The Mondani Collection of Rolex Wrist...

Geneva, May 14, 2006

LOT 801

Ref. 6238, So-called ?Pre-Daytona? Rolex, ?Chronograph?, Ref. 6238. Case No. 1422431. Made in 1966. Very fine and very rare, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold gentleman?s wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, tachometer and an 18K yellow gold riveted Oyster bracelet.

CHF 50,000 - 70,000

EUR 32,000 - 45,000 / USD 40,000 - 55,000

Sold: CHF 158,250

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, polished inclined bezel. D. Silvered with applied yellow gold bâton indexes and luminous dots, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers. Luminous gold "bâton" hands. M. Cal. 13??? 722-1, rhodium plated, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness: 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Ref. 6238 is known by collectors as the ?Pre-Daytona? and was first published in the Rolex catalogue in 1964. This reference was available in stainless steel, 14K gold and 18K gold until it was removed from the Rolex catalogue in 1968. This watch is fitted with a Calibre 722 which is an improved version of the Valjoux 72B, often the improved calibres were not renumbered. A similar watch is illustrated in ?Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, 2001 Edition, p. 438. A similar watch was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, ?The Mondani Collection of Rolex Wristwatches?, April 1, 2006, lot 19.