Rolex - The 2021 New York Watch Auction New York Saturday, December 11, 2021 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 2001
    Reference No: 116519
    Case No: K449407
    Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona “Beach”
    Material: 18K white gold, chrysoprase
    Calibre: Automatic, 4130, 31 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Rolex green lizard strap
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Rolex deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 40mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, strap, and buckle signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex service guarantee dated January 8th, 2019, instructional booklets, guarantee booklet, polishing cloth, and inner and outer presentation boxes.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Since the introduction of the gem-set manually-wound 6269 and 6270 Daytona references, Rolex has taken the basic case, dial, and strap (or bracelet) of the beloved chronograph, and adorned it with various gems, outfitted it with colorful and exotic straps, and decorated the dial with otherworldly materials. Some of the most extravagant, elegant, and exciting examples in the Rolex catalogue are in this elevated line of Daytonas, which have only increased in opulence since the introduction of the automatic Daytonas: first, the caliber 4030 and then the in-house 4130. Perhaps the upsized 40mm diameter allowed for a larger canvas for Rolex to experiment with.

    At the turn of the century, Rolex introduced not only its new in-house automatic movement for the Cosmograph Daytona, the caliber 4130, but a new reference alongside it, the reference 116520. Coinciding with this launch, Rolex released a colorful, joyful line of Daytonas, all cased in 18K white gold on exotic straps. These watches have been dubbed the “Beach” series, with brightly colored hardstone dials in blue (turquoise), yellow (yellow mother-of-pearl), pink (pink mother-of-pearl), and green (like the present lot, green chrysoprase), paired with matching lizard straps. These offerings brought a levity to the new Daytona lineup, and over the years since its introduction, the Beach series has become highly coveted by collectors.

    The present lot is fitted with a chrysoprase dial and has a complementary green lizard strap. Chrysoprase is a form of translucent chalcedony that runs the gamut of the green spectrum from very light, almost pastel, to a deeply saturated green, caused by the nickel content of the stone. True chrysoprase is quite rare because large pieces of consistent color and without major inclusions are difficult to find. For Rolex to source such large pieces of homogenous chrysoprase and other similarly fragile and scarce materials underscores their commitment to quality and excellence. The current K serial Daytona Beach is in excellent condition, having been serviced by Rolex in 2019, and comes with its service box and papers. The chrysoprase is an intense candy apple green with no cracks or inclusions, absolutely stunning and resplendent against the white gold case.

  • 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.

    View More Works

Σ120

Ref. 116519
A visually arresting white gold chronograph wristwatch with hard stone dial and service guarantee

Circa 2001
40mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement, strap, and buckle signed.

Estimate
$20,000 - 40,000 
CHF18,500-37,000
€17,700-35,400
HK$156,000-312,000

Sold for $90,720

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros

Head of Watches, Americas

+1 (212) 940-1293

WatchesNY@Phillips.com

 

The 2021 New York Watch Auction

New York Auction 11 - 12 December 2021