Rolex 3353 Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback "Scalloped"
Oyster Perpetual -> 3353
The 3353 is a tonneau-shaped Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback from around 1935, in stainless steel with a pink dial and fancy hooded lugs elaborate enough that Sotheby's catalogued its documented example under the name "Scalloped." The case itself is signed not by Rolex directly but by Oyster Watch Co. — the case-manufacturing name Rolex used on some of its earliest waterproof Oyster cases before consolidating everything under the Rolex signature alone.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 3353 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual (Bubbleback) |
| common name | "Bubbleback"; Sotheby's catalogued its documented example as "Scalloped" |
| production | documented example dated circa 1935 |
| case | 29mm, tonneau-shaped, stainless steel, concave bezel, fancy hooded lugs, screw-down back and crown, case signed Oyster Watch Co. |
| movement | self-winding, caliber 520, 19 jewels |
| dial (documented) | pink, Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions, sunken subsidiary dial for constant seconds |
| documented examples | Christie's Geneva, 11 May 2015, sale 1407, lot 149, case no. 146'243 |
Where it sits in the line
At circa 1935, the documented 3353 sits among the earliest Bubblebacks in the family, contemporary with the 3130 and 3133 generation but distinguished by its "Oyster Watch Co." case signature — a naming quirk from Rolex's early Oyster case production rather than a separate manufacturer. The "fancy hooded lugs" Christie's describes are unusually elaborate next to the plainer hooded-lug treatment on most Bubblebacks of the period, which is what earned the "Scalloped" catalogue name.
Production outline
The only documented 3353 is dated circa 1935, case no. 146'243, sold at Christie's Geneva on 11 May 2015 (sale 1407, lot 149) for CHF 12,500 against a CHF 10,000–20,000 estimate.
Movement notes
Caliber 520, automatic, 19 jewels.
Dial map
Pink dial with Arabic numerals and an outer minute-division track, and a sunken subsidiary dial for constant seconds rather than the flush sub-seconds layout more common across the range.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
29mm tonneau-shaped stainless steel case, concave bezel, and the "fancy hooded lugs" that gave the documented example its "Scalloped" catalogue name. Screw-down case back and crown. The case is signed Oyster Watch Co. rather than carrying a direct Rolex case signature — a naming convention documented on some of Rolex's earliest waterproof Oyster production. Christie's lists an associated (non-original) stainless steel bracelet and Rolex deployant clasp sold with the watch, overall bracelet length approximately 175mm.
Related references
- Bubbleback 3064 — same era, tonneau case
- Bubbleback 3130 — contemporary generation
- Bubbleback 3548 — round "Empire" case style, same broader family
See also the Oyster Perpetual family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Auction record
| Sale | Lot | Case no. | Configuration | Estimate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christie's, Geneva, 11 May 2015 | 149 | 146'243 | Stainless steel, tonneau-shaped, pink dial, fancy hooded lugs, case signed Oyster Watch Co., with associated bracelet and clasp | CHF 10,000–20,000 | CHF 12,500 |
Only one 3353 has a located auction result; no second case number or dial variant has surfaced to compare it against.
Sources
- "Rolex, A fine, rare and unusual stainless steel automatic wristwatch with pink dial and fancy hooded lugs", ref. 3353, Christie's Geneva, sale 1407, lot 149, 2015, via CollectorSquare Luxprice Index
- "Rolex, Reference 3353 Oyster Perpetual 'Scalloped'", Sotheby's
- Anthony Traina, "The Rolex Bubbleback And Why It Still Matters", Hodinkee, 2024