Rolex Triple Calendar Oyster Chronograph
Model 6036 Case Refinishing

Before and After

First, a bit of history of the 6036 and its lineage.
The most valuable of all Rolex models are the Oyster triple calendar chronographs, with a ref. 6036 making a world record price of 322,000 Swiss Francs at auction in Geneva, Switzerland a few years ago.

There were four iterations of the Oyster triple calendar chronographs. The 4767, introduced in 1948 and using a completely unmodified Valjoux 72c movement deep case and with external protrusions for the adjuster buttons. Then came the little known 5036 which is the missing link in between the 4767 and the 6036, as it has the case of the 4767 and the 1st generation Rolex modified movement of the 6036. This was replaced in the early 1950s with the 6036 which introduced the slimmer case with external protrusions and a Rolex modified movement and in 1957 the 6236 was introduced, this had an even more modified movement, a 3 piece case and no external protrusions.

These are by far the most complicated timepieces ever sold by Rolex, with 7 hands, 2 buttons, 2 adjusters not to mention the winding crown.

Also despite the word “Oyster” on the dial and the screwed back & crown they were NOT waterproof and so the premium that Rolex charged was not seen by most customers as being worth while.

The case is a “monobloc” construction with a very deep integral bezel and screwed back; there are two adjusters at the 8 and 10 positions operating the date & month indicators respectively.

This 6036 came to us needing restoration. With its value, careful consideration had to be given to how needed reapirs were approached. The idea was to service it, repair the problems, and never let the next person looking at it know you were there. Do not leave a trail.

The movement is a Valjoux 72c with several Rolex modifications, the shock protection is now Kif flector, rather than Incabloc, the train wheels are now pink gilt and the uncut balance wheel has adjusting screws.

These pictures show the completed restoration.
Restoring your watch is all about the details. Our goal with every watch we service is to have it look and run as well as humanly possible. We want you to be as proud to wear your watch as we were to service it.

The dial is a two toned silver with sunken applied steel “pyramid” hour markers, applied steel Arabic 12 marker and sunken registers. There are cut outs in the dial for the Month & Day indicators, which are both in English, and there is an outer track for the date of the month. The month indicator hand has a red tip, the other hands are blued steel “leaf” style with a luminous insert and there are luminous dots at the outer edge of each of the hour markers.