At first glance, this Replica Rolex fake watch may look like a battery-powered Oysterquartz. After all, it has the characteristic Oysterquartz silhouette made up of an angular Oyster case and integrated Oyster bracelet. However, a closer look at this vintage Replica Rolex reveals that it has, in fact, a mechanical movement working away beneath that seventies-style case. Meet the rare automatic Replica Rolex Date ref. 1530.
A Replica Rolex Date 1530 looks similar to an Oysterquartz, but is actually a mechanical watch
Transition Time: Replica Rolex Date 1530In the 1960s, Replica Rolex joined a consortium of Swiss watchmakers called the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH). Made up of about 20 notable maisons, including the likes of Patek Philippe, Omega, and Piaget, the goal of the group was to produce a quality Swiss-made quartz movement. A tall order, especially since the Japanese quartz replica watches had been aggressively eating up market share.
As a result, the Beta-21 quartz caliber was unveiled in 1969, and 6,000 pieces were distributed amongst the group of twenty. This is the movement that powered the Omega Electroquartz, the Patek Philippe Cercle d'Or, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master-Quartz, and the Replica Rolex ref. 5100. However, many of these fake watch brands were used to making (or at least heavily modifying) their own movements. Therefore, some CEH members, including Replica Rolex, abandoned the project to focus on creating in-house quartz calibers.
Rolex wanted to put an Oysterquartz movement in this watch, but the technology hadn't been perfected yet
While it took Replica Rolex five years to research and develop their own Oysterquartz movements, the company already had a case and bracelet ready. So Replica Rolex did what any reasonable company would ?they put a working movement in the case and sold it. The result? A 1570 caliber movement housed in what would eventually become the Oysterquartz case.
Rolex Date 1530 Specs and Manufacturing PeriodThe stainless steel Replica Rolex Date ref. 1530 flaunts a Gerald Genta-esque vibe with its round smooth bezel sitting on top of a sharp-cornered case. The 36mm Oyster case was fitted with an integrated bracelet—a highly on-trend design during that period.
The Replica Rolex Date 1530 looks to be heavily influenced by legendary designer Gerald Genta
The dial has developed a fantastic patina over the years and houses silver stick indexes along with the date window at 3 o'clock. In an interesting twist, Replica Rolex placed the minute track and lume plots on the rehaut rather than directly on the dial. This adds more depth to the face of the watch. Also on the dial, we see the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified?label thanks to the COSC-certified Caliber 1570 beating inside the watch.
Since the Replica Rolex Date ref. 1530 was only produced whilst the company was waiting for the debut of the Oysterquartz, its production was short-lived and came to an end in 1977. Consequently, the Replica Rolex Date ref. 1530 is a rare vintage model as it's estimated that fewer than 1,500 units were ever made.
Boasting an appealing design, intriguing history and automatic movement the Replica Rolex Date ref. 1530 offers a complete package for collectors.
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