Rolex Oyster Perpetual 6564
Oyster Perpetual -> 6564
The 6564 is a mid-1950s Oyster Perpetual built in 18k yellow gold around the cal 1030 automatic, the same flat-caseback movement family that powers 6098, 6085 and 6580. A documented early example carries "Brevet" — French for patent — stamped on the case, crown and movement, along with a meters-first depth rating under the dial signature, both details specialists read as early-production tells for this reference.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 6564 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual |
| production | 1955 launch (documented example dated to the same year) |
| case | 34mm x 12mm, 18k yellow gold |
| crystal | Plexiglass (acrylic) |
| movement | Caliber 1030, self-winding — Rolex's first bidirectional automatic-winding movement, also used across contemporaneous Submariner references |
| dial | Gold-tone dial with even patina; early examples marked "Brevet" and depth rating meters-first under the signature |
Where it sits in the line
The 6564 is the gold-case member of the same cal 1030 flat-caseback generation that produced the steel 6098 and 6580 and the gold-and-steel spread of 6085. A separately attested reference, 6567, is described in dealer listings as a gold Oyster Perpetual Chronometer of the same era with a fluted bezel — a plausible sibling on the same case and movement platform, though its own case dimensions and dial were not independently confirmed for this article and it is flagged here as a lead rather than asserted as fact.
Production outline
A documented example, case number 141XXX, dates to 1955 and carries "Brevet" (patent) markings on the case, crown and movement — a detail associated with the earliest run of the reference. No Rolex-published production window exists; the reference sits inside the broader mid-1950s window shared with its flat-caseback siblings.
Movement notes
Caliber 1030 is Rolex's first bidirectional self-winding movement, introduced in this generation and carried forward into contemporaneous Submariner references. No jewel count or beat rate was recovered from the located source.
Dial map
The documented example shows a gold-tone dial with an even, consistent patina. Distinguishing early-production features include the "Brevet" case/crown/movement marking and a depth rating printed meters-first beneath the signature — later production is understood to have dropped these in favour of standard catalogue text, though the exact cutover has not been independently dated.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
The case is 18k yellow gold, 34mm across and 12mm thick, fitted with a Plexiglass crystal. The documented example's crown carries the same "Brevet" patent marking as the case and movement.
Related references
- 6098 and 6580 — steel siblings on the same cal 1030 platform.
- 6085 — the precious-metal-capable honeycomb-dial sibling of the same generation.
- Oyster Perpetual family index
Sources
- Hodinkee Shop — "1955 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Reference 6564"
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra