Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 11, 2014

LOT 275

ROLEX REF 6238 SO CALLED "SOLO ROLEX" STEEL Rolex, case No. 1226687, Ref. 6238. Made in 1965. Very fine and very rare, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with round button chronograph and registers.

CHF 65,000 - 85,000

HKD 575,000 - 752,000 / USD 74,000 - 97,000

Sold: CHF 72,500

Three-body, polished and brushed, curved lugs, inclined bezel, screwed-down case back and crown. Bi-color black and silver with applied steel baton indexes and luminous dots, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers, outer seconds/minutes divisions. Luminous steel baton hands. Cal. 722, rhodium-plated, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to three positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2-8

Very good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 2*

Very good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 36 mm. THICKNESS 14 mm. Rolex obviously still experimenting with dial layouts and the use of the proper name for the sporty chronograph has resulted in these early pre-daytonas, so called Solo Rolex. Featuring only the name of the brand on the dial, this has cleaned up the dial totally and left it pure and simple. Also found on the reference 6240 where Rolex was already experimenting its next phase of chronographs featuring the plastic bezel and screw-down pushers, these watches are now considered the real start of the Daytona legacy. From an Important Collector