109th Auction
2023/11/18
Lot 355
RolexBombay
A very rare and attractive vintage Big Bubbleback wristwatch with diamond indexes and bombé lugs
estimated
10.000—15.000 €
Price realized
-
specific features
Case
Steel, screw back with marking 5018, screwed old "Rolex Oyster" winding crown.
Dial
Silvered, applied diamond and facetted arrowhead indexes, alpha hands.
Movement
Automatic.
Case no.641727
Ref.5018
Cal.Hunter 44302
Diam.33 mm
Circa1948
Ctry.Switzerland
The watch takes its nickname "Bombay" from the French "bombé", which means rounded or convex and refers to the long curved lugs, that give the watch such a strong presence on the wrist. The name was later anglicized and the watch became known as "Bombay".
This timepiece has a steel case and has an extremely attractive original silver-plated dial with four diamond indexes, OCC marking and faded "Swiss Made" lettering. Such models very rarely appear on the market because Rolex did not often combine steel with jewels.