Need some help identifying 1930s rectangular mens?

[icemonk]

First post, so apologies in advance if i'm missing anything.

Had this watch lying around our house for years, was my grandfather's, and recently thought about getting it restored. Know very little about vintage rolex's, and after looking around online, i'm still struggling to identify the model and generally get some information on the watch.

I do know that that face was replaced at some point in time, the case is 9k gold, the movement says "15 rubies" on it. It's also missing the winder. I believe the hallmark is Austria, but i could be mistaken.

Any info would be much appreciatedphoto 1-2.jpgphoto 2-4.jpgphoto 3-5.jpgphoto 4-3.jpg

[AAKVIPER]

I do not see a Rolex signature on the caliber..

Artur

[icemonk]

Yeah, i noticed that also. The case does have the "R.W.C. ltd", but the movement only has "Swiss Made, 15 rubies". Anywhere else i could check or do you think that it could be just another movement just put in a rolex case?

Thanks for the help

[R.W.T.]

What you have to note is....Rolex had many sub lines and ALL of the movements were contract movements including the 300 and HW 360 and all of the round movements. Whether Gruen/Aegler based or contracted from any of the other ebauche makers A. Schild, Beguelin, ETA...Cortebert...whomever...any of the cases could be Rolex cases. This is how the company started. Widlsdorf bought movements and cases and had dials made up. Only over a period of time was the operation refined and more and more things brought in house and quality raised. But even so...in the early days you had...Marconi and Solar and Tudor and Rolco and Genex and a host of other small side lines...including Hans Wilsdorf's OWN brand. All of these came in RWC marked cases or Oyster Watch Co. cases. The watch is likely legit. It has no name on the dial...but it might have at one time. Does the movement fit fairly nicely in the case? It probably came in it. If you shoot a picture of the dial side of the movement I can tell you who the ebauche maker is.

Best,

Tommy

[icemonk]

Thanks for your insight Tommy, really appreciate it. The movement fits perfectly inside the case so it would indeed appear to have come with the case. I'd be keen to have it restored, do you think that'd be possible?

Here is the picture you asked for:
photo-4.jpg

[R.W.T.]

If you aren't confident and don't have a set of hand pulls don't do it. You'll scratch the dial and likely bend the hands. If you can get a watchmaker to pull the hands and dial for you and then take a picture I can tell you who made the movement most likely. It may even have some Rolex mark there.

Is it not running? Likely has a broken staff. Luckily...a lot of staffs are around for contracted movements...since many makers may have used that same movement in their watches as well. First you we have to determine...who made it. The main issues you will have is a staff and possibly a mainspring.

I can try and help you sort out what you need to do.

Best,
T