Live Auction 1417Rare Watches Including Nautilus 40 Part II
Rolex. A rare and early stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds and bracelet
Lot 289 Various properties

Rolex. A rare and early stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds and bracelet

Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, 50m=150ft, Turn-O-Graph, ref. 6202, case no. 953’572, circa 1953

Closed14 November 2016

Price Realised

CHF 13,125

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Rolex. A rare and early stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds and bracelet
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, 50m=150ft, Turn-O-Graph, ref. 6202, case no. 953’572, circa 1953
MOVEMENT: automatic, cal. A296, jeweled
DIAL: black, luminous dot, baton and dagger numerals, luminous hands, sweep centre seconds, outer minute divisions
CASE: stainless steel, tonneau-shaped, bidirectional revolving bezel with black insert graduated for 60 units, screw back stamped IV.53, screw down crown, 35 mm. diam.
SIGNED: case, dial and movement signed
BRACELET/CLASP: stainless steel riveted Rolex Oyster expandable bracelet, deployant clasp stamped Rolex USA, approximate overall length 190 mm.

Specialist note

The Turn-O-Graph was presented at the Basel Fair in 1953, the year of production of the present watch. The model was always fitted with a rotating bezel with five minute divisions, referred to as a "time-recording-rim" by Rolex. Designed to be used as a simplified chronograph version for timing events for up to an hour, it was promoted as being able to calculate the "Timing of a transatlantic telephone call, the rate of a machine, a patient's pulse, the speed of a train or the development of a film".

The Turn-O-Graph was available with a black dial, the 'De Luxe Model' featured a "magnificent white 'honey-comb' dial". It was predominantly cased in stainless steel but existed also in a steel and gold version.

Despite its brilliant concept, the model was at the time not as successful as expected by Rolex, mainly due to the simultaneous in-house competition from the Submariner and the GMT-Master, but enjoys today great popularity amongst collectors.