Rolex Oyster Perpetual 4486

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 4486 is a rare vintage model produced in the late 1930s, during the early years of Rolex’s innovation in waterproof automatic watches. This reference features a 30mm Oyster case in stainless steel or gold, equipped with a domed acrylic crystal, screw-down caseback, and screw-down crown—hallmarks of the Oyster system designed to protect against water and dust ingress. It likely housed one of Rolex’s early rotor-based automatic movements developed before the widespread use of the Perpetual rotor, offering basic self-winding functionality and an estimated 36-hour power reserve. Dial designs from this period typically included silver or cream tones, sub-seconds at 6 o’clock, applied indices or numerals, and radium-lumed hands. With a lug-to-lug measurement of approximately 36mm and a lug width of 16mm, the watch is modestly proportioned by modern standards, but representative of the era’s wristwear. The 4486 is appreciated among vintage collectors for its early use of automatic winding in an Oyster case and for its scarcity, reflecting the brand’s formative technological advances before World War II. As a transitional piece, it helps illuminate the foundation on which Rolex built its enduring legacy of precision, durability, and water resistance.