Vintage 1932 Rolex Oyster French Print Advertisement — Original Pre-War Watch Ad
Approximately 9.5 x 12.75 inches.
Original, full page1932 French Rolex Oyster advertisement, "Une montre de grande précision qui défie les éléments" — the legendary campaign born from Mercedes Gleitze's Channel swim that made the Oyster the world's first truly waterproof wristwatch. This striking full-page piece pairs bold Art Deco typography with a dramatic swimmer photomontage, spotlighting the rare Oyster Impérial in Rolésium, Rolex's pioneering steel-and-platinum alloy. Printed in Paris by the celebrated Draeger atelier and distributed through Europe's finest houses — Mappin & Webb, Mauboussin, and Kirby Beard among them — it captures Rolex at the height of its "watch of the modern man" era. An authentic pre-war tearsheet, ridiculously hard to find in this condition, and a cornerstone piece for any horology or Rolex collector. A rare survivor from the decade that built the Rolex legend.
What you see is what you get; the ad in the photo is the exact one that'll come to you. Listed sizes are close, but treat them as ballpark, not gospel.
Not feeling it? Send it back within 30 days in the same shape it arrived and we'll refund you in full. No drama.
Go with custom framing and we'll reach out to design something that does the piece justice. We have examples from our own offices and from current clients to give you inspiration.
Every unframed ad rides safe: acid free sleeve, stiff backerboard behind it, another board up front, all tucked into a rigid photo mailer and sent USPS with 3-day tracking. It'll get to you the way it left us.