Rolex - Geneva Watch Auction: TWO Geneva Saturday, November 7, 2015 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: 1998
    Reference No: 18238
    Movement No: 7'349'483
    Case No: A207'825
    Model Name: Day-Date
    Material: 18k yellow gold
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3155, 31 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: 18k yellow gold Rolex President, stamped 8385, max. length 185mm, end links stamped 55B
    Clasp/Buckle: Concealed deployant crown clasp
    Dimensions: 36mm. Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

  • Catalogue Essay

    The natural stone made dials were named by Rolex “special dial”. This particularly well preserved Day-Date features a most exclusive onyx hard stone dial with diamond set Arabic numerals.
    The highly fragile structure of the onyx makes it very delicate to perforate. This is the reason why this dial is so exclusive, as it is so rare to find an example that not only has holes for the hands, the day and the date apertures but has the ultimate finesse to feature applied numerals set with diamonds.

    The present watch is particularly well preserved and still retains a good portion of the green Rolex caseback sticker, which tends to prove that this watch has hardly been worn since it left the manufacture 20 years ago.

  • 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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170

Ref. 18238
A rare and attractive yellow gold calendar wristwatch with centre seconds, bracelet and onyx dial with diamond set Arabic numerals

1998
36mm. Diameter
Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

Estimate
CHF10,000 - 15,000 

Sold for CHF11,875

Contact Specialist
Nathalie Monbaron
+41 22 317 81 83

Geneva Watch Auction: TWO

Geneva Auction 7 & 8 November 2015 6:30pm