Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 12, 2013

LOT 509

ROLEX, REF. 6240, SO-CALLED SOLO ROLEX, STAINLESS STEEL Rolex, case No. 1269520, Ref. 6240/6239. Made circa 1965. Very fine and extremely rare, early, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, tachometer, anti-reflective black bezel graduated to 200 units per hour and a stainless steel Rolex buckle.

CHF 90,000 - 130,000

HKD 750,000 - 1,100,000 / USD 96,000 - 140,000

Sold: CHF 116,500

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back, buttons and crown, tachometer graduation on the bezel to 200 units per hour. D. Bi-color silver and black with applied steel indexes and luminous dots, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers, outer minute/ seconds division. Luminous steel baton hands. M. Cal. 722, rhodium plated, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung fl at balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 37 mm. THICKNESS 14 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

During the economic boom of the Sixties, Rolex was searching for new solutions more in tune with the era?s craving for progress. This generated the creation of the 6240 reference: a totally waterproof chronograph, equipped for the first time with screw down pushers. The initial steps were experimental, and it appears that the present lot is one of the earliest examples ever manufactured. It is a kind of preproduction model, created before the reference 6241, and distinguished by a low serial number, close to 1.2 million. Obviously, the acrylic bezel, and screw-down push buttons are new concepts, whilst the dial bears only the word Rolex, anticipating the layout of the models soon to be released onto the market This unusual and important dial, today known today in only a very few examples, belongs to the first production Singer realised for the Rolex Cosmograph. The reverse side of the electro galvanized brass dial bears the punched ?SJ? (Singer Jean) logo and the signature ?Singer?. The script ?Brevets AV? indicates that the hour markers are glued and not applied by means of dial feet. This Singer patent was used for only a short period of time. Antiquorum sold another example of Solo Rolex in November 2011, lot 596 but this is the first example to surface with a silver dial rather than the other two known examples that feature black dials. A similar watch is featured in the Pucci Papaleo book ?Ultimate Rolex Daytona? pp. 320-323