The Gateway Drug to Quartz — New Quartz Crisis

Intro

When I first came across Oysterquartz years ago I dismissed it for “just a quartz”. I had learned a nose up attitude towards everything quartz. This was the mainstream thinking. But I chose to have a second look, went down the quartz rabbit hole and fell in love. I hope to spark the same sequence of events in you. So I have gathered, what I think, is the most relevant and interesting information. I have pieced the info together from what I have learned and saved over the years. Below are also links to original sources to get you going on your own Oysterquartz discovery journey.

History

Back in the 1970s, Rolex offered it`s wealthiest customers the pinnacle of modern watchmaking technology, the Beta-21 quartz caliber, within it`s most expensive watch - The Texan, ref. 5100. Produced in limited numbers and already sold-out in pre-sale, the 5100, however had a problem. The caliber was developed together with other watch companies and this did not sit well with Rolex. A decision was made not to continue production and focus efforts on the development of a in-house quartz caliber.

rolex quartz caliber 5055 daydate — Rolex quartz Caliber 5055 in the Oysterquartz Day-date

Movement

Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, the Rolex quartz movements were constructed as much as possible along the same lines as the mechanical counterparts. The bridge, gear train and pallet assembly would be recognizable to anyone with a familiarity of the inner workings of a Submariner or Explorer. In fact, the entire drive mechanism of the Caliber 5035 is based very much on a traditional escapement. And, with the exception of the pulse motor and electronics, the movement is almost identical to the mechanical Cal. 3035 both launched in 1977.

Production Numbers

Available for ∼25 years, from 1977 to 2001, with some dealers selling until 2003 most estimate the production of Oysterquartz models stood at around 1,000 units per year, for a total of around 25,000 pieces from COSC certification numbers. But some experts estimate it`s more likely the total production numbers were close to 30,000 as some of the production was outside of COSC. Whatever the exact production numbers, it is safe to say that Oysterquartz is the rarest mass produced Rolex model ever made.

Price

The pricing was intriguing to say the least, especially according to todays standards. For example - The white gold ref. 18039 on a President bracelet was $8,800 as the Oysterquartz ref. 19019 was $10,250, so the quartz was priced above the mechanical equivalent...

Design

Integrated bracelet, brushed and polished finishes, sharp angles and beveled edges - this is usually more in line with something Audemars Piguet would produce, rather anything Rolex would ever make. Yet at 36mm, beautifully proportioned, at first glance, flies under the radar. The charm starts to present itself when you take a second look. It`s sleek, but sturdy - a distinctive take on the classic Rolex aesthetic, that if launched today, would pass as a modern watch.

Final Thoughts

Usually when you wear a Rolex among people who know about watches you do not get many questions, they already know everything about it, because it`s mainstream. With Oysterquartz you get a lot of curious questions. They are also the right kind of questions. The kind that you enjoy answering. Oysterquartz`s are charming outliers with rich history right from the heart of, arguably the most influential event in the history of watchmaking, The Quartz Crisis and they deserve a second look.

Links

Here are links to original sources to get you going on your own Oysterquartz discovery story.

https://www.oysterquartz.watch and https://oysterquartz.net - These two are like the Wikipedia of Oysterquartz. Very interesting and great place to start.

https://beckertime.com/blog/rolex-caliber-5035 - Great article about the Rolex quartz movements.