The Mondani Collection of Rolex Wrist...

Geneva, May 14, 2006

LOT 33

Ref. 1527, ?Prince Railway? Rolex "Prince Railway", Ref. 1527. Case No. 6189. Made in 1931. Very fine, rectangular curved, 18K white and yellow gold gentleman's Art Deco wristwatch with unusual steel and gold Rolex ?Bamboo? bracelet with deployant clasp.

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

EUR 10,000 - 13,000 / USD 12,000 - 16,000

Sold: CHF 27,140

C. Two-body, solid, polished, bi-color, stepped sides. D. Silvered with Arabic numerals and baton indexes, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel ?épée? hands. M. Cal. 7 1/2''' T. S. 300, Extra Prima, Observatory Quality, rhodium-plated, 15 jewels, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 6 positions, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Dim. 23 x 42 mm. Thickness 9 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

This Railway prince model has double-stepped sides unlike the single steps of the previous lot. This feature is further accentuated by the use of white and yellow gold to improve the contrast and make the steps more clearly visible. This reference, 1527, was also available with the jump hour indication. Besides their shape, the Rolex Prince watches differ from most watches of this period by their duo-dial design, that is hours and minutes at the top and seconds at the bottom. This feature earned them the name ?Doctors? Watches? as the clear separation of hours from seconds allowed for clear timings of pulse and respiration. The Rolex Prince line of watches was made in 9K, 14K, and 18K white, yellow and pink gold, steel, silver, platinum and in combinations of these metals - steel and gold for example. The calibre 7 1/2 ''' T. S. 300 was made between 1932 and 1938. This watch is illustrated in ?Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, 2001 Edition, pp.38.39.