1943 Rolex Two-Tone Viceroy (Ref. 3359) W/ RSC Letters, Invoice, & RSC Box

Finding a Rolex watch that is accompanied by service papers isn’t impossible, however, to find a Rolex watch of this vintage, and with this level of extensive Rolex to customer correspondence is, to say the least impressive. The extensive paperwork provided with this 1943 Rolex Viceroy ref. 3359 details the correspondence from Rolex to the watch's original owner in reference to the watch's service in the summer of 1983. These letters and invoices tell a tale of a man who believed in the mechanical prestige of his Rolex watch and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer even as Rolex suggested he retire his cherished ref. 3359. Rolex goes on to detail that the watch may be beyond repairable condition and that the work they perform on the watch could no longer be guaranteed. Rolex continues their candor in an almost humorous fashion saying that they no longer manufacture the parts needed and that they don’t want to say “I told you so” if the watch fails to meet their standards.

Though this is remarkable provenance for this Rolex Viceroy ref. 3359, what all of this does provide is an insight into a time when Rolex was a much younger brand than they are today. A time when they were able to provide thorough and personalized responses to their customers based on their capabilities at the time.

After the service was all said and done, Rolex managed the bring the watch back to operating condition. They replaced the hands of the watch, refinished the luminous material, overhauled the moment, and polished the case, as detailed in the documents provided. As the watch stands today, almost as a testament to the watchmaking capabilities of Rolex from its beginning to now, is running perfectly, keeping excellent time, and now has an incredible story to go along with it.