Description
This vintage, all-original and correct circa 1941 Rolex Observatory watch was made for Birks, which was Canada’s Tiffany & Co! This particular example is the earliest and first version with sub-seconds, as opposed to sweep seconds. The 29mm rhodium with steel back Rolex case, having original dust-proof winding crown is completely original to this watch. These watches were often marketed to soldiers going overseas in WW2. These Rolex watches were small in stature. They were made smaller to reduce the chance of damaging them while fighting. The original reflective-minute-register dial on this watch is one that we have never seen prior, with “BIRKS” on the dial; completely original and maintains the correct blued steel pencil hands. The manual winding Rolex movement is higher quality than we normally see on watches of this type, it is fully signed on the bridge and adjusted to two positions, instead of the the usual caliber 59 we often find. This Rolex movement is sparkling and keeping accurate time after a recent cleaning by our Rolex-approved watchmaker. We simply are not seeing these watches appear as of late. Most dials have been refinished, which greatly reduces their value.
