Reference:Movements

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Rolex movements

The table below catalogues every Rolex caliber that powered a pre-2020 Daytona, Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer, or Oyster Perpetual reference, with spec, production span, and reference fitments. Four lineages run through it. The manual-wind chronograph line ran from the Valjoux-72-derived cal 72 through cal 727 into 1988. The automatic chronograph started with the Zenith-derived cal 4030 and finished with the in-house cal 4130 in 2000. The sport time-only family travelled from the bumper-style A-series through the 1030 / 1530 platform and into the 30xx / 31xx series. The Oysterquartz sits outside that mechanical line entirely from 1977. Lume material is per-dial and per-era rather than per-caliber and is not tracked here; the per-reference dial map covers it.

Caliber index

Caliber	Type	Base	Years	Jewels	Frequency (vph)	Power reserve (h)	Hack	Quickset	GMT hand	Chronometer	Families	Notes
300	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (1927 patent)	1928–1937	15 (Prima) / 18 (Extra Prima / Ultra Prima)	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (Extra Prima / Ultra Prima only)	Prince	7½ × 14½ lignes; rectangular plates; Cal. 877 (Gruen Techni-Quadron) is the architectural sibling, sold under the Gruen brand in the US market — not a Rolex caliber; cal. 300 winding-stem bridge is a known service fail point. Cal. 414, 527, 579 T, 701, 841 T, 1004, and 1759 are commercial designations documented on 1862 Prince cases that share the Cal. 300 architecture under different finishing/grading; each has its own row in the index above (see 414, 527, 579 T, 701, 841 T, 1004, 1759)
350	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (1927 patent family)	c.1928–1935	15 (some examples 18)	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (Extra Prima)	Prince	Documented on Phillips lots CH080319/17 (Beyer 1490) and NY080223/92 (18K 1490 c.1933); appears alongside Cal. 300 in 1490 and 971 cases without obvious dating segregation
7½′′′ T.S. 300	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (1927 patent family)	1932–1938	18	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (Ultra Prima, 6-position)	Prince	Très Soigné — the Ultra Prima movement variant; lateral lever escapement; monometallic balance with micrometer regulator; Breguet overcoil hairspring; rhodium-plated; documented on Antiquorum May 2006 Mondani lot 46 (1490 case 17,365, dated 1935)
360 HW	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (successor)	1936–late 1930s	15–18	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (Extra Prima)	Prince	Successor caliber for late-period 971 / 1490 / 1862 / 3361; visually identifiable by tonneau-shaped movement plates rather than the rectangular plates of Cal. 300/350 — the plate-shape distinction is the cleanest authentication tell for late-era Prince movement attribution (NAWCC Doug Sinclair / gmorse / Cary Hurt 2013)
414	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.early-1930s	15–17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes	Prince	Documented on 1862 cases. Same Cal. 300 architecture under a different commercial number.
527	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.1934	15–17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes	Prince	Documented on Christie's online Watches Online Time Autumn lot 31 (Prince 1862, 9K Glasgow 1934) — the canonical Cal. 527 example with "Modèle déposé" enamel-marked dial.
579 T	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.1935	15–17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes	Prince	Documented on Collectors Square 1862 lot. T suffix likely denotes a specific finishing or adjustment grade within the Cal. 300 family.
701	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.mid-1930s	15–17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes	Prince	Documented on 1862 cases.
841 T	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.1930	17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes	Prince	Documented on Bonhams 2022 1862 case. T suffix denotes a specific Aegler grading tier.
1004	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.1936	17	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (8-position adjustment)	Prince	Documented on Christie's London 2015 9K Glasgow 1936 Prince 1862, "officially tested in 8 positions" — eight-position adjustment is unusual (Swiss and Kew chronometer protocols typically tested 5–6 positions); may indicate Aegler-internal regulation tier rather than Bureaux-Officiels-Suisse-de-Contrôle certification
1759	shaped manual-wind	Aegler shaped (Cal. 300 family commercial designation)	c.1937	18	18,000	~50	no	–	–	yes (Ultra Prima Chronometer, 6-position)	Prince	Ultra Prima Chronometer execution; 18-jewel, 6-position. Documented on watch-auctions.co.uk Prince 1862 Glasgow 1937 9K example. Same architectural specification as Cal. 300 Ultra Prima — caliber-number drift across auction houses (Cal. 300 Ultra Prima vs Cal. 1759 Ultra Prima Chronometer for similar architectural specs) is documented but not fully resolved
