Turtle, like Solar, is not a Rolex brand. The Turtle brand belonged to the Zell Brothers, who were high-end jewelers based in Portland. Click here to read more about their store. The story goes that the Zell Bros, being fairly close to Vancouver, were impressed with Rolex Watch Company's Canadian-market watches (like Solar Aqua, Oyster, and a few models offered under the Rolex brand in the 1930's-1940's). They wanted to bring those watches to America under their own brand. Since Rolex had an agreement with Gruen not to sell watches with Aegler movements (their standard for Rolex watches at the time) in the US, the Turtle watches from this era are likely the only Rolex Watch Company watches that were sold in the US during this time. Rolex Oysters didn't hit the US market until the 1950's.
These RWC-made Turtle watches are quite rare and collectible--probably more desirable than any other brand in the Fortnight o' Fun. Note that not all Turtle watches were made by the Rolex Watch Co. This Turtle Watertight chronograph was made by Doxa, for instance. The RWC relationship didn't seem to last past the 1940's. The Turtle Timer is the most well-known RWC-made Turtle Watch, but there are also models such as Turtle Lipton and Turtle Deluxe. I've seen the word "Rolex" added to the dials of Turtle Timers and Solar Aquas, etc. but it does not belong there.
