1035
Rolex
Ref. 6202, repeated inside caseback and stamped III.53
Turn-O-graph
A very well-preserved and rare stainless steel wristwatch with honeycomb dial, center seconds and bracelet
- Estimate
- HK$75,000 - 150,000€8,500 - 17,000$9,600 - 19,200
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- Circa 1953
- Reference No
- 6202, repeated inside caseback and stamped III.53
- Movement No
- 84’542 and F88’863
- Case No
- 949’844
- Model Name
- Turn-O-graph
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. A260, 19 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Stainless steel Rolex riveted Oyster bracelet stamped "7206", endlinks stamped "75", max length 195mm
- Clasp/Buckle
- Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp stamped "4,64"
- Dimensions
- 36mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
Catalogue Essay
The present lot will delight connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike with its impressive honeycomb dial and flawless gilt print, boasting very strong radium readings under a Geiger counter. The rarity is further enhanced by the exceptional condition of this watch, which features a well-preserved dial. The luminous material has aged beautifully over the years, taking on a dark hue. Combined with the prominent “lollipop” seconds hand and the unusual “Oyster Perpetual” printing located between the 9 and 3 o’clock positions on the dial, this piece is a highly collectible specimen.
Due to its brief one-year production run, remaining good quality examples of the Rolex reference 6202 Turn-O-Graph have become quite rare and highly sought after by collectors. This watch represents the foundation and DNA of Rolex’s rotating bezel tool watches for years to come.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.