Talking Hands: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual, reference 1530
By The Editors, published on 4 July 2011
For months, perhaps years, we’ve been busting our little Prodigal balls to bring you interesting video reviews of all sorts of luscious watches.
And what thanks do we get for it!? Not. A. Dime.
Instead, all we hear from you is “yeah, whatever, I wish you’d told us more about that watch Six is wearing.”
Well, today we draw a line in the sand, folks. Today, we give you nowhere else to go. Yep, today we capitulate.
Here’s the Talking Hands it seems you’ve all been waiting for: our take on the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, reference 1530: Straight-Six’s very own.
You know the routine by now: pour yourself a drink, hit play and join us for Talking Hands…
Talking Hands: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual, reference 1530
It’s Talking Hands time again. And this time, the Fool and Six sit down after dinner and far too many drinks to discuss the watch it seems you’ve all been waiting to hear about: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, reference 1530.
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24 Responses to “Talking Hands: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual, reference 1530”
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Dave,
Glad you enjoyed it as much as we did! I owned a mint SCOC Oysterquartz with silver dial box/papers before trading it in + cash for the1530. I don’t share the Fool and others’ rejection of a quartz movement in a high end piece, particularly when it sports a body like this, has one of the ;ost accurate quartz movements ever made and is indeed a rarity.
Your choice of going for the OQ non-chronometer is exactly what I intend to do. Except I will need a black dial to contrast with the creamy 1530. Oh no…need to go clean myself up now!
Enjoy and let us know when you do pick one up. Classic piece.
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Alirsf
4 July 2011
Thank you! And Straight Six, since I first saw you wearing the 1530, I am actively searching for a mint condition 17000 with champaign dial. The 1530 is waaaaay out of my budget.
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Jack
5 July 2011
What a lovely watch… I have been dreaming of an oysterquartz for years now.
This just about seals it.
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Folks,
Go ahead and join the Oysterquartz fan club. You know it’s gonna be good…
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Please don’t. It goes against everything that makes watches so great in the first place.
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El Guapo
5 July 2011
Join the club is right, lots of good OQ shots over at TZ-UK (http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=178018&p=1803795#p1803795)
You guys even get a mention.
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You’re so wrong it makes me, and others in the know, feel good.
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Watch Stig
5 July 2011
What was the watc Prodigal Fool was wearing?
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He was wearing an IWC Portuguese Chronograph. It’s the size of a saucer, but very elegant nonetheless…
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Chris I
5 July 2011
It is a really good looking watch and and it’s 70′s-ness is just right. Thanks for trying it on. I really like the way how wide the bracelet is and how it meets the case. Seems like $10k is not an uncommon price.
How was the La Piuma? Google results show it to be an inexpensive but high quality wine. Don’t think we can get it in the US however.
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Chris, dear boy, when you drink in the sorts of quantities that we do, sometimes you have to bow to the inevitable financial pressure and go for something a little more affordable!
Actually, it’s a pretty decent Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Still left me with a nasty head in the morning though…
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The wrist shot is dedicated to you, Chris, and is the horological equivalent of getting the sales assistant to model the swimsuit for you.
You’re right that the price is around the $10k mark for top notch 1530s, while the battered, bruised or replacement dial/hands ones go for around $6k.
And indeed the quality, heft and build of the 1530/OQ case and bracelet is simply superb and far superior to trad Oyster bracelets up to the newest versions.
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steppxxxz
9 July 2011
Excellent commentary. Id say yes, its fetishized rareness, but still a terrific watch. I was looking at the new 41mm datejusts…….something terribly wrong with them, as it seems with almost all new rolexs’. Something wrong with the bezel angle or something. Makes one appreciate watches like this. One rolex not talked of, that i think IS still pretty great is the Turn-o-graph. At least up until last year. One on ebay just now. Beautiful. GMT is ruined, subs ruined, the new explorer ruined. Would love you guys to keep looking at watches; a new Ulysse Nardin perhaps? Their chronograph>.. just a thought.
