Rolex Oyster Perpetual 3696

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 3696 is a rare and luxurious “Bubbleback” model from the mid-1940s, with known examples dating to circa 1945. Produced in the immediate post-war period, this reference exemplifies a return to precious materials and more complex features in civilian watchmaking. Its significance lies in its rarity as a solid gold model and its association with an early date complication. The reference 3696 was cased exclusively in 18k yellow gold, marking it as a high-end piece. The dials were typically silvered, with applied gold Roman numerals and an outer minute track. A particularly rare and important variation of this reference is the “roulette” date model, which featured a date window at 3 o’clock with alternating red and black date numerals. This complication, which would later become famous on the Datejust, was a very advanced feature for the time, making the reference 3696 a historically significant precursor and a highly collectible vintage timepiece.