Rolex - The New York Watch Auction: NINE New York Saturday, December 9, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1936
    Reference No: 2508
    Case No: 37’126
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 14’, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Metal pin buckle
    Dimensions: 37.2mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, and movement signed.

  • Catalogue Essay

    The Rolex reference 2508 was first launched in the mid 1930s. Sporting a large, masculine case with a classic “Calatrava” design, it is among the most attractive chronograph models by any brand from this formative era of wristwatch design. The model can be categorized into two different generations, the first like the present watch boasts a large 37.2mm case with oval pushers, while the second generation had a slightly smaller diameter measuring 35.2mm and is fitted with rectangular pushers.

    The present watch has an ultra-exclusive black multi-scale dial, with only a few examples ever appearing at auction. Scholarship tells us only a small number of these first-generation watches were made, and when paired with a stunning black dial, the rarity is unmatched. It is amazing to see how this vintage chronograph wristwatch can be as timeless and contemporary today as it was when it first launched. Its striking visual impact is achieved thanks to its smooth case lines and highly symmetrical and architectural dial design. The engraving on the caseback, written in Italian, reads: “To my commander, to mark the time of glory and victory,” and is dated “1936-1938.”

    The watch is well-preserved in all original condition, retaining its crisply engraved coronet and serial number on the caseback.

  • 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

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Ref. 2508
A large, very rare, and attractive yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with lacquered multiscale black dial

Circa 1936
37.2mm diameter
Case, dial, and movement signed.

Estimate
$30,000 - 60,000 
CHF27,000-54,000
€28,100-56,100
HK$234,000-469,000
S$40,800-81,600

Sold for $48,260

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros
Deputy Chairman and Head of Watches, Americas
+1 (212) 940-1293
WatchesNY@Phillips.com
 
Isabella Proia
Head of Sale, New York
+1 (212) 940 1285
iproia@phillips.com

The New York Watch Auction: NINE

New York Auction 9 - 10 December 2023