Very early Rolex Oyster Prima

[kippyhunt]

I recently acquired this piece from a Dealer who purchased it from the relatives of the (one) owner - he bought it in the UK and it was worn in Australia during WW2.
Interesting piece of history from the days when Wilsdorf apparently struggles to get the UK market to accept the name of anyone other than the UK Retailer on their dials ...
How much has changed since then?!

[CTech]

That's a fascinating early silver cased Oyster and the serial number together with the style of the case back stamping date it to around 1928 or 1929.

The hallmarks in the case back are Swiss and there are no UK hallmarks so it is possible this was first bought in or around Switzerland and then later sold as a used item in the UK without going through the UK hallmarking process. If so, that doesn't fit well with the statement that the dealer bought it from the family of the original owner.

It's also possible that the family recollections are incorrect and the original owner bought it in Switzerland rather than the UK, or maybe the case back is not original to the watch.

Either way, it is extremely unlikely that the watch with that case back could have been bought new in the UK through the official channels without it being submitted to a UK assay office and then having UK silver hallmarks.

[kippyhunt]

Thanks so much for all this fascinating Information! Apparently the relatives of the original owner said that "he probably bought it in the UK" so who knows?
Either way I LOVE it! Thanks again!

[MILGAUSS88]

Originally Posted by CTech

It's also possible that the family recollections are incorrect and the original owner bought it in Switzerland rather than the UK, or maybe the case back is not original to the watch.

Either way, it is extremely unlikely that the watch with that case back could have been bought new in the UK through the official channels without it being submitted to a UK assay office and then having UK silver hallmarks.

Although i agree with you assessment of age, I do not agree with your assessment of it's history. I think it was most likely bought in England as thought.

I have never seen a Swiss watch case with English Hallmarks, and although Rolex had moved there production to Switzerland, it's primary market was England, secondary it's colonies.

The early Rolex watch cases had English hallmarks because the cases were made in England. This one was not.

[Idaho]

Great information. Thank you

[CTech]

Originally Posted by MILGAUSS88

The early Rolex watch cases had English hallmarks because the cases were made in England. This one was not.

I don't understand this statement as the requirement was, and still is, for UK hallmarks to be placed by a UK assay office, together with the maker's or sponsor's mark on items for sale in the UK, certain overseas Commonwealth countries, UK military establishments, etc. irrespective of where the item had been made. There were different hallmarks used to differentiate between imported items and items produced in the UK, and the majority of Rolex Oyster cases of that period show import hallmarks, presumably because they were imported from Switzerland.

There is no legal way that a new silver or gold item could have been offered for sale through the normal channels in the UK without having UK hallmarks, and the penalties for trying to evade hallmarking were very severe.

There are many examples of early 9 ct gold and 0.925 silver Oyster cases with UK or Irish import hallmarks and I've seen several that have had both UK import hallmarks and Swiss hallmarks.

Here is a 1928 silver Oyster with a case back identical to the one the OP posted except this has the R.W.C. Ltd sponsor's mark and a set of Dublin hallmarks:

https://www.vintage-wristwatches.co....er-watch-4333/

This one is a 1929 9ct gold watch with a similar case back with both Glasgow import and Swiss hallmarks:

https://www.vintage-wristwatches.co....er-watch-4635/

Finally, I'd like to have clarification as to how you are differentiating between UK made cases and Swiss made cases.

[rootbeer7]

What a lovely watch and the history makes it even more special. The knowledge shared here is spectacular.

[David.Boettcher]

Originally Posted by MILGAUSS88

Although i agree with you assessment of age, I do not agree with your assessment of it's history. I think it was most likely bought in England as thought.

I have never seen a Swiss watch case with English Hallmarks, and although Rolex had moved there production to Switzerland, it's primary market was England, secondary it's colonies.

The early Rolex watch cases had English hallmarks because the cases were made in England. This one was not.

There are millions of watches with Swiss made gold and silver cases carrying English hallmarks.

Before 1907 (before Rolex existed), Swiss made gold and silver watch cases could be imported into Britain without British hallmarks, but from 1 June 1907 all imported gold and silver watch cases were required to be hallmarked with British import hallmarks before they could be offered for sale in Britain. As a result of this, there are millions of Swiss watches that were imported after 1 June 1907, including Rolex watches, with Swiss made gold or silver cases carrying British import hallmarks, including my grandfathers' hallmarked 1918/19 silver Rolex wristwatch.

A watch such as the OP's with a sterling silver (0.925) case could not be legally sold in Britain unless its case carried British hallmarks, as CTech correctly says.

During WW1, the British government banned the import of gold watch cases, which started a trend for watches, including Rolex watches, to be fitted with English made gold cases, including my grandmother's 1917/18 gold wristwatch, which continued after the war. English made gold and silver cases were hallmarked with traditional British hallmarks rather than import hallmarks.

Imports of watches with silver cases were not banned but were subject to high import duties. As a consequence, many companies, including Rolex, stopped bringing Swiss watches with silver cases through London if they were destined to be sent on to the colonies and instead sent them, and also watches with gold cases, direct from Switzerland to their destination. That is what happened with this watch.

Rolex moved its headquarters from London to Switzerland to facilitate this, which is why today Rolex, which was founded in London, is a Swiss company with a British branch rather than vice-versa.

Regards, David
Eur Ing David Boettcher FBHI
There is much more detail about this on my website but I am not allowed to post links here; searching for my name and vintage watchstraps will find the website.