Importantes Montres de Collection

Geneva, Nov 13, 2011

LOT 227

ROLEX REF. 5513, COMEX, FIRST GENERATION Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual, 660ft/200m, Submariner?, case No. 2837866, Ref. 5513. Made in 1970 for the Comex Company. Very fine and rare, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver?s wristwatch with first generation helium escape valve and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

USD 27,000 - 30,000 / EUR 20,000 - 33,000

Sold: CHF 27,500

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screw-down case back with engraved ?ROLEX, COMEX" and case number "866" stamped inside, screwed-down Triplock crown with Crown Guard, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, helium escape valve. D. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, outer minute/second division. Luminous steel skeleton hands. M. Cal. 1520, rhodium-plated, oeil de perdrix and fausses cotes decoration, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, selfcompensating blued fl at balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 15 mm. Approx overall length 175 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Comex's collaboration with Rolex started in early 1971. Prior to that date, Comex had cooperated with Omega, for the testing of the design of the Ploprof (short for plongeur professionel), of which a prototype series was tested during Janus II and Physalie V (Nov. 1970) However the Ploprof had a major problem, with its ?explosion? during the decompression time after a saturation dive, due to the helium build-up inside the case. Rolex had noted this problem on the early Sea-Dwellers that were not fi tted with helium valves and quickly moved to solve this problem by fi tting the valves on the side of the case (patent number 492246