Rolex. A rare and attractive 14K gold chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, guarantee and box
Lot 11

Rolex. A rare and attractive 14K gold chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, guarantee and box

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER CHRONOGRAPH, ANTI-MAGNETIC, REF. 6234, CASE NO. 402'434, CIRCA 1959

Closed11 May 2015

Price Realised

CHF 68,750

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Rolex. A rare and attractive 14K gold chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, guarantee and box
Signed Rolex, Oyster Chronograph, Anti-Magnetic, ref. 6234, case no. 402'434, circa 1959
Cal. 72 mechanical movement, 17 jewels, white dial, applied dagger numerals, luminous accents, luminous hands, blue telemetre scale and black tachymetre scale, three engine-turned subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours registers, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, blank bezel, screw back, screw down crown, two round chronograph buttons in the band, 18K gold Rolex brick link bracelet, case, dial and movement signed
36.5 mm. diam.; overall length of bracelet approx. 190 mm.

Specialist note

With Rolex Guarantee dated 14 April 1959 and red presentation box.

The present watch is a beautiful example of a reference 6234 in 14K gold preserved in very good original condition. It delights the connoisseur with its unrestored dial with clearly legible scales. The present rare watch is further accompanied by its guarantee and box which are treasures themselves for the purist collector.

This much sought-after reference can be considered the grandfather of today's Cosmograph Daytona. It may thus also be described as the "pre-pre Daytona", immediately preceding "pre Daytona" reference 6238. The latter is the company's last traditional chronograph with polished bezel.

Reference 6234 is distinguished by its polished bezel, three-part case and hand-wound movement. A charismatic watch by any standard, the reference was in production from 1956 to the early 1960s.

Different examples of reference 6234 in regard to case material and dial layout are illustrated in I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda, Pucci Papaleo Editore, pp. 254-276, and in 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp. 120-127.