Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

New York, Jun 08, 2011

LOT 56

Rolex ? Ref. 1680 - Meter First - Yellow Gold Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner, 200 m = 660 ft, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified,? case No. 2178706, Ref. 1680. Made in 1969. Very fine and rare, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold diver?s chronometer wristwatch with an 18k yellow gold Rolex Patent Pending Oyster bracelet with extending flip-lock clasp. Accompanied by 2 booklets.

USD 10,000 - 12,000

CHF 9,000 - 10,000 / EUR 7,000 - 8,000

Sold: USD 27,500

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, Twinlock windingcrown protected by the crown guard, crystal with cyclops lens. D. Black with luminous yellow gold round, triangular and baton indexes, outer minute track, aperture for the date. Luminous yellow gold skeleton hands. M. Cal. 1570, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions and temperature, free-sprung self-compensating Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Approx. overall length 190 mm. Property of The Original Owner


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Launched in 1969 and available in either stainless steel or all 18k yellow gold, the Rolex Submariner Date, reference 1680, initially had the depth printed on the dial with the European metric system (200m) as the prominent rating followed by the Imperial system (660ft). As the US market increased to become the largest single purchaser, Rolex Geneva amended the dials on both the gold and steel versions to accommodate the US Imperial system by placing the 660ft first. It is believed that Rolex changed the depth rating to the Imperial standard in 1971, while dials already printed in metric continued to be used until 1972. Ref. 1680 Submariners in gold with metric dials are exceptionally rare. To the best of our knowledge, only one other example, offered by Antiquorum as lot 320 in June 2010, has appeared at auction in recent years.