Self-winding, 18k gold wristwatch with date, circa the 1950s.

Case: 18k gold, gadrooned bezel, plexiglass crystal. Signed crown. Water resistant to 100m. 

Dial: Hours, minutes, sweep seconds, and date. Silvered dial with gold indices. Date at 3 o’clock. Signed.

Movement: Automatic, Rolex caliber.

Condition: Dial has been replaced. Case is in excellent condition.

Diameter: 35mm, thickness: 16mm.

Serial: 676xxx.

Circa 1950s.

More about Rolex:

Rolex was not the first to create the automatic movement when it introduced the Rolex Oyster perpetual in 1933.  Rolex created the auto-rotor movement from patents acquired when they purchased the Aegler movement found in Hunter watches that featured a “perpetual motion” winding mass.  Rolex patented its first successful perpetually self-winding wristwatch in 1932 and introduced the 33mm "Bubbleback" one year later. The watch received this nickname because of the large protruding case back which houses the thick rotor.

In the late 1940s, Rolex introduced larger bubblebacks, including the early Datejust with a diameter of 36mm. They received the nickname of big bubblebacks, and later, the Italian nickname of "Ovettone" (a big egg from the Italian word uovo). Scholars consider only four references to be true “ovettone”: references 4467, 6031, 6074, and 6075.