Rolex Oyster «Athlete» (ref 4127)

[pianoragmusic]

Hello, new member here. This is my first post.

I recently won an auction for a Rolex that I had never heard of or seen before - a 1940s Rolex oyster athlete with ref 4127. This is my first Rolex and I couldn’t be more excited! I fell for it because it is the most ‘different’ oyster I’ve ever seen, and its’ serial number puts the production year right around the same year my late father was born.

Anyways, I tried looking for info on the model, but I haven’t found too much of it. I am hoping perhaps some of you might know something about the model?

[pianoragmusic]

I might add a few things. The watch is 32mm, which is a bit smaller than other watches I have. However, I have slim wrists, so I don’t think it will be an issue. Or at least I don’t hope so. It has an old redial unfortunately. It’s not too bad, but the font used on “athlete” looks wrong, which I believe will bother me more than the radium burn from hands that have been idle for what is probably a very long time. I guess I will have to look for a replacement dial, perhaps I’ll get lucky and one will surface ten years from now.

[DoDe]

Pictures? Please.

[pianoragmusic]

I haven’t actually received the watch yet. Due to some mess at the Swiss customs, the shipment was returned without being declared. Hope it will be resolved soon. Can’t wait to actually get the watch.

Looks like I’m able to post at least one of the pictures from the ad, but the others are blocked due to size (hope I don’t break any copyrights). I’ll try again tomorrow.

[pianoragmusic]

Apparently, I can’t post links because I’m a newbie, but you can look up the fleabay item 235107408618

[Dan S]

It's a fairly obscure model. Is there anything in particular you wanted to know?

[pianoragmusic]

Originally Posted by Dan S

It's a fairly obscure model. Is there anything in particular you wanted to know?

Basically everything there is to know! :-)

This is what I have managed to gather from the internet:
- Produced in early 1940s, there are two types: one with small seconds (cal 700?) and one with center/sweep seconds (cal 710). I haven’t figured out if they were produced simultaneously, or if the small seconds preceded the sweep seconds. I haven’t found out which year they started and stopped producing them.
- 32 mm without the crown. 17mm across the lugs.
- There’s (at least) three different models that used the same type of case design in the 1940s: the 4127 (manual wind), the 3548 (perpetual) and a ladies watch variant (manual wind). 3548 is called “empire”, without this being written on the dial.
- I have only seems steel cases on the 4127s, whereas the 3548s are in both steel and yg
- Mercedes and pencil hands looks like the common choice. A relatively high share with California dials.
- Plenty of old redials though. Most of the dials that looks to be original does not have the coronet. Just Rolex Oyster Athlete in the same font. Some dials with ‘precision’. (Most of the 3548s have ‘chronometer’ stated on the dial).
- Except for one example of 3548 with hooded lugs fitted, I haven’t seen a steel bracelet on any of the watches with this kind of oyster case. Straps seems to be the natural choice.
- I haven’t been able to find any old ads of these watches, which is too bad because I love those.
- Oh, and prices are all over the place.