The Mondani Collection of Rolex Wrist...

Geneva, May 14, 2006

LOT 87

Ref. 6050, So-Called ?Bubble-Back? Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual, Officially Certified, Chronometer?, with ?Super- Oyster? winding crown, Ref. 6050. Case No. 704326. Made in 1950. Fine and rare, tonneau-shaped, center seconds, selfwinding, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with gold plated Rolex buckle.

CHF 6,000 - 8,000

EUR 4,000 - 5,000 / USD 4,700 - 6,300

Sold: CHF 9,440

C. Two-body, polished, screwed-down case back, ?Super- Oyster? winding crown. D. Silvered with applied luminous gold triangular quarter hour markers, dart indexes, luminous dots, outer minute/seconds divisions. Luminous yellow gold ?Alpha? hands. M. Cal. 620, 9 3/4''', rhodium-plated, 19 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 32 mm. Thickness 12.5 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-12

Good

Worn
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-33-01

Good

Restored

HANDS Original

Notes

References 6050 and 5050 are identical, with the exception of the 6050 having a ?Super-Oyster? crown. The Ref. 5050 (See lot 176) has a traditional Oyster crown. Reference 6050 was probably the last of the so-called ?Bubble-Back? models. This type of case is called ?Bubble-Back? by Englishspeaking collectors. The Italian collectors call the watch an ?olivetto? due to the olive like outline of the case. The ?Super-Oyster? winding crown was an attempt by Rolex to create a waterproof winding crown which did not need to be screwed down. The system itself worked, however in time the rubber seal perished and this crown type was phased out after only a few years of production. The calibre 9 3/4???, Ref. 620 was produced between 1940 and 1951. This watch is illustrated in ?Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, 2001 Edition, p. 155.