Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1980 Reference No: 4154/115 Case No: 6'911'941 Model Name: King Midas Material: 18k yellow gold Calibre: Mechanical, 1601, 19 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Black Rolex crocodile leather strap Clasp/Buckle: 18k yellow gold Rolex buckle Dimensions: 28.5 mm. width Signed:Case, dial and movement signed Accessories: With additional Rolex black crocodile leather strap
Catalogue Essay
Best known for its dress watches, Cellini timepieces exude refined elegance and simplicity. First introduced to the market in 1975, Rolex Cellini watches were cased in precious metals and provided an understated alternative to the "tool watch".
This highly unusual wristwatch features an onyx dial and enamel bezel insert. A left-handed wristwatch, this example is an incredibly striking. Housed in a King Midas style case, the present watch perfectly capture the spirit of the 1970s and 1980s.
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.