Rolex Oyster Perpetual 6564
Oyster Perpetual → 6564
Reference 6564 is a mid-1950s Oyster Perpetual built around caliber 1030. Published examples include stainless steel, 9k gold, and 18k gold cases, along with Oyster Perpetual Chronometer versions. A single yellow-gold example cannot stand for the whole reference. The available records describe individual watches and do not establish one universal dial, crown, or bracelet specification.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 6564 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual |
| documented period | circa 1955–1960; individual lot dates vary |
| case | round Oyster case; catalogued examples measure about 33–34mm |
| crystal | Plexiglass (acrylic) |
| movement | caliber 1030 automatic; auction catalogues describe 25 jewels in several examples |
| materials and dials | steel, 9k gold, and 18k gold; published dials include textured, silvered, matte white, champagne, and black honeycomb examples |
Where it sits in the line
The 6564 belongs to the postwar Oyster Perpetual group that used caliber 1030. It is recorded in both ordinary Oyster Perpetual and Oyster Perpetual Chronometer forms. The related 6567 is a separate reference and should not be used to fill gaps in a 6564 specification. Shared caliber history with the 6085, 6098, and 6580 does not make their cases or dials interchangeable.
Production outline
The sources reviewed place examples from about 1955 to about 1960. Bonhams catalogued an 18k-gold example as circa 1955 with case 109892 and movement 565888. Christie's catalogued a steel-and-gilt chronometer as circa 1956, a 9k-gold example as from the 1950s, and another gold example as circa 1960. These dates belong to individual watches; no Rolex production table separating 6564 by material or chronometer status was located.
Movement notes
Caliber 1030 is repeatedly identified in the available 6564 records. Christie's describes a 25-jewel movement in its circa-1956 steel-and-gilt chronometer and in its 9k-gold example. Bonhams identifies a 25-jewel caliber 1030 adjusted to five positions and temperature in its circa-1955 18k-gold watch. These details belong to those lots and do not prove that every 6564 had the same adjustment or jewel count.
Dial map
Published examples show textured dials with gilt Arabic and dagger markers, matte white and champagne dials, a silvered dial with gilt dart markers, and a black honeycomb dial carrying the word "Deepsea." The evidence supports a varied dial set, but not a complete chronological dial sequence. “Deepsea” is a lot-specific marking unless a case, movement, and provenance record supports more.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
The catalogued cases are round Oyster cases with screw backs and screw-down crowns. Reported diameters range from 33mm to 34mm. Christie's gives 34mm for its circa-1956 steel-and-gilt chronometer and 33mm for a circa-1960 9k-gold example; Bonhams gives 33mm for its circa-1955 18k-gold example. The existing yellow-gold photograph represents one material and configuration, not a universal case specification. The reviewed records do not establish one bezel, crown marking, or crystal type for every 6564.
Bracelet, clasp, and packaging notes
Bracelet details vary by lot. Christie's describes a bracelet on its circa-1956 steel “Deepsea” example, while the Bonhams 18k-gold catalogue entry is shown on a strap. The Hodinkee 18k-gold example is presented with a gold bracelet, but that listing does not by itself prove original delivery. Bracelet and clasp stamps date those components; they do not date the watch head or prove that the components were sold with it.
Auction record
| Source | Date described | Material and configuration | Reported result or estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonhams, London catalogue | circa 1955 | 18k gold, caliber 1030, silvered dial | estimate GBP 2,000–3,000 |
| Christie's | circa 1956 | steel and gilt Oyster Perpetual Chronometer, 25 jewels, 34mm | result not shown in the reviewed page |
| Christie's | circa 1956 | steel, black honeycomb “Deepsea” dial, caliber 1030 | result not shown in the reviewed page |
| Christie's | circa 1960 | 9k gold, champagne dial, 33mm | result not shown in the reviewed page |
These entries are catalogue records for individual watches. They are not a price guide or a production census.
Related references
- 6098 and 6580, steel references from the same broad caliber 1030 period.
- 6085, another mid-century Oyster Perpetual reference.
- Oyster Perpetual family index
Sources
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer reference 6564, circa 1956 (Christie's)
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer reference 6564, 1956 (Christie's)
- Rolex 6564, 9k gold, 1950s (Christie's)
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea reference 6564, circa 1956 (Christie's)
- Bonhams London catalogue, 18k-gold reference 6564, circa 1955
- 1958 Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 6564 (Hodinkee Shop)
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra