THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 3359
YEAR: 1946
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 32mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL/18K ROSE GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL/18K ROSE GOLD
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND
In the world of watches, few innovations have left as lasting an impact as the Rolex Oyster. Launched in 1926, the Oyster was a game-changer—the first wristwatch to be both waterproof and dustproof. This technological leap was significant, but what truly elevated the Oyster to its iconic status was the brilliant marketing strategy of Rolex’s founder, Hans Wilsdorf.
Just a year after the Oyster’s debut, British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze set out to swim the English Channel for a second time. Her initial record-breaking swim had been questioned, placing this attempt under intense public scrutiny. Gleitze took on the challenge wearing a Rolex Oyster around her neck. Despite swimming for 10 hours in frigid waters and ultimately not completing the crossing, she demonstrated remarkable endurance. Her persistence reaffirmed her original record—and throughout it all, the Oyster kept perfect time. Gleitze was so impressed that she later wrote to Wilsdorf, noting how surprised the press had been by the watch’s performance.
Wilsdorf capitalised on this success by placing a full-page advertisement in the Daily Mail, celebrating both Gleitze’s determination and the Oyster’s reliability. To further demonstrate the watch’s waterproof capabilities, Rolex even sent fish tanks to authorised dealers, allowing customers to see the Oyster submerged in action.
In the 1930s, Rolex began transitioning from manually wound calibres to automatic movements. The addition of an oscillating weight made these movements thicker, requiring more internal space. Rather than increasing the overall bulk of the watch, Rolex cleverly designed the caseback to curve outward, creating the “bubble” shape that became one of the brand’s most recognisable features. These watches were later dubbed “Bubblebacks.” Seasoned collectors will know that, for a time, Rolex Oysters and Bubblebacks were among the most collectible Rolex models, often fetching many times the price of sports references.
The current example, reference 3359, although dating to 1946, is not a Bubbleback but an “Oyster Chronometre.” The watch is in astonishing condition after 80 years. The star of the show is undoubtedly the rose-gold, double-signed "Beyer" dial. The no-lume dial has barely aged, with razor-sharp printing throughout (slightly fading on "TER" of Oyster), while the blued steel hands perfectly complement the warm gold background. The case has been polished previously but remains sharp, and the original rose-gold brevet crown is still present. As was typical for Rolexes of the era, the watch would originally have been supplied on a strap. Rolex added a steel and rose-gold bracelet in 1975, which is exceptionally rare and, in our opinion, truly completes the watch.
The movement has been recently serviced and runs beautifully at +5 s/day, with an amplitude of 255° and a beat error of 0.5 ms. This Beyer-signed reference 3359 is truly one of a kind. With smaller watches enjoying a well-deserved resurgence, it is only a matter of time before Bubblebacks once again take center stage.