Live Auction 1357Important Watches
Rolex. A fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch
Lot 79

Rolex. A fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER CHRONOGRAPH, ANTI-MAGNETIQUE, REF. 4500, CASE NO. 427'098, MANUFACTURED IN 1945

Closed17 November 2008

Price Realised

CHF 50,000

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Rolex. A fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch
Signed Rolex, Oyster Chronograph, Anti-Magnetique, ref. 4500, case no. 427'098, manufactured in 1945
Cal. 13'' VZ 23 nickel-finished lever movement, 17 jewels, silvered matte dial, applied dagger and Arabic numerals with luminous accents, outer black five minute divisions, blue telemetre and black tachymetre scales, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30 minutes register, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, screw back and screw down crown, two round chronograph buttons in the band, stainless steel Rolex buckle, case, dial and movement signed
34 mm. diam.

Specialist note

Reference 4500 is one of the very few Oyster chronograph models produced by Rolex featuring only a 30 minutes register but leaving out the 12 hours counter. This renders the watch a smoother, more subtle and less sporty design, a look that is usually rather found in Patek Philippe's celebrated reference 1463.

With its combination of a stainless steel case, a nicely aged dial and the very good overall condition, this watch represents a highly attractive collector's timepiece.

Reference 4500 was launched in the 1940s and was available in yellow gold, pink gold (see lot 19 in this auction), stainless steel and in stainless steel and gold.

Different versions of this model are described and illustrated in I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda, Pucci Papaleo Editore, pp. 206 - 221.