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steppxxxz
9 July 2011
am i allowed to do this? here is said watch:
http://cgi.ebay.com/UNWORN-ROLEX-DATEJUST-TURN-O-GRAPH-STEEL-BLUE-116264-/160607206870?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2564ef7dd6I would make an argument for this being a really splendid piece. (no i dont own it or any of that).
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Lord Hackers
10 July 2011
Wow. I’m no expert of Rolex watches but this definitely WAS a surprise! At first I thought it was an Oysterquartz from the design like most people!
At £5k and upwards, I guess it’s a little out of reach for most except the most ardent of investors/collectors. If it’s the design that attracts most people, then the mass produced Oysterquartz priced at around £2k is a good buy especially if it’s intended to be worn as a working watch. Either way, both are fantastic pieces irrespective of personal opinions on design aesthetics or power source.
LH
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Chris II
28 July 2011
Hey guys, just got around to watching your latest installment. I think that even though the watch has a distinctly 70s design, it is more timeless than, say, the more “kitschy” 70s designs of Heuer or Omega. Then again, Rolex is known for their iconic, timeless designs. As always, well done and now my eyes will be peeled for a nice 1530.
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Welcome back, young man.
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Chris II
29 July 2011
Thanks, Fool. As an aside, during the interim I’ve moved halfway across the country (U.S.), started a new job, and most importantly bought a nice pre-loved 2004 S4 as a replacement for the 2004 Camry I sold before moving.
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Joshua
30 July 2011
The fool is completely correct. This 1530 is rare and therefor desirable. Otherwise a design mistake that Rolex quickly corrected. The beauty of it is the rarity. The dial design by itself is wonderful and should be used more often by Rolex but the case and bracelet are just bland, even Seiko looking.
Can’t wait until I bump into one from someone who has no idea how rare it is!
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U-Dawg
3 December 2011
Loved this post & some of the thoughts put forward. Agreed it does have a timeless quality about it – details such as the brushed case, tapered/flat bracelet links & the beveled dial catch the light beautifully. Can’t get away from the silhouette being very close to some of Gerald Genta’s stuff (namely the Royal Oak), it’d be interesting to compare which is which stronger aesthetically?.. regardless of rarity, value or brand.
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Truthfully? The AP design will always retain the more sophisticated, tastefully ornate design due to the waffle dial and bracelet design. Whereas the 1530/OQ are magnificently self-effacing. Only those in the know will tweak to them.
Only thing to do is to buy both! But we would say that….
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Max Rockatansky
5 December 2011
A very useful video – thanks. I picked my 1530 up in April for Euro3,000 and am very happy with it. Agree with you that as it gets more notice, if you want a rare piece, the value can only increase. Personally, I think the vintage sports Rolexes are gaudy, all these dials and extra features – it detracts from the elegance. A couple of obvious bad points of the 1530:
* replacing anything and servicing it is expensive. And if you go to the wrong place (as you see with the lump – the value can drop a lot)
* it’s so rare, few people have heard of it. Sometimes a good thing, the people who know about them are very interested, but I took it into one 2nd hand Rolex shop and they had no idea what it was.-
Max,
Congrats on joining the club. 3k is an unbelievable price and I would love to see any pics if you’re willing to share them with us.
I had my 1530 serviced by an AD (replaced crystal, link, etc.) and it came to EUR750, which while not exactly cheap doesn’t break the bank either. Oh, and that AD had never seen one before (he was very suspicious…!). Like I said, those in the know are very few and far between, and with no more than 1500 ever made, well, you draw your conclusions…
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Dave Smith
4 July 2011
Beautiful! Great insight – totally agree about the point that festishizing Subs, SDs and GMTs has meant these crackers have been completely overlooked.
My eye has been drawn to the Oysterquartz 17000 as a more accessible (read: cheaper) way to enjoy this unique case. The early 17000 (non chronometer) all steel Oysterquartz would seem to number in the hundreds as well, making them the ‘next most rare’ version of this case. Cheap (at the moment), too.