Rolex. A very fine and rare 18K gold openface single button chronograph watch with two-tone rose sector dial

A rare find at auction, the present Rolex watch is consigned by an Italian private collector. Kept with the upmost care throughout the years, the timepiece features a very attractive two-tone rose sector dial displaying extremely sharp markings and scales. Made in the late thirties, the model was manufactured in extremely scarce number, with an estimated production of 30 pieces in yellow gold, even less with a rose two-tone sector dial.

Also known as “aviator” dials, such examples are highly coveted by collectors and superb representatives of the mid-1930s. Made by Stern Frères, the present dial can be considered as a specialty of the Swiss dial maker, requiring an exhaustive amount of labor in order to carefully engrave scales as well as fill them with hard enamel. Evidence of its stellar overall condition, the hard enamel is perfectly preserved enabling the dial to feature very sharp and well-defined scales. The back of the dial furthermore features clear stern production codes 35 42 1.

Widely understood as being part of the most challenging complications to manufacture, the present timepiece features a single button chronograph. While most chronographs require two buttons in order to operate the start, stop and reset function, the present watch controls the chronograph complication through only one button integrated into the winding crown.