Rolex 3348 Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback "Lifesaver"
Oyster Perpetual -> 3348
The 3348 is a stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback, 29mm, that Sotheby's catalogued under the nickname "Lifesaver Bubbleback" when it came up for sale in New York in 2018. The name is Sotheby's own, not an official Rolex term or one otherwise documented in wider collector use — worth noting rather than repeating uncritically. What is well documented is the retail history: the dial carries a second signature for Mappin & Webb, the British jeweller and silversmith, placing this example through one of Rolex's established period retail partners.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 3348 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual (Bubbleback) |
| common name | "Bubbleback"; Sotheby's catalogued its documented example as a "Lifesaver Bubbleback" |
| production | documented example dated circa 1940 |
| case | 29mm, stainless steel, flat bezel, screw-down back and crown |
| movement | self-winding (automatic) |
| dial (documented) | silvered, painted Arabic numerals and dot indexes, subsidiary seconds, outer minute divisions, signed by Rolex and further signed by retailer Mappin & Webb |
| documented examples | Sotheby's New York, 24 May 2018, sale N09879, lot 136, case no. 154006 (did not sell) |
Where it sits in the line
The 3348 is a plainer, all-steel counterpart to the pink-gold-and-steel bi-metal Bubblebacks like the 3064 and 3130 — no bezel or lug decoration in precious metal, a flat rather than domed or engine-turned bezel, and a more modest 29mm case. It represents the lower cost tier Rolex sold alongside its gold and bi-metal Bubblebacks through the same period.
Production outline
The only documented 3348 is dated circa 1940, case no. 154006, retailed through Mappin & Webb. It went to auction at Sotheby's New York on 24 May 2018 (sale N09879, lot 136) against a $5,000–7,000 estimate and did not sell — a genuine market data point worth recording alongside the successful results documented for other Bubbleback references, not every catalogued example finds a buyer at its estimate.
Movement notes
Sotheby's lot description confirms an automatic movement; no caliber number or jewel count is specified in the catalogue text.
Dial map
Silvered dial with painted Arabic numerals and dot hour markers, a subsidiary seconds sub-dial, and an outer minute-division track. The dial carries dual signatures: Rolex as maker and Mappin & Webb as retailer.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
29mm stainless steel case with a flat bezel — plainer than the domed or engine-turned bezels documented on other Bubbleback references — screw-down case back and crown. Sotheby's lists an associated (non-original) expansion bracelet sold with the watch.
Related references
- Bubbleback 3064 — same generation, bi-metal construction
- Bubbleback 3353 — same generation, steel, tonneau case
- Bubbleback 3725 — same generation, documented in multiple metal configurations
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sotheby's, New York, 24 May 2018 | 136 | 154006 | Stainless steel, silvered dial, retailed by Mappin & Webb, with associated expansion bracelet | USD 5,000–7,000 | Not sold |
Only one 3348 has a located auction record, and that lot did not sell — no second case number or dial variant has surfaced to compare it against.
Sources
- "Rolex Retailed By Mappin & Webb: A Rare Stainless Steel Automatic Wristwatch Ref 3348 Case 154006 'Lifesaver Bubbleback'", Sotheby's New York, sale N09879, lot 136, 2018, via CollectorSquare Luxprice Index
- "Used Rolex Bubble Back 3348 14k pink gold & stainless steel", Gray & Sons
- Anthony Traina, "The Rolex Bubbleback And Why It Still Matters", Hodinkee, 2024