HELP - Classic 1928-1932

[ehemaliges mitglied]

http://192.168.2.106/My Data/My PICTURES\2007/ROLEX/Rolex1A.jpg
Hallo Everyone
Am new to the forum
Have inherited a Rolex from my Family in England I live in Switzerland.

Octagonal - 9 carat Gold No. 45278/815 built according to Bucherer Schwitzerland - 1928-1932. Looks similar to a "Prince", but no model in the Interet has the same face and even the shape has sharper edges than most of the octagonal watches.
I shall include a picture as soon as I can discover how to do so.
Can anyone help me please? Thanks

Timbo

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http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5216/rolex2amt5.th.jpg (http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex2amt5.jpg)http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9287/rolexbackadp7.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolexbackadp7.jpg)http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5565/rolex1azy8.th.jpg (http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex1azy8.jpg)

Hiermit the Photos - Hiermit Photos

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Hiermit the Photos - Hiermit Photos

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Well...
To be on the safe side you also need to post pictures of the movement and case interior.

The dial is redone, so inside may be anything, Rolex or non-Rolex!

In the case is a Rolex case, the production year could be 1937. As it seems to be gold, the inside has to have hallmarks which enable the dating additional to the serial number.

Bye

Marko

[ehemaliges mitglied]

The whole watch was renovated by Piguet (receipt on record), recommended by Rolex. The case is 9 ct gold and the the watchmaker at Bucherer in the Bahnhofstrasse in Zürich confirmed on Sturday that the workings are in excellent condition. Piguet and Bucherer's assessment was that it dartes from 1932. I cannot find a "Prince" model to compare - either from the case shape or the dial.
Can you make any suggestions?

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Definitely it's not a Prince model...
But recangular watches have been around quite a lot.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/Reckel/Paperwork/Rolex-Werbung1934copy.jpg

Bye

Marko

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Herewith the internal shots.
As you can see it is a 15 jewel movement.
The case Info shows an F and upside down F stamp plus " Rolex 20 World records. Also an R.W.CLtd imprint and the 9 carat stamp

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/8294/rolex004azh6.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex004azh6.jpg)

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2943/rolex005aei4.th.jpg (http://img513.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex005aei4.jpg)

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3483/rolex006afn8.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex006afn8.jpg)

[img=http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7097/rolex006arc2.th.jpg] (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rolex006arc2.jpg)

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Thanks Marko
Have posted more photos to help
Gruss Tim

[jholbrook]

Welcome Timbo - I will leave it to the forum members who have more expertise than I with watches of that vintage to help you.

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Not a problem I am English....
Am still trying to get behind the Hallmarks and to decipher which is Swiss and which (since i got it from England) is possibly British

[Mike Wood]

but it is a 9ct gold Glasgow "import" hallmark.

If the letter to the right of the two "f"s (below the "Ltd" in the RWC signature) is an "L", the watch dates from 1934. If it is an "I", this would date to 1931...

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Hey Mike brilliant, Thanks
Thanks. It is an "I" so 1931 then. Are the two interliked F's the Import Hallmark for Glasgow?

[Mike Wood]

the two "f"s are the Glasgow mark.

However, it is interesting to note the case is double-hallmarked!

The strange "crossed M" at the top of the case is a Dublin import hallmark, and the date letter "m" indicates a date of 1927!

This would suggest the case was first hallmarked in Ireland in 1927, and then re-assayed when the watch was imported into Scotland...

Unusual... but not a great price-clincher to make it more valuable...

[NicoH]

Mike, you´re awesome! :gut:

[ehemaliges mitglied]

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4341/hallmarklowbxh9.th.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hallmarklowbxh9.jpg)http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/2594/hallmarktopbe9.th.jpg (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hallmarktopbe9.jpg)

mike - how do you do it i spent 2 nights surfing and still could not find them for interest I am enclosing some better photos.
Thanks again

[Mike Wood]

far from "awesome"...

but very happy to have cleared this up!!

:-)

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Hi to you all
I am still trying to get confirmation on the Model.

Bert from the German Forum is of the opinion that it may be "a 2613 with 10-1/2 " Hunter-"Prima"- movement

Can anyone confirm this? Or does anyone have other ideas??

Thanks again

[Mike Wood]

is an 815 (the lower of the two numbers on the outside caseback. I will check my 1920s Rolex dealer's catalogue tomorrow to see if it's shown...

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Wonderful. I really do appreciate it
Thanks

[ehemaliges mitglied]

I'm not british, but from my investigations the Hallmark for Glasgow is "tree with a fish and a bird" also for the year 1931 the shield for the letter has the wrong type. (compare here (http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/hmarks2.htm))
As import hallmark for Dublin I also only found a different one (compare here (http://www.theweddingbandshop.com/hallmark.html)).

Anyway, as it is an original Rolex case it doesn't matter, the serial is dating the watch to 1938. So both mentioned import hallmarks would have been applied before production. 8o

The reference hould be 815, but I have no pictures to compare. A scheme for Ref. 515 is quite similar and can be found in the apendix of Gordon, Rolex, timeless elegance.

Bye

Marko

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Thanks Marko
I have also been unable to find them. Mike appers to have a Directory of Import Hallmarks: Thanks for the reference: I'll see how I can get a copy of the relevant appendix showing 515

[ehemaliges mitglied]

It is just a rough sketch of the case shown there.
Not really precise, but when comparing it with other references from this time, ending with 5 had cut edge-cases, so this might point to a undiscovered Rolex numbering scheme for early references... ;)

If I find time I migt scan the relevant reference and post it here.

Bye

Marko

[Mike Wood]

The UK assay (ie hallmark) offices actually have different symbols to show if the items were produced domestically or imported. The two marks I identified in my earlier post are correct.

I have checked my 1920s Rolex dealer's catalogue: the 2613 is shown, and the shape is very close to Timbo's watch (original selling price was 9 pounds and 10 shillings in 9ct gold; 13 pounds 10 shillings in 18ct gold!!), though my catalogue doesn't show a gent's 815 reference watch...

[ehemaliges mitglied]

DAnke MArko
Nur eine kleine Frage 1938 oder 1932? Meine Tabellen deuten auf 1932.

Thanks MArko
Just one question - 1938 or 1932? My table indicate 1932. Thanks for this clarification
Kindest regards

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Original von Timbo
DAnke MArko
Nur eine kleine Frage 1938 oder 1932? Meine Tabellen deuten auf 1932.

Thanks MArko
Just one question - 1938 or 1932? My table indicate 1932. Thanks for this clarification
Kindest regards

The serial from the caseback is 45278, clearly to date into 1938

Compare it with the following table from Hannes website: Oysterworld (http://www.oysterworld.de/datesger.htm)

Bye

Marko

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Mike and Marko Thanks so much for all your research Really appreciated!