Vintage Tudor Oyster Ref. 4453 Cal.59 Manual Wind Rolex Oyster Case c.1948

A charming and increasingly collectible early Tudor Oyster dating from the late 1940s.

Housed in a genuine Rolex Oyster stainless steel case and powered by the sought-after Tudor Calibre 59 manual wind movement, this reference 4453 captures everything enthusiasts love about early Tudor production: honest originality, military-inspired design and direct Rolex heritage.

The original cream dial has aged beautifully, featuring applied Arabic numerals, red centre seconds hand and period cathedral-style hands. The watch retains its Tudor-signed movement, screw-down Oyster Patent crown and Oyster caseback, all hallmarks of these early post-war Tudor models.

At nearly 34mm, this is an unusually large Tudor Oyster for the late 1940s. Most watches from this period were considerably smaller, making this a surprisingly modern-wearing example with far more wrist presence than typically found in early post-war Tudor and Rolex watches. The fitted bund strap further enhances its military character and gives the watch exceptional presence on the wrist.

Specification

• Tudor Oyster Ref. 4453
• Circa 1948
• Stainless steel Rolex Oyster case
• Tudor Calibre 59 manual wind movement
• 17 jewels
• Centre seconds
• Screw-down Oyster Patent crown
• Original cream dial
• Acrylic crystal
• Approx. 31mm excluding crown
• Fitted on a black bund-style leather strap

Condition

An honest vintage example showing normal signs of age and wear consistent with nearly eighty years of use. The dial remains highly attractive with lovely vintage character. Case remains strong. Crystal shows marks visible under close inspection. Please study photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Early Tudor Oysters have become increasingly sought after as collectors discover just how closely these watches were linked to Rolex production during the company's formative years. Finding an original, unspoiled example such as this is becoming increasingly difficult.

A superb entry point into early Rolex/Tudor collecting and a watch that wears every bit as well today as it did in the late 1940s.

The watch winds, sets and is currently running and keeping time. However, no service history is available and therefore long-term accuracy or timekeeping performance cannot be guaranteed. As with all vintage watches, a future service should be expected at some stage depending on intended use and standards of accuracy desired.