mm thick, with an inclined bezel and screw-down back. It identifies the case metal as 18K pink gold. Christie's dates a different 28 mm, 18K-gold watch, case 911866, to circa 1955 and calls its case circular with a screw-down back.

The crown descriptions vary. Christie's says its circa-1940 watch has a screw-down crown. Antiquorum calls the crown on case 927300 a Super-Oyster. The catalogue entries do not date a crown change. Crystal type is not given in the records reviewed here.

Monaco Legend Auctions, 2019, lot 131: case profile and crown of case 927300
Monaco Legend Auctions, 2019, lot 131: caseback and hallmarks of case 927300
Monaco Legend Auctions, 2019, lot 131: case-number detail; not a serial-date chart

Bracelet, clasp, and packaging notes

Christie's records a gold expanding Oyster bracelet with its circa-1955 watch, but gives no delivery provenance for it. Antiquorum lists a gold-plated Rolex buckle with the 1952 watch; Monaco Legend later offered case 927300 on a leather strap. The records leave standard bracelet, clasp, and end-link fitment unresolved. Christie's also notes original certificates and a fitted green presentation box with its 1953 watch; those accessories belong to that lot alone.

Published suffix entries

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists two suffix forms. Its caliber and start-year columns are blank.

suffix	Field Manual entry	corroboration in reviewed lots
6006/0	Stainless steel, smooth polished bezel, mid-size, subsidiary seconds	The reviewed auction lots document gold cases; they do not identify an exact /0 watch
6006/8	Rose gold, smooth polished bezel, mid-size, subsidiary seconds	Case 927300 is described as pink gold with subsidiary seconds, but its suffix is not given

The suffix table is a collector reference, not a Rolex factory record. The 1953 and circa-1940 Christie’s lots document central seconds, so the layout should be kept with the specific examples rather than generalized from the suffix entries.

Auction record

sale	catalogue description
Christie's, lot 1588049	Ref. 6006; 14K gold; circa 1940; 29 mm; central seconds; tonneau bubble-back case
Antiquorum, Geneva, 14 May 2006, lot 253	Case 927300; 18K pink gold; dated 1952; Cal. 520, 17 jewels; subsidiary seconds; 29 × 14 mm; restored dial
Christie's, Geneva, 15 May 2006, lot 115	Case 911863; movement A60951; 18K gold; manufactured 1953; 29 mm; central seconds
Christie's, Geneva, lot 4006241	Case 911866; 18K gold; circa 1955; 28 mm; subsidiary seconds; gold expanding Oyster bracelet

The 2019 Monaco Legend catalogue is the same case 927300 Antiquorum sold in 2006; its photographs show that single watch.

Related references

See the Bubbleback family index, movement reference, and serial-number guide. The catalogue numbers and dates recorded for individual 6006 watches do not establish a serial-number year chart.

Gallery

Case 927300, catalogued by Antiquorum in 2006 and Monaco Legend Auctions in 2019
Black dial; Antiquorum notes that it was restored
Case profile and crown of case 927300
Caseback of case 927300
Case-number detail from case 927300