Rolex - The Geneva Watch Auction: XVII Geneva Saturday, May 13, 2023 | Phillips

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    • Manufacturer: Rolex
      Year: Circa 1958
      Reference No: 6232
      Case No: 394'876
      Material: 18K pink gold
      Calibre: Manual, cal. A23, 17 jewels
      Bracelet/Strap: Leather
      Clasp/Buckle: Gilt Rolex pin buckle
      Dimensions: 36.5mm Diameter
      Signed: Case, dial movement and buckle signed
      Literature: Reference 6263 is illustrated in 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp 118 - 119. It is also featured in I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda by Pucci Papaleo Editions, pp. 252 - 253.

    • Literature

      Reference 6263 is illustrated in 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp 118 - 119. It is also featured in I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda by Pucci Papaleo Editions, pp. 252 - 253.

    • Catalogue Essay

      The reference 6232 is somewhat of a unicorn not only within the Rolex production but also in the realm of vintage chronographs as it is a watch hardly ever seen and it is, in absolute terms, one of the rarest Rolex references of all times. It is the "last scion" of manual winding chronograph watches, following reference 4500 and 6032.

      The reference 6232 is the last Rolex Oyster two-counter chronograph iteration. It is important to note that starting the late 1950s all Rolex chronographs featured 3 registers and since then this has been a design language still used by Rolex, thus underlining how rare two register chronographs by the brand are.

      An incredibly rare chronograph model, reference 6232 hardly ever appears on the market. In fact, research suggests that the present watch is one of only estimated twelve watches in existence. Moreover, the known examples are within a very tight serial range. In fact the present example is only the second one sold at Phillips and is only one number from the previous example sold in 2020 for above CHF 700,000 (serial number 394'877 for the previous example and 394'876 for the present example).

      The present example is fresh to the market and offered by the family of the original owner. The case is in superlative condition with nice thick lugs, deep hallmarks and perfectly crisp reference and serial numbers between the lugs. The dial is also in superb condition considering the watch is over 70 years old, the signature and scales are perfectly crisp.

      There are numbers hand-engraved beneath the lugs, most probably the retailer’s inventory numbers.

      The overall rarity, state of preservation and freshness to the market make the present timepiece a must have for the collector of important and historical Rolex wristwatches.

    • 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. 6232
An exceedingly rare and extremely well-preserved pink gold chronograph wristwatch

Circa 1958
36.5mm Diameter
Case, dial movement and buckle signed

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
CHF150,000 - 300,000 
€156,000-312,000
$171,000-343,000

Sold for CHF292,100

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

+41 79 637 17 24
AGhotbi@phillips.com

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva

+41 79 460 55 88
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XVII

Geneva Auction 13 - 14 May 2023