72	chronograph	Valjoux 72	1960–65	17	18,000	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	Bare Valjoux 72 in 6234 / early 6238
72A	chronograph	Valjoux 72	early-to-mid 1960s	17	18,000	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	Rolex-finished intermediate; thin documentation
72B	chronograph	Valjoux 72	1962–65	17	18,000	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	Final pre-722 Valjoux 72 in early 6238
722	chronograph	Valjoux 72	1963–69	17	18,000	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	First Rolex-stamped Valjoux 72; 6239 / 6241
722-1	chronograph	Valjoux 72	1969–70	17	18,000	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	Transitional 722 revision into the 727 era
727	chronograph	Valjoux 72	1970–88	17	21,600	48	no	–	–	no	Daytona	Higher-beat Valjoux 72; 6262 / 6263 / 6264 / 6265
4030	chronograph	Zenith El Primero 400	1988–2000	31	28,800	54	no	–	–	yes	Daytona	Modified El Primero in the Zenith Daytona; modification list disputed
4130	chronograph	in-house	2000–present	44	28,800	72	no	–	–	yes	Daytona	First in-house Rolex chronograph; vertical clutch
A260	automatic	in-house	1953–55	17	18,000	36	no	no	–	no	Submariner, Oyster Perpetual	First-generation Sub 6204 / 6205
A296	automatic	in-house	1953–56	17	18,000	36	no	no	–	no/yes	Submariner, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual	Big Crown 6200; Explorer 6098 / 6150 (non-COSC) / 6350 (COSC)
1030	automatic	in-house	1955–62	25	18,000	42	no	no	–	yes	Submariner, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual	Mid-1950s Sub 6536 / 6536-1 / 6538; Explorer 6610
1036	automatic	in-house	1954–59	25	18,000	42	no	no	synchronized	yes	GMT-Master	First GMT caliber; bakelite-bezel 6542
1065	automatic	in-house	1956–59	25	18,000	42	no	no	synchronized	yes	GMT-Master	Late-6542 GMT caliber
1530	automatic	in-house	1957–65	26	18,000	42	no	no	–	yes	Submariner, Oyster Perpetual	Foundation of the 15xx family; early 5512 / 5513
1520	automatic	in-house	1965–90	26	18,000	42	no	no	–	no	Submariner	Non-chronometer twin to 1570; late 5513 / 5514 / 5517
1560	automatic	in-house	1959–65	26	18,000	42	no	no	–	yes	Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer	Cross-family chronometer; mid 5512 / 1675 / 1016
1565	automatic	in-house	1959–65	25	18,000	42	no	no	synchronized	yes	GMT-Master	Early 1675; "caller" GMT
1570	automatic	in-house	1965–80	26	19,800	44	late only	no	–	yes	Submariner, Explorer	Higher-beat 1560; hack added mid-life
1575	automatic	in-house	1965–80	25	19,800	50	no	no	synchronized	yes	Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer	1680 / late 1675 / Explorer II 1655
3000	automatic	in-house	1989–99	27	28,800	48	yes	no	–	yes	Submariner, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual	First 28,800 vph time-only; 14060 / 14270
3035	automatic	in-house	1977–88	27	28,800	48	yes	yes	–	yes	Submariner	First quickset Sub; 16800 / 168000 / 16808 / 16803
3075	automatic	in-house	1979–88	27	28,800	48	yes	yes	synchronized	yes	GMT-Master	16750 / 16753 / 16758
3085	automatic	in-house	1983–88	27	28,800	48	yes	yes	independent	yes	GMT-Master, Explorer	First independent 24-hand; 16760 "Fat Lady" / 16550 Exp II
3130	automatic	in-house	1999–2018	31	28,800	48	yes	–	–	yes	Submariner, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual	Time-only successor to 3000; 14060M / 114060 / 114270
3132	automatic	in-house	2010–~2020	31	28,800	48	yes	–	–	yes	Explorer, Oyster Perpetual	3130 with Parachrom + Paraflex; 214270
3135	automatic	in-house	1988–2018	31	28,800	48	yes	yes	–	yes	Submariner	30-year workhorse; 16610 / 16613 / 16618 / 116610-series
3175	automatic	in-house	1989–99	31	28,800	48	yes	yes	synchronized	yes	GMT-Master	16700 — last "caller" GMT
3185	automatic	in-house	1989–~2007	31	28,800	48	yes	yes	independent	yes	GMT-Master, Explorer	16710 / 16713 / 16718 / 16570
3186	automatic	in-house	2007–19	31	28,800	50	yes	yes	independent	yes	GMT-Master, Explorer	Parachrom hairspring; 116710LN / BLNR / 116719BLRO / late 16710
5035	quartz	in-house	1977–2001	11	32 kHz	–	yes	yes	–	yes	Oyster Perpetual	Oysterquartz 17000 / 17013 / 17014
5055	quartz	in-house	1977–2001	11	32 kHz	–	yes	yes	–	yes	Oyster Perpetual	Oysterquartz Day-Date 19018 / 19028

Manual-wind chronograph lineage

The manual-wind Daytona stayed on Valjoux 72 architecture for its full first chapter. Cal 72 belongs to the 6234 and earliest 6238. Cal 722 is the first Rolex-stamped version and powers the original 6239 alongside the 6240 and 6241 generation. Cal 722-1 bridges into the higher-beat cal 727, which lifts the rate from 18,000 to 21,600 vph and then runs through the 6262, 6264, 6263, and 6265 until the manual-wind era closes in 1988.

