
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex Oysterdate Precision ref. 6694, Manually-Wound, Cal. 1215, circa 1965
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (maker)
- Date
- c. 1965
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 34 mm
- Stock no.
- vws1470cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws1470cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Vintage Rolex Oysterdate Precision Ref. 6694 - Manually-Wound - Cal. 1215 - c.1965 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws1470cs), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1965. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 34 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
We Are Sorry But This Watch Is Now Sold - If However You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell Something Similar Then Please Email Sales@Vintagewatchspecialist.Com Or Whatsapp/Call +44 7831 454658. Thanks c.1965 Rolex Oysterdate Precision Reference 6694 - Manually wound Calibre 1215 The Rolex Oysterdate was released in 1953 with the debut reference 6094 and was available with a black or white dial, covered with an acrylic crystal, it came with sword-like hands and an Oyster bracelet. An updated reference followed soon after, the ref. 6294, which replaced the dauphine hands with straight batons. Halfway through its run, Rolex perfected their magnifying Cyclops lens, so there are examples of the ref. 6294 both with and without it. The ref. 6494 came next, introducing a wider range of dial colours, and in 1958, just five years or so after its launch, the Oysterdate received its fourth variant, the ref. 6694. The watch on offer here is a reference 6694 dating the watch to circa 1965 featuring the cal 1215 movement. Featuring a brushed sunburst champagne coloured dial with yellow gold baton indices, tritium lume and 'T Swiss T' on the original Rolex dial, this piece oozes class. The nicely rounded stainless steel case complements the smooth bezel and teamed on a nice leather strap, the watch sets the scene nicely for a watch of class and substance. The reference 6694 was so popular and well respected that this particular reference stayed in production for 30 years until in 1989 the model was discontinued. Bar the Cellini dress watch, the Oysterdate represented the last of the manually wound Rolex watches. The Oysterdate is often a fantastic entry into the Rolex world for both seasoned collectors and people with a taste for fine watches and due to the excellent variety of coloured dials and choices in material, the watch is perfect for men or women. What's on offer Additional information Made from Case: Stainless steel Dial: Champagne, sunburst, date at 3:00. Crystal: Plexiglass Bracelet : Brown leather strap Technical specifications Winding : Manually wound. Calibre: 1215 Jewels: 17 Power reserve: Approx. 58 hours (when new). Purchase details Condition : Excellent condition, light signs of wear. Model Reference Number: 6694 Date of manufacture : c.1965 Guarantee Dimensions Width : 34mm Lug width : 19mm Wrist size : Adjustable via link removal/addition
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Dive and water-resistant watches
Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.
Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.
What to look for
- Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
- Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
- Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
- Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.
Dating clues
- Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
- Professional dive watches: from 1953.
- Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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