Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

New York, Jun 10, 2010

LOT 301

Rolex, Ref. 16660, COMEX No. 3022 Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual Date, COMEX, Sea Dweller 4000 ft = 1220 m, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified,? case No. 7342528, Ref. 16660. Made circa 1982. Fine and rare, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver?s wristwatch with date, second generation helium escape valve and a stainless steel Fliplock Oyster bracelet. Accompanied by a Rolex Sigapore service receipt and a pouch and three 8? x 10? photos.

USD 30,000 - 50,000

EUR 25,000 - 40,000 / CHF 35,000 - 55,000

Sold: USD 50,400

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down engraved case back, graduated unidirectional revolving bezel for the decompression times, Triplock winding crown protected by the crown guard, gas escape valve at 9, sapphire crystal. D. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, outer minute/seconds divisions, aperture for the date, Comex logo at six. Luminous steel skeleton hands. M. Cal. 3035, rhodium-plated, 27 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions and temperature, shock absorber, free-sprung self-compensating Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws, hack mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Height 15 mm. Approx. overall length 200 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-9

Good

Scratched
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Consigned by the original owner, this watch was his regular diving watch throughout a career of over 5000 dives. After working in the Gulf region with an engineering company that worked with Comex, the consigner received the watch as a gift from the managing director. The watch kept perfect time and has only been serviced once, through Rolex Singapore. The Rolex Comex 16660 is a rare and interesting model. It marks a clear evolution as compared to the 1665 Comex, since it had the benefit of a sapphire crystal while retaining the vintage look. The first batch of approximately 50 watches had only the matte dial (as in this example) while the rest of the production (estimated at a further 150 watches) had the regular glossy dial with the white gold surround indexes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first matte dial Comex 16660 ever to appear at auction.