Vintage Rolex Oyster

The Rolex Oyster watch is widely considered to be one of the greatest horological achievements of recent times. Originally manufactured in the 1920’s, the Oyster was the first watch to be completely airtight and waterproof. A short time after the first Oyster was released the Oyster Perpetual became available to the public which used a self winding inner mechanism.

Although he Oyster Perpetual isn’t one of the most beautiful vintage watches available it still has a unique charm that has lasted since its initial release. In fact, some watch collectors would go as far to say that the Rolex Oyster Perpetual has become legendary for its instantly recognisable design and groundbreaking (for the time) features. Modern Rolex Oysters have evolved to match more modern design styles, however, so although it retains some of the initial features it includes them in a more contemporary way. Even so, an Oyster watch is always easy to recognise whether it was manufactured today or 90 years ago.

The first watches created by Rolex focused on accuracy as much as possible. As the Rolex website states, the pursuit of chronometric precision was the initial goal and a big part in the overall success of the company. Rolex wristwatches were amongst the first to be granted the precision chronometer certification. Before this time the certificate had only been applied to marine watches. The proof of the Oyster’s ability to withstand large periods of submersion came a year after its initial release when it was used by a swimmer to cross the English Channel.

The Perpetual movement uses a crescent shaped weight which oscillates freely along with the wrist movement of the person wearing it. Modern Rolex watches can be powered for up to 50 hours using this method although older models have a shorter time period.

Oyster Perpetual Features

The Oyster Perpetual can be bought with a number of materials including steel and white gold. The mechanism is self winding (hence the name perpetual). When buying a Rolex watch make sure that you’re careful about which size you buy. The size of a watch is usually measured in millimetres and indicates the diameter of the watch case.

The Lady Oyster Perpetual is specifically created for women and hence has a smoother and more subtle design. It comes with a COSC chronometer certification and a domed bezel. It’s also waterproof down a depth of 100 metres.

Air King

The Rolex Oyster Air King is a different model that’s part of the Oyster collection. The Air King comes in several versions including 34mm steel and the 34mm steel and white gold.

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