Rolex - The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE Geneva Saturday, May 14, 2016 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: 1971
    Reference No: 3236
    Case No: 2'564'281
    Model Name: "Swirl"
    Material: 18k yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 1400, 18 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: 18k yellow gold oval link bracelet designed by Georges Lenfant
    Clasp/Buckle: 18k yellow gold clasp, stamped Brevete
    Dimensions: 40mm width, 20mm length.
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed

  • Catalogue Essay

    Since its inception, Rolex is of course known for their relentless focus on building reliable and highly accurate watches, designed with timeless aesthetics. When on exceptionally rare occasions Rolex collaborates with a world-renowned jewelry designer, the outcome is nothing short of spectacular.

    The revered jewelry designer, Georges Lenfant, designed the present timepiece in 1970. Lenfant, is a notable jewelry designer who produced spectacular creations for some of the world’s most prestigious brands, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Hermès, and Bulgari, just to name a few. Rolex produced a very limited series of the reference through this collaboration, with roughly ten pieces produced. The dramatic size and sensual shapes and patterns that form the case and bracelet are simply stunning. Intricate, yellow gold oval mesh links are finished with both a matte texture and shiny gold wave pattern, giving the watch a dynamic liveliness when worn on the wrist.

    This fresh to the market example of Rolex’s reference 3236 complements a wide variety of ladies’ apparel – from casual to haute couture - easily transitioning from day to night. It is a superb addition for any discerning collector of fine timepieces.

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    Founded 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.

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Ref. 3236
An extremely rare and elegant yellow gold wristwatch with oversized oval link bracelet designed by Georges Lenfant

1971
40mm width, 20mm length.
Case, dial and movement signed

Estimate
CHF30,000 - 50,000 
€27,500-45,900
$30,900-51,500

Sold for CHF52,500

Contact Specialist
Nathalie Monbaron
+41 22 317 81 83

The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE

Geneva Auction 15 May 2016