Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Feb 22, 2014

LOT 22

ROLEX REF. 1665 SEA-DWELLER RAIL DIAL STEEL Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual Date, Sea-Dweller, 2000 ft./610 m., Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified", No. D505252, case No.5737004, Ref. 1665. Made in 1978. Very fine and rare, center seconds, self-winding, water resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with helium escape valve and date and a and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet.

HKD 70,000 - 100,000

USD 9,000 - 13,000 / CHF 8,200 - 12,000

Sold: HKD 125,000

Three-body, polished and brushed, screw-down case back and crown, helium escape valve at 9, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, trip-lock winding crown protected by the crown guard, sapphire crystal. Black with luminous white round, triangular and baton indexes, aperture for the date, outer minutes/seconds divisions. Luminous steel skeleton hands. Cal. 1570, rhodium-plated, oeil de perdrix decoration, 26 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring, microstella regulating screws, hack mechanism.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIM. 40 mm. THICKNESS 18 mm. Approx. overall length 180 mm. This model has the rare dial. In 'rail' dials were produced for Rolex for only a two year period, 1977 - 1979(serial 5 million) by the Stern Company that made the COMEX Ref. 1665 dials. The distinctive characteristics of the 'rail' dial are as follow: (i) The text of 'Superlative Chronometer' and 'Officially Certified' is equally spaced so that the 'C' from 'Chronometer' is directly above the 'C' from 'Certified'; (ii) the font used for the DEPTH markings is italicized; (iii) the minute markers are longer and closer to the tritium hour markers; (iv) the dial is marked 'T SWISS T <25'.