17,110 CHF