Automatic chronograph lineage

Cal 4030 is the most disputed Daytona movement spec, but the working outline is clear. Rolex took the Zenith El Primero base, reworked it heavily, and launched it in 1988 with the 16520 for a twelve-year run. Serious sources agree on 28,800 vph, a free-sprung Breguet balance, no date, and major Rolex revision. They diverge on the length of the modification list and on power reserve, usually quoted as 52 or 54 hours. It was the last foreign-sourced caliber in Rolex's modern line.

Cal 4130 launched in 2000 with the 116520 as Rolex's first fully in-house chronograph movement. The architecture is column wheel with a vertical clutch, the reserve runs 72 hours, and the part count drops below the cal 4030 it replaced. It powered the whole pre-ceramic in-house Daytona generation and carried forward into the 116500LN.

Sport time-only lineage (Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer)

The sport time-only line opens with the A-series bumper automatics. Cal A260 powers the first 6204 and 6205. Cal A296 carries the 6200 and the earliest Explorers, with the 6150 / 6350 split showing the same movement in non-COSC and COSC form. Cal 1030 takes over from 1955 and underpins the mid-1950s Submariner and Explorer generation.

The 15xx family is Rolex's long middle chapter. Cal 1530 anchors early 5508, 5510, 5512, and 5513 production. Cal 1520 is the non-chronometer twin used in late 5513, 5514, and 5517. Cal 1560 and 1570 carry the chronometer side of the Submariner, GMT-Master, and Explorer lines. Cal 1575 adds the date or GMT module, which is how it lands in the 1680, late 1675, and the 1655 Explorer II.

The GMT branch reads in three steps. Cal 1036 and 1065 belong to the bakelite 6542 era and keep the 24-hour hand linked to the main hour hand. Cal 1565, 1575, and 3075 carry that synchronized layout through the 1675 and 16750 generation. Cal 3085 breaks the pattern with the first independently jumping local hour hand, used in the 16760 and 16550. Cal 3185 then defines the long 16710 run, and cal 3186 adds the Parachrom hairspring for late 16710 production and the ceramic-era GMT line. The 16700 keeps the old synchronized caller layout alive on cal 3175 until 1999.

The modern time-only line settles on the 31xx family. Cal 3000 is the first 28,800 vph no-date movement of the era, used in the 14060 and 14270. Cal 3130 succeeds it in the 14060M, 114060, 114270, and later Oyster Perpetual watches. Cal 3132 adds the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock system for the 214270. Cal 3135 is the date counterpart and the dominant modern Rolex workhorse across the Submariner Date and the rest of the steel sports line.

Oyster Perpetual lineage

The Oyster Perpetual line shares most of its movements with the sport watches. Bubbleback and early Oyster references use the 520, 620, 630, and A-series automatics, documented on the Bubbleback family page. Mid-century OP shares the A296 and 1030 with the early Submariner and Explorer. Later no-date OP references move through 1530, 1560, and 1570, then into cal. 3000, 3130, and 3132, in the same sequence seen on the no-date Submariner and Explorer.

The Oysterquartz sits outside the mechanical line. Cal 5035 and 5055 launched in 1977 as Rolex's in-house quartz calibers and ran through 2001. Total output stayed small, under about 25,000 watches across the 24-year run. Cal 5035 powers the Oysterquartz Datejust and Oyster Perpetual references; cal 5055 powers the Day-Date Oysterquartz.

Prince lineage

The Prince family runs on Aegler shaped movements that predate every other Rolex movement on this page. The 1927 Wilsdorf-Aegler patent for a "shaped watch movement with a seconds dial" placed the winding barrel at one end of the rectangular movement and the balance at the other — the architectural choice that allowed both a larger balance wheel (for improved precision) and a larger mainspring barrel (for longer power reserve) than competing shaped calibers of the period. The Aegler-Rolex relationship was a supplier arrangement: Aegler manufactured in Bienne as an independent firm until Rolex purchased the company from the Borer family in April 2004 (Tim Mosso, Quill & Pad). "Aegler" and "Rebberg" refer to the same manufacturer — Aegler is the company name, Rebberg the Bienne street address.

