The history that unites Rolex with the conquest of the oceans goes back to 1927, when Mercedes Gleitze (1900-1981), a young British lady, swam across the English Channel (October 7), with a Rolex “Oyster Perpetual” on her wrist. It is the first water-resistant wristwatch in the history of horology, with a screw-down winding- and setting-crown and case-back. The “Submariner” model appeared in 1953. At that time, the watch was water-resistant to 100 metres. The first models, without crown protection (or crown-guard), are today nicknamed “James Bond” after the watch Reference 6538 worn by “Agent 007”, played on the screen by Sean Connery (1930-2020), in the films “Dr. No” (1962), “From Russia with Love” (1963) and “Goldfinger” (1964). There are two types of “James Bond” Rolex, which can be distinguished according to the size of the crown: small or large. The Reference 6538 worn by 007 is a “Big Crown” such as the one we are presenting; this model is the most popular among collectors today. In this case, having a beautiful gilt rail 2 lines dial, this is one of the earliest model produced and dates back circa 1957.