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Scarce 1945 Double Reference Precision Semi-California Dial

Laharrier
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Thought I'd share this beauty with the group.

A real barn find of sorts, of which I have yet to see another online. This is a double reference that seems exceedingly rare as a transitional mode of some degree.

It includes the 4377 reference and the 4461 reference indicating the semi-cali radium high visibility dial configuration and an Oyster Royal case with concave bezel. I have seen this dial before, but never along with this case. The case serial dates it to 1945, which is right in line with Rolex's production of this dial. Case is still really sharp but cant be sure as to whether its never been polished or not, but the dial and hands are most certainly original. Under the loupe the dial is lovely and glossy, and the radium is puffy and consistent across the board. Very cool!

What I really love about this watch of course is its dial. Its very clear that the watch sat unused for a LONG time and the dial has been burned by the radium in the hands. You can make out their shadow right on the dial! How cool is that?
😀
 
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Seacow
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Nice watch! Wondering why one side with lug hole and other side doesn't?
 
Laharrier
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Seacow Seacow
Nice watch! Wondering why one side with lug hole and other side doesn't?
Indeed a good question! This watch is definitely an oddball. My first suspicion when I purchased it was that it was some kind of frankenwatch, but my research in to those references makes it clear that these parts were indeed intended to appear together at production. Very unusual and very interesting indeed! Maybe there is an expert among us here with more knowledge than I.
 
gminnj
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Very cool (and you take great pix).

How many mm across?
 
Fritz
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Seacow Seacow
Nice watch! Wondering why one side with lug hole and other side doesn't?
I think that was a rolex thing back about the time this one was made. I've got a Tudor from 1947 that has holes on only one side as well.
 
Laharrier
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U ulackfocus
I thought California dials were half Roman numeral? 😕

They were all considered Rolex’s family of “high visibility” radium dials. I’ve read that they refer to this dial as as the “semi-California” as it has the horizontal dashes at 3-6-9 much like the semi-Roman dial aka the California and belonged to the same family of dials at the time. Read several theories on the actual term “california Dial” as Rolex referred to them formally as “high visibility” dials and some believe the term California dial didn’t appear until the 1980’s when the deco style was en Vogue again. I’m by no means an expert thought!
 
Laharrier
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gminnj gminnj
Very cool (and you take great pix).

How many mm across?

Thanks! Just about 34mm. Thank you for the kind words! It’s a beautiful watch!
 
Foo2rama
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Laharrier Laharrier
They were all considered Rolex’s family of “high visibility” radium dials. I’ve read that they refer to this dial as as the “semi-California” as it has the horizontal dashes at 3-6-9 much like the semi-Roman dial aka the California and belonged to the same family of dials at the time. Read several theories on the actual term “california Dial” as Rolex referred to them formally as “high visibility” dials and some believe the term California dial didn’t appear until the 1980’s when the deco style was en Vogue again. I’m by no means an expert thought!

Story I’ve heard is Rolex had demo models like that to show both dial options. A dealer in California liked it and ordered the demo dial.

Is it true? Who knows but sounds plausible... or we can just blame the Italians...
 
adam78
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Actually, the official Rolex name for the “California” dial is Roman-Arabic dial. The California nickname apparently dates from the ‘80s-90s in the bubbleback craze, when many refinished dials with this configuration began to appear with frequency—the dial refinishers were based in California.
 
U
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adam78 adam78
Actually, the official Rolex name for the “California” dial is Roman-Arabic dial. The California nickname apparently dates from the ‘80s-90s in the bubbleback craze, when many refinished dials with this configuration began to appear with frequency—the dial refinishers were based in California.

Now that's a nice little tidbit of info. 👍
 
Laharrier
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adam78 adam78
Actually, the official Rolex name for the “California” dial is Roman-Arabic dial. The California nickname apparently dates from the ‘80s-90s in the bubbleback craze, when many refinished dials with this configuration began to appear with frequency—the dial refinishers were based in California.
Great info! Yes I’ve read this as well. According to this piece: http://www.rolexmagazine.com/2012/09/the-history-of-california-dial.html

“The dial was patented by Rolex in 1941 and used by them on manual and automatic watches for about 7 or 8 years. It was known by Rolex as the 'High visibility" dial, as it used quite large luminous numbers.”

 
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Bill Sohne
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Seacow Seacow
Nice watch! Wondering why one side with lug hole and other side doesn't?
Hi

That was typical of Rolex and Tudor with Oyster cases at the time....

bill
 
watch3s
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any one else think rolex should reintroduce coloured hands again?
 
U
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They could put blue painter's tape on them like Omega did with those Genéves. 😜
 
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