$12,000
Ref. 6556 Tru-Beat Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Tru-Beat, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified, Ref. 6556. Made in 1956. Very fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, waterresistant, stainless steel wristwatch with dead beat seconds and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown. Satiné silver with applied steel indexes and luminous dots, outer minute/seconds divisions. Luminous steel dauphine hands. Cal. 1040, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 13 mm. Notes Ref. 6556 This reference was produced predominantly in stainless steel. The 1960 catalogue stated that the system would be replaced by the new reference 1020 but this in fact never happened. The interesting extra mechanism for the dead seconds is made of beryllium and features a lever allowing the seconds wheel to jump, therefore giving the usual going seconds hand a beat of 18,000.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2008-10-17
