Rolex. An extremely rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, date, brown dial, bracelet and box, made for the Peruvian Airforce
Lot 395 Fuerza Aérea del Perú - lots 395 and 396

Rolex sports watches, particularly the Submariner model, have always been the watch of choice of diver's organisations and several armed forces; the most renowned certainly COMEX and the British Royal Navy, highly coveted collectors items in today's market.

It is however much less common known that small series of watches were also supplied to forces such as Fuerza Aérea del Perú, consequently rendering the few models appearing in public extremely rare.

It is thought that as of the early 1960s, the Peruvian Air Force commissioned Rolex with the supply of watches for their personnel, mainly different Cosmograph Daytona models which were issued to the superior Officers. The case backs were engraved with the inscription Fuerza Aérea del Perú to the outside, the serial number was repeated to the inside.

According to research, an exceedingly small number of the celebrated Submariner ref. 1680 (lot 395) and the GMT-Master ref. 1675 (lot 396) were ordered for members of their Special Forces and flying personnel.

Rolex. An extremely rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, date, brown dial, bracelet and box, made for the Peruvian Airforce

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE, SUBMARINER, 200M=660FT, REF. 1680, CASE NO. 3'675'851, MANUFACTURED IN 1975

Closed17 November 2008

Price Realised

CHF 27,500

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Rolex. An extremely rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, date, brown dial, bracelet and box, made for the Peruvian Airforce
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner, 200m=660ft, ref. 1680, case no. 3'675'851, manufactured in 1975
Cal. 1570 nickel-finished lever movement, 26 jewels, black dial, luminous dot, baton and dagger numerals, luminous mercedes hands, sweep centre seconds, magnified window for date, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, screw back engraved Fuerza Aérea del Perú, the inside with the engraved serial number 3675851, screw down crown, revolving black bezel calibrated for 60 units, stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, case, dial and movement signed
40 mm. diam.

Specialist note

With Rolex fitted green presentation box and outer packaging.

The present watch furthermore impresses by its original condition and the extremely charismatic dial showing a homogeneous chocolate brown colour beautifully combined with the warm ivory tone of the luminous numerals and hands and the red Submariner designation. Examples like this reference 1680 model are also called "Red Sub" amongst collectors and are considered the most popular version of the first of all Submariners featuring a date indication. Another noteworthy particularity is the colour of the bezel which when held under a certain light also appears rather dark brown than black.