Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

New York, Sep 30, 2014

LOT 199

PHILIPPE COUSTEAU'S (SON OF JACQUES COUSTEAU) SEA-DWELLER ROLEX REF. 1665 EARLY PATENT PENDING WITH DOUBLE RED MARK I DIAL STEEL Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual Date, Sea-Dweller, Submariner 2000, 2000 ft. = 610 m., Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified," case No. 1602920, Ref. 1665. Made in 1967. Fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver's Chronometer wristwatch with double red Sea-Dweller logo, helium escape valve, date and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet. Accompanied by six 8 x 10 color photos showing P. Cousteau prominently wearing the watch, a book "Diving Companions" by Jacques Cousteau and Philippe Diole, a red "Cousteau Crew" shirt, a 14 x 11" photo of the sailing yacht and a 14 x 11" photo "Philippe Cousteau at Sea."

Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back engraved: "Rolex, Oyster, Gas Escape Valve, (Patent Pending)," helium escape valve at 9, graduated bi-directional revolving bezel for the decompression times, Triplock winding crown protected by the crown guard, inner case stamped IV.67. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, aperture for the date, "Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000" in red letters (faded). 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.