It's 1935, life is good, and you deserve a special watch...

[Mike Wood]

Mr. Perry, your family's jeweller, recommends a new Rolex. But not just any Rolex, something stylish, befitting a man of distinction like your good self. A Rolex "Prince".

Jump forward half a century: the Rolex Prince is the watch that got me obsessed with vintage Rolex watches in the mid-1980s. And for twenty years I've been looking for a perfect full-set silver Prince "wide" Brancard with box and chronometer ratings certificate. Got a call on Friday, and after much fraught negotiation over the weekend, made a three hundred mile round trip yesterday to collect my prize.









10 Guineas (£10 and 10 Shillings and 0 pence = ten pounds fifty pence!) in March 1935 was a serious sum of money, and I think this is why the Prince was really called the "Doctors watch" - it was only Doctors and other professionals who could afford them!!

My new treasure is a sterling silver Rolex Prince Brancard "wide case" ref. 971U with the protective dust cap over the movement. The original chronometer ratings certificate carries the movement number and is dated February 1933, and was re-tested in January 1935. The original bill of sale is dated March 1935. Perry's Jewellers finished trading in Birmingham a number of years ago.

God bless you, Mr. Millerchip, and be well assured your old watch rests in safe hands!!

Mike Wood

[NicoH]

Now that is a fantastic watch

I once had the pleasure to play around with a vintage Prince and I liked it a lot. Congrats on getting this LNIB complete set

Is that the original buckle, or has the buckle been replaced? Did they have these buckles back then?

Thanks for sharing-
Nico

[WUM]

i realy like these old watches, yours in realy outstanding with al the documents ect...

they are realy cool to wear!! - smal fine no nonsens watches

contgrats


greets


Wum

[spacedweller]

73 jears old watch with papers in this outstanding condition - just amazing

[Spider-Man]

amazing watch!

wear it in good health, my friend!

[bullibeer]

Fantastic Mike..... just enjoy this grail-piece after a 20-year quest!!!!!




Great that not only the sporties are looked at!

[jk737]

fantastic watch & very nice presentation

enjoy

[Mike Wood]

I have a silver Prince buckle to complete the watch - I just fitted the Rolex croc strap for the photograph!

I have several Rolex Princes, but the silver one has been evading me for some time!!

It was worth the wait...

[WUM]

just a question please regarding the silver whrist watches...

can one youse just a normal silver polishing liquide??

greets

Wum

[steboe]

Just greaat Mike
Congrats

[Mike Wood]

"a question please regarding the silver whrist watches... can one youse just a normal silver polishing liquide?? "

Yes-and-no.

To stop Rolex Princes tarnishing, they were originally chrome plated (in the same way white gold is rhodium plated today to preserve the white colour). As the watch cases became worn, the chrome plating wore off, and the silver would tarnish.

If the chrome plating is intact, silver polish will not be effective. If the chrome plating has worn off, then the silver can be polished using normal silver cleaner (it will tarnish again with time!). But of course it is essential to protect the movement and dial when using silver polish!!

[WUM]

thank you for that information Mike

thats absolutly new to my that those silver cases where chrome plated


greets


Wum

[Mike Wood]

in the period catalogue, they were described as "untarnishable sterling silver"



(before the price rise! Here the watch was 8 pounds and 8 shillings... mine cost 10 pounds and 10 shillings!)

The chrome plated base-metal cased Rolex watches were called "Snowite", often associated with the early Rolex Oyster watches.



Unfortunately, the chrome plating pits and flakes, and the result is not very pleasing (the chrome has worn in places, leaving a goldy colour underneath).

Fortunately, I also have a silver Oyster (well, several!) as well as the Snowite ones, and here is just one! It has tarnished to a slightly grey colour - needs a polish!

[NicoH]

Lovely cushion watches, too

[WUM]

thanks again Mike

wow...alsow absolutley stunning watches your old oysters

cant you let those snow-white steel re-chromed some how?? or your do like them untouched as they are?

greets


Wum

[Mike Wood]

that is a very painful issue for me!

I took two cushion Oysters and a rectangular Rolex tank to a specialist chrome plater for replating...

They lost all three watches in their plating tanks, and had to pay me compensation.... but I was more upset with the loss of the watches.

I guess there is a lot of difference between a Harley Davidson motorcycle tailpipe and a little tiny wristwatch case...

[WUM]

verry big OOOOOOPPPPPSSSS


greets


Wum

[jholbrook]

Mike - fantastic acquisition. I'd love to see what it looks like on the wrist!

[Mike Wood]

here you go, John!



and from the back...

[Donluigi]

Sweet!!