Two distinct caliber generations span the Prince production window. **Cal. 300** (rectangular plates, 1928–1935) is the original shaped movement: 15 jewels at the Prima base, 18 jewels at Extra Prima and Ultra Prima with 6-position adjustment, 18,000 vph, approximately 50-hour power reserve. **Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300** is the Ultra Prima execution of the same architecture (1932–1938) with lateral lever escapement and monometallic balance. **Cal. 360 HW** is the 1936-onward successor with tonneau-shaped plates rather than the rectangular plates of Cal. 300. The plate-shape distinction is the clearest visual authentication: a 971 or 1490 with rectangular movement plates is a 1928–1935 example; a watch in the same case reference with tonneau plates is a 1936-onward example.

Movement grading runs Prima → Extra Prima → Ultra Prima, corresponding to ascending jewel counts (15 → 18), adjustment positions, and chronometer testing rigour. The "Chronometer" or "Observatory" designation on a Prince dial corresponds to Extra Prima or Ultra Prima grade — a Prima movement does not earn the dial mark. The Kew-Teddington observatory testing tradition runs through this period: Rolex submitted Prince movements to the National Physical Laboratory at Kew for independent rate certificates against the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. The 1914 Class A Kew certificate that Rolex commonly cites as their first official chronometer rating was issued for an earlier ladies' wristwatch movement; the Prince calibers extend the observatory-testing lineage from 1928 forward, but the 1914 milestone predates the Prince family.

A specific service-tell deserves naming on Cal. 300: the winding-stem bridge is a known fail point. A Prince that sets time then disengages immediately is symptomatic of a broken stem bridge. Aftermarket CNC-machined brass replacements circulate among watchmakers, and aftermarket "cal. Prince TS" winding stems are commercially available. Owners of Cal. 300 Princes should treat the stem bridge as a known maintenance item rather than a hidden fault.

The Aegler-Gruen marketing split is a related authentication concern. Aegler supplied shaped movements to Gruen as well as Rolex; Rolex took the British Empire markets, Gruen took the United States market. The Gruen Cal. 877 used in the Gruen Techni-Quadron is the architectural sibling of the Rolex Cal. 300 — the same Aegler movement under a different brand. Some Prince literature lists "Cal. 877" as a Prince caliber; this is a misattribution traceable to the Gruen-Rolex sibling relationship and should be excluded from canonical Prince caliber listings (per Oren Hartov, Analog/Shift). A Gruen-stamped movement under a Rolex Prince case is a known transplant pattern.

Sources

• Revolution — A Movement in History: The Zenith-driven Rolex Daytona (Ross Povey, 2018)
• Hodinkee — A Vintage Watch Nerd's Critical Dissection of the Rolex Daytona, Part 1 (Paul Boutros, 2012)
• Hodinkee — A Vintage Watch Nerd's Critical Dissection of the Rolex Daytona, Part 2 (Paul Boutros, 2013)
• Monochrome — In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Daytona (Erik Slaven, 2024)
• Monochrome — History of the Rolex Submariner, Part 1 (Tom Mulraney, 2020)
• Monochrome — History of the Rolex Submariner, Part 2 (Tom Mulraney, 2020)
• Monochrome — In-Depth: The History of the Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II
• Monochrome — The History of the Rolex Explorer (Frank Geelen, 2024)
• Monochrome — In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Explorer II
• Monochrome — Youngtimer Case Study, the Rolex Explorer 14270 (Frank Geelen, 2020)
• Monochrome — Rolex Explorer 214270 In-Depth Review (Brice Goulard, 2016)
• Hodinkee — A Comprehensive Collector's Guide To The Rolex Explorer I (Jon Bues, 2022)
• WatchTime — Tracking the Rolex Daytona: A 55-Year History
• Revolution — The Rolex "John Player Special" Paul Newman Daytona Ref. 6241 (Bob Ridley, 2017)
• A Collected Man — Is the Rolex Pre-Daytona a Forgotten Classic? (Russell Sheldrake, 2020)
• Fratello — Why I Bought The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 116520 (Ben Hodges, 2021)
• Fratello — Rolex Submariner 14060M Review
• Fratello — Rolex Submariner 114060 Review (2019)
• Fratello — Ceramic Bezel close-up of the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN
• Sotheby's — Submariner Ref 6536/1, Stainless Steel Automatic With Bracelet, Circa 1957
• Sotheby's — Submariner Ref. 6538, Stainless Steel With 4-Line Tropical Dial, Circa 1958
• The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra