1005
Rolex
Ref. 1665, repeated inside caseback
Sea-Dweller “Great White” MK III
A well-preserved, rare and attractive stainless steel wristwatch with center seconds, date, MK III dial, helium escape valve and bracelet
- Estimate
- HK$140,000 - 200,000€16,500 - 23,600$17,900 - 25,600
HK$152,400
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- Circa 1981
- Reference No
- 1665, repeated inside caseback
- Movement No
- D807’597
- Case No
- 6’675’673
- Model Name
- Sea-Dweller “Great White” MK III
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped “93150”, endlinks stamped “585”, max length 210mm
- Clasp/Buckle
- Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped “F”, “93150”
- Dimensions
- 40mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
In 1977 around the 5.2 million serial number, production of Rolex's Double Red Sea Dweller ceased. Around the same time, a new generation of reference 1665 was launched, no longer featuring the red lettering on the dial and fitted with differently inscribed casebacks. Thanks to its purity on the dial, lacking any bright colors, collectors refer to this model as the “Great White”.
During the next four years, different "Great White" dial variants were produced by Rolex and scholarship today divides them into five marks of which the present watch is a Mk III example. The present watch is distinguished by its exceptional state of preservation offered in possibly unpolished condition, the case is incredibly crisp with sharp bevels. It even retains the original black varnish within the engravings on the outside caseback. Even the inside caseback does not display any service marks. Furthermore, the dial has aged with warm patina, is unblemished in appearance and matches the hands.
The present watch ticks all the boxes in both desirability and condition, rendering it an exceptionally collectible timepiece.
During the next four years, different "Great White" dial variants were produced by Rolex and scholarship today divides them into five marks of which the present watch is a Mk III example. The present watch is distinguished by its exceptional state of preservation offered in possibly unpolished condition, the case is incredibly crisp with sharp bevels. It even retains the original black varnish within the engravings on the outside caseback. Even the inside caseback does not display any service marks. Furthermore, the dial has aged with warm patina, is unblemished in appearance and matches the hands.
The present watch ticks all the boxes in both desirability and condition, rendering it an exceptionally collectible timepiece.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded 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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