Important watches and collector's Wis...

Hong Kong, Victoria Hotel, Jun 17, 1994

LOT 200

Rolex "Prince Classic", Ref. 1541, 1930's. Very fine rectangular curved, 18ct gold gentleman's wristwatch with fitted box.

HKD 75,000 - 90,000

CHF 15,000 - 18,000

Sold: HKD 121,268

C. massive, polished, satined, lapidated bezel. D. two-tone silver with painted Arabic numerals + auxiliary seconds dial. "Bâton" blued steel hands. M. 7"' Extra Prima, rhodiumed, 15 jewels, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 6 positions, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. In excellent condition. Dim. 21 x 40 mm.


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In the aftermath of victory, on 1 December 1918 he was named Regent of the Kingdoms of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia and succeeded to the throne on the death of his father on 17 August 1921. The following year, in Belgrade, he married the Princess Maria (daughter of Ferdinand and Maria of Roumania) by whom he had three children, the heir, Prince Pietro, succeeding him as Pietro II when the Princes Tanislov and Andrea were respectively 6 and 5 years old. Alexander I has become a legendary figure in the history of his country fulfilling the mythic rôle of the valorous hero. He had a passion for wrist- and pocket-watches that became notorious, and collected a considerable number of wrist-watches of which he had a true adoration. Several of them are well known having already through leading world auctions. The magnificient example offered here is probably at at once the rarest and most representative - a single button chronograph but the thinnest known at its time. The great Swiss manufacturer who made the movement was no novice in creating records. At the Universal Exhibition of 1900 they showed the smallest watch in the world which would later be incorporated into a brooch in the form of a michaelmas daisy ( marguerite). The work was carried out for Queen Marguerite of Italy.