208
Rolex
Ref. 3830
Anti-Magnetique "Verga"
An exceptional, highly important and quite certainly unique square-shaped yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with champagne dial, retailed by Verga
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph, retailed by Verga
- Most probably the only ever made example of this
- Distinguished by its square, stepped construction and regarded as an important precursor to later chronographs
Please see the Archivio Pucci Papaleo digital archive record here.
Most probably unique and last known to have appeared at auction in 2004, reference 3830 ranks among the most exclusive and most important Rolex chronographs known. No other reference 3830 has ever come to the auction market since. Its exceptional proportions, distinctive design, and extraordinary rarity make it a remarkable anomaly and milestone within the brand’s early chronograph production.
Dating from the early 1940s, the reference represents an important stage in the evolution of Rolex chronograph design and is one of the early square-shaped examples produced by the manufacture, however in a unique reference. It also represents an important moment within the history of Rolex, as it shows how the brand was open to experimenting models in its catalog before it settled for the now-iconic Oyster design of the Cosmograph Daytona.
The case is particularly noteworthy for its sophisticated stepped construction, its subtly tiered architecture creating a pronounced sense of depth and definition. The slightly recessed crown, integrated discreetly into the case profile, further contributes to the unusual and beautifully balanced proportions. Square wristwatches wear especially large on the wrist, with the present watch being no different. Its condition is spectacular, with crisp facets, sharp hallmarks, and impressive proportions.
The dial is equally compelling. Champagne in tone, it features a spiral tachymeter scale and elegantly proportioned applied "white" Arabic numerals arranged with generous spacing. Remarkably, despite its early-1940s origins, the composition feels both modern and timeless.
Furthermore, the dial features the signature of Verga, the retailer in Milan, adding another layer of collectibility. The story of Verga started in Milan in 1880, when Camillo Verga established a small goldsmith's workshop. The original business was principally concerned with goldsmithing and jewellery, rather than watches. His son Romolo Verga subsequently took over and expanded the business. He opened a shop at Corso Garibaldi 15, combining jewellery production with retailing watches. It was under the vision of Romolo Verga that the retailer started selling Rolex watches.
Exceptionally rare and visually distinctive, Reference 3830 offers a fascinating glimpse into an experimental and formative period of Rolex design, while standing as a remarkable early expression of the square chronograph that would become an important part of the brand’s subsequent history. Being most probably unique, it represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a foundational model within the history of The Crown.
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.