$31,250
Rolex - Ref. 168000 - Comex - Submariner Rolex, Oyster Perpetual Date, "Submariner, 1000 ft / 300 m,” Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified, Ref. 168000/16800 COMEX 6243. Made circa 1988. Very fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with date and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet. Accompanied by a pressur gauge, a COMEX - PRO scale card for duration of air supply, a 6” x 8” photo of the French war submarine “Protee,” sunk in 1943. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, case back engraved: COMEX 6243, graduated unidirectional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, Triplock winding crown protected by the crown guard, sapphire crystal with cyclops lens. Notes Between 1987 and 1988, Rolex delivered a small batch of approximately 100 watches with the model reference 168000 (note the extra 0). The difference in the reference number indicates the use of higher quality steel (from grade 316 to grade 904L) in the later watches. It used the same case as the later ref. 16610 with the movement and dial from the ref. 16800. As with the 16800, the gloss tritium "small" COMEX logo dials on the 168000 watches were of very poor quality and the dial often deteriorated causing problems with debris becoming loose on the dial and in the movement - making the remaining 168000 sought after by collectors
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2010-12-08