$16,250
Rolex Beta 21 Rolex, “Quartz”, No. 988. Sold on April 26th, 1978. Very fine and rare, heavy and large, tonneau-shaped, center seconds, 18K yellow gold quartz wristwatch with date and an integrated 18K yellow gold Rolex bracelet with concealed deployant clasp. Accompanied by original leather and wooden Oyster Quartz box, outer cardboard box, extra links, guarantee, service receipts and original receipt dated April 25th, 1978. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, reeded bezel, geometrical- shaped hooded lugs, sapphire crystal with cyclops lens. Champagne with applied yellow gold baton indexes, outer 1/5th seconds/minute divisions, aperture for the date. Yellow gold baton hands. Cal. RE10, based Beta 21, 13 jewels, frequency of the quartz oscillator: 8192 Hz, reduced to 256 Hz by the frequency reducer. Dial, case and movement signed. Dim. 38.5 x 40.5 mm. Thickness 13 mm. Approx overall length 200 mm. Notes Caliber Beta 21 In 1962 a group of 21 Swiss watchmakers, including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Piaget and Patek Philippe, founded the Centre Electronique Horloger to develop an electronic wristwatch movement. The prototype of the Beta 21, 29 x 24.3 mm, 13 jewel, 8Khz quartz module was developed in 1967. In 1968 a consortium of Swiss watch manufacturers was created to mass-produce the Beta 21. The CEH designed the module and made the integrated circuit, Ebauches SA (now ETA) manufactured the mechanical parts of the movement and the quartz oscillator, and Omega prod
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2011-03-10
