Rolex introduced 6694 in the early 1960s and maintained its production until 1989 since it served as the brand's entry point into the Oyster collection. Later examples from the 1970s house the manual-wind Caliber 1225, which operates at 21,600 vph across 17 jewels and incorporates a Breguet overcoil hairspring to improve performance.
This example pairs a matte black dial with applied silver baton indices that double at 6 and 9 o'clock, while the "-T SWISS T-" designation below 6 o'clock confirms factory tritium luminescence.
Founded in 1905 by the visionary Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex was born from a singular, revolutionary idea: to transform the wristwatch from a fragile piece of jewelry into a robust, precise, and reliable daily companion. This ambition was masterfully realized in 1926 with the invention of the Oyster, the world's first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch case. Proven by a triumphant swim across the English Channel on the wrist of Mercedes Gleitze, the Oyster case established the foundational pillar of the brand's identity—performance and dependability in the most demanding conditions—a standard to which every Rolex is held to this day.
Building upon this foundation, Rolex went on to pioneer the defining features of the modern watch, including the self-winding Perpetual rotor in 1931 and the date-displaying Datejust in 1945. The brand then cemented its legend by creating the "professional tool watch" category, developing iconic models engineered for specific endeavors: the Submariner for deep-sea diving, the GMT-Master for intercontinental pilots, and the Cosmograph Daytona for the world of motorsports.
Today, Rolex positions itself as the universal symbol for success, quality, and prestige. As a fully integrated manufacturer, the brand exercises complete control over every component, from smelting its own proprietary gold alloys to assembling its "Superlative Chronometer" certified movements with uncompromising precision.
Overall Grade: 6 / 10 | Honest Condition, Heavy Wear Production: est. 1970's Contents: Watch Only Genre: Vintage Everyday Sports Watch
Size: 34mm Thickness: approx. 11mm Lug Width: approx. 19mm
Case: Stainless steel, mirrored case sides, brushed top lugs, heavy wear Bezel: Fixed, smooth bezel, mirrored finish, heavy wear Dial: Matte black dial, applied baton markers, heavy wear Hands: Baton hands with tritium lume, heavy wear
Crown: Fluted Twinlock screw-down crown, heavy wear Crystal: Acrylic crystal with Cyclops lens, heavy wear Bracelet: Stainless steel Oyster bracelet, heavy wear Caseback: Stainless steel, solid caseback, screw-down, heavy wear Movement: Manual Wind Caliber: Caliber 1225