Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex wristwatch, ref. 3335, Oversize Chronograph, circa 1939-1940
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (brand / maker)
- Date
- c. 1939-1940
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- stainless steel
- Dimensions
- height 44 mm; width 37.5 mm
- Auction house
- Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
- Lot
- Lot 362-26
- Credit line
- Auction lot record: LOT 26, Monaco,July 25, 2023
- Catalogue title (original)
- REF. 3335, OVERSIZE CHRONOGRAPH, MINUTE AND HOUR COUNTERS; “ANTIMAGNETIC”; STAINLESS STEEL (English)
View the source record (auction lot) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva (lot Lot 362-26), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1939-1940. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: stainless steel. Recorded dimensions: height 44 mm; width 37.5 mm. The record is illustrated with 2 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
Antiquorum catalogue description
Stainless steel, manual-winding, tonneau-shaped, anti-magnetic, oversized gentleman’s wristwatch, with snap-on case-back, silver colour dial with subsidiary seconds at 9 and three horological complications: • 1/5 second chronograph (activated by the two rectangular push-pieces) with telemetric scale graduated on the dial for one mile (1 609.33 metres) • Half-instantaneous 30-minute recorder (subsidiary dial at 3 o’clock) • 12-hour recorder (subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock) Silver colour dial with large suspended luminescent Arabic numerals.
Lot specifications (Antiquorum)
Model: “Antimagnetic”; Reference: 3335; Movement No.: unnumbered; Case No.: 047 490; Material: stainless steel; Bracelet: brown leather strap; Buckle: stainless steel Rolex buckle; Caliber: 14’’’ (based on Valjoux 22); Height: 44 mm.; Width: 37.5 mm.; Signature: Dial, case and movement
Inscriptions & marks
Dial, case and movement
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
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.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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