VSF | Oyster Perpetual 41 134303 — A Century in Slate and Gold

The simplest watch in the catalogue just got a birthday cake. The genuine 134303 marks a hundred years of the waterproof case with a slate sunburst dial, a green square at every five-minute mark, the name printed in matching green and “100 years” sitting at six where the Swiss marking usually lives. The bezel and crown are yellow gold, the crown reportedly carries a raised “100”, and, unusually for a two-tone, the bracelet stays all steel. The genuine watch also comes as a 36 mm, the 126003, with the same dial. Quiet design, lots of tiny tells: dangerous territory for a replica.

VS Factory now appears to be taking its shot. The announcement doing the rounds today describes a 41 mm case, the slate sunburst dial, the six o’clock inscription and a gold-toned smooth bezel over a steel case and bracelet. Power reportedly comes from a Dandong-made 3230-type clone, which would match the genuine calibre’s layout and the 4 Hz beat. Early pricing is said to sit in the mid-$400s. None of that is verified yet, and so far the factory material is mostly renders.

Collectors have been circling this reference since spring, and versions from smaller workshops have reportedly been around for a while. The early complaints were predictable: a dial that drifts too blue or too brown, a gold tone that looks more costume than karat, and printing where the green sits a shade off or the font runs a size too big. Plain dials are less forgiving than busy ones. With no date or bezel insert to distract you, every index and letter is on stage.

So what should early buyers check? Start with the slate. It should shift from charcoal to a lighter grey as it catches the light, without a blue or brown cast. Then look at the green squares, which should be evenly spaced and the same green as the name. Check that the “100 years” text is centred and crisp, and inspect the crown for the raised numerals if the factory claims them. A straight-on photo of the batons at three and nine is cheap insurance.

If the dial holds up, this could be the most wearable novelty of the year: understated, a bit of gold, nothing to calibrate. If it doesn’t, the slate will tell you before your friends do.