Rolex - Double Signed: A Celebration of the Finest Partnerships of Manufacturers and Retailers Geneva Friday, November 8, 2019 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1930
    Reference No: 1490
    Movement No: 72'486
    Case No: 011'651
    Model Name: Prince "Brancard"
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal.350, 15 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel pin buckle
    Dimensions: 42mm Length, 23mm Width
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed, dial further signed Beyer

  • Catalogue Essay

    The present Rolex Prince “Brancard” has a very interesting history. Produced in the late 1920s the watch was delivered to Chronométrie Beyer in Zurich. For an unknown reason, the watch was never sold and was packed in a box left in the storage space of the jeweler. Some 70 years later, in 1998, it was discovered when the family owned business went under some construction work. Just like a pirate treasure, the box unveiled forgotten watches amongst which was this superb Rolex Prince.
    Introduced in 1928, the stylish Art Deco Rolex Prince was advertised as "The Watch for Men of Distinction". The model became known as the doctor’s watch due to the large subsidiary seconds dial, which was ideal for measuring a patient’s pulse rate. The present lot from the 1490 series is distinguished by the flared sides and called "Brancard" (stretcher in French).
    The rarity and beauty of this piece, combined with its pristine condition, make this reference 1490 a must have for the savvy collector.

  • 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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Ref. 1490
An incredibly well preserved stainless steel rectangular wristwatch

Circa 1930
42mm Length, 23mm Width
Case, dial and movement signed, dial further signed Beyer

Estimate
CHF30,000 - 60,000 
€27,600-55,300
$30,200-60,400

Sold for CHF62,500

Contact Specialist
Virginie Liatard-Roessli
Specialist, Head of Sale
+41 76 338 91 03
vliatard@phillips.com

Double Signed: A Celebration of the Finest Partnerships of Manufacturers and Retailers

Geneva Auction 9 November 2019