Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 13, 2012

LOT 203

ROLEX REF. 16800, COMEX NO. 6027 Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner, 1000 ft / 300 m,? Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified?, case No. 7276755, Ref. 16800. Made in 1982. Fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, water resistant, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with date and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet. Accompanied by the original guarantee (now void) and a Rolex service card dated March 1st, 2011.

CHF 35,000 - 55,000

USD 38,000 - 60,000 / EUR 30,000 - 45,000

Sold: CHF 62,500

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, case back engraved: COMEX 6027, inside case back engraved with the case number, graduated uni-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, Triplock winding crown protected by the crown guard, sapphire crystal with cyclops lens. D. Black with applied luminous round, triangular and baton steel indexes, imprint: Comex, aperture for the date. Luminous steel skeleton hands. M. Cal. 3035, rhodium-plated, 27 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws, hack mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 13 mm. Approx overall length 160 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2-8

Very good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-02

Very good

HANDS Service hands

Notes

Approximately 200 watches of model reference 16800 were delivered to COMEX between 1982 and 1989. The ref. 16800 featured the caliber 3035 with date mechanism and a scratch-proof sapphire crystal. The fi rst batch of 100 Ref. 16800 were delivered in 1982 with a matt tritium COMEX logo dial. These are often referred to as the ?transitional? models by collectors, due to mix of the old style matt dials and new style sapphire crystals. The other 50 watches in the fi rst batch were delivered with a gloss tritium dial with a ?small? COMEX logo. The second batch of 100 ref. 16800 watches that were delivered to COMEX also featured a gloss tritium dial with a ?small? a COMEX logo. Both the matt logo dials and gloss tritium ?small? logo dials were of very poor quality, the condition often deteriorated causing problems with debris becoming loose on the dial and in the movement. Many of the watches from these batches received a later ref. 16610 Tritium COMEX ?big? logo replacement dial during service and therefore the survival rate of the ref. 16800 in its original confi guration is very low.