Latest Vintage Piece

1961 Rolex Oyster Chronometer ref:1012, 36mm ***RARE*** $14,000.00 CAD. Stock #505-00644

An 18 karat gold Rolex is a bucket list wish for many watch aficionados. When one thinks of a gold Rolex the usual image is that of the iconic Oyster Day-Date, likely with a President bracelet. This vintage Rolex isn’t that watch, in fact it doesn’t have a day of the week display, or even a day of the month calendar feature, and comes with a basic leather strap. This is the ultra rare 36mm reference 1012 Oyster Chronometer. This is a watch we’ve never encountered before and we didn’t know such a watch even existed. Its existence is raises the question, why Rolex would make such a watch, who the original owner was, and what was their thought process deciding on such a simple model. 5-years prior to when this watch was manufactured Rolex introduced the famous Day-Date model. It was the first watch to display the day of the week written out in full. The Day-Date was a great success and to this day is considered the flagship in the Rolex lineup. While this model still contains a highly developed chronometer grade automatic movement, bosting the same guarantee of accuracy as the Day-Date, it does so with much less fan fair. It comes with a smooth bezel instead on the sparkling fluted bezel seen on almost all vintage Day-Date models. Outwardly simple but made from premium 18 karat yellow gold and measuring the same 36mm case size as the Day-Date. Back in the early 60s I have to assume almost everyone buying a 36mm Oyster Rolex crafted from 18 karat would opt for the flashier Day-Date, and if we’re being honest with ourselves being a little flashy is part of the Rolex appeal. We spent a lot of time looking for comps to this rare 1012 Rolex with little success. To say this watch is illusive would be an understatement. We found close to 700 Day-Date models from the same era (reference 1803) but only two examples like our reference 1012 on the popular watch marketplace Chrono24.com. We feel ours is perhaps the most original currently on offer. We love the unique faceted arrowhead hour markers, pointy hands and especially the lollypop tail on the seconds hand. The overall condition of the watch is good, showing minor thinning of the lugs, very slight spotting on the dial, with darkened tritium lume pigment. The Rolex calibre 1530 powering this rare watch is considered a genuine workhorse among Rolex movements. Few were adjusted and regulated to chronometer accuracy requirements due to the difficult and time consuming process of poising the balance by adjusting the many screws in the wheel rim. The 1500 series of movements are the very first movements created entirely in house by Rolex watchmakers and served the brand into the late 1980s. The simplicity of the Rolex 1012 has left us captivated by its less is more approach to basic timekeeping. The classic champagne sunburst dial blends perfectly with the rich hue of the premium 18 karat yellow gold alloy. We fitted a brand new quick release, Hirsh, chocolate brown alligator grain leather strap, that suits the dressy nature of the watch very well. With only a quick passing glance you may think this could be a vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava; but make no mistake, this is a Rolex through and through albeit a model you likely didn’t know even existed. We are happy to provide the next owner with a complimentary 1-year warranty. It does not come with any original documentation or packaging. Estate price $14,000.00 CAD. Stock #505-00644.

view more vintage pieces