Important Watches

Geneva, Mar 20, 2010

LOT 207

Rolex Ref 5514, Comex No 826, Maxi Dial Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual, COMEX, 660ft=200m, Submariner?, Ref. 5514/5513, case No 5230238. Made in 1977. Very fine and very rare, water-resistant, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with first generation helium escape valve, and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster fliplock bracelet.

CHF 52,000 - 66,000

USD 46,000 - 60,000 / EUR 35,000 - 45,000

Sold: CHF 91,200

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screw-down case back, screw-down triplock crown with Crown Guard, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, helium escape valve, case back engraved: Rolex Comex 826. D. Black with painted luminous round, triangular and baton indexes. Luminous steel skeleton hands. M. Cal. 1520, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, selfcompensating flat balance spring, hack mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Approx. overall length 190 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-02

Good

HANDS Service hands

Notes

The Ref. 5514 was a COMEX specific watch, which was never available to the general public. Due to the extreme conditions in which the COMEX divers operated, every six months the watches were sent back to Rolex for an overhaul. These watches were not just meticulously overhauled but in many cases upgraded each time the watch went back to Rolex. It has been reported by former COMEX divers that some of the earlier Ref. 5514 watches did not have the COMEX logo on the dial and that when these watches were sent to Rolex for service, on request they were replaced by Rolex with the later gloss tritium or luminova dials, some bearing the COMEX logo.