Rolex Oyster Lipton on eBay

[art1118]

Hello:
Can someone tell me something about the item no 250671683661 on eBay? According to seller: MOVEMENT IS SIGNED ROLEX GENEVE UNDER THE DIAL,IT IS A ROLEX 59 CAL ALL ORIGINAL AND IN WORKING CONDITION KEEPING TIME WITHIN A MINUTE A DAY.CASE HAS BEEN FITTED WITH A NEWER STYLE ROLEX CROWN,DOES SCREW DOWN ,WIND AND SET PROPERLY.
WATCH MEASURES APPROX 31MMX 39.5MM NOT INCLUDING CROWN AND 34MM WITH THE CROWN.

[adam78]

Before Rolex began the Tudor line of lower-priced watches after WWII, the Oyster brand was their mid-level watch line. These were outfitted with the Fontainemelon Cal. 59, either 15J or 17J (marked Rolex only on the side opposite the dial) and sported such exotic names at Raleigh, Victory, Centregraph, Lipton, et al., mostly directed at the Canadian market, and many bought by soldiers off to war. They were for the most part smaller (28-31mm) watches, as was the custom for men's sizes back then, and often erroneously labeled "boy's sized" nowadays.

The Lipton in the auction you reference appears to be all-original, except for newer style crown and probably the crystal. The dial is especially nice, with embossed numerals and what appears to be a mirror track.

Price range is particularly wide for these models, depending on whether the seller is a dealer or not, condition, etc. Can be as wide as $300-1500 or more, but usually less than 1000, sometimes much less. I got lucky on a gorgeous Centregraph a few years ago, but it needed a new case tube and crystal.

For comparison, my "Oysters":







And a very early Tudor, also with the cal. 59:

[art1118]

Adam:
Thanks for the info. I may bid on this watch. It is ending in less than an hour!
Art