Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2015

LOT 227

ROLEX REF. 16800, COMEX NO. 6080 STAINLESS STEEL Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner, 1000 ft / 300 m," Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified", case No. 7276745, Ref. 16800. Sold on January 16th, 1984. 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 Geneva service invoice dated 2004 and a Rolex warranty card dated October 24th, 2014, a Comex heavy duty bag and cap.

CHF 30,000 - 50,000

HKD 240,000 - 400,000 / USD 31,000 - 52,000

Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, case back engraved: COMEX 6080, 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. Black with applied luminous round, triangular and baton steel indexes, imprint: Comex, aperture for the date. Luminous steel skeleton hands. 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.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 40 mm. THICKNESS 13 mm. Approx overall length 195 mm. Property of the Original Owner 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 first 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 first 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. Consigned by the current owner directly from Comex in 1984, the watch has just been serviced by ROLEX and is in mint condition still featuring the service stickers on the case.