Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, May 13, 2007

LOT 312

?Major R. J. Henderson?s POW Stalag Luft III Watch Ref. 3525, So-Called Stainless Steel ?Monoblocco? Rolex, ?Oyster Chronograph, (Anti)magnetic?, case No. 128409, Ref. 3525. Made circa 1940. Very fine and rare, water-resistant, stainless steel gentleman`s wristwatch with black dial, round button chronograph, registers and a stainless steel Rolex buckle.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

EUR 45,000 - 55,000 / USD 57,000 - 75,000

C. Two-body, polished, inclined bezel, downturned lugs, dedicated screw-down back. D. Black with applied gold baton indexes and Arabic 6 and 12, sunk guilloché subsidiary dials for the seconds and 30-minute register, outer minute/seconds and 1/5th seconds divisions with Arabic five-minute markers. Yellow gold ?feuille? hands. M. Cal. 13???, rhodium-plated, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 13 mm. Property of an Italian Gentleman


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-03

Good

HANDS Period

Notes

An identical watch is featured in an advertisement from the 1940s, which is published in the book "Collezionare Orologi da Polso Rolex" by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, p. 420. R. J. Henderson a Major in the Royal Canadian Air Force, was a prisoner at Stalag Luft III, and is cited in the list of camp prisoners. As such, he also took advantage of Rolex?s offer to furnish watches gratis during the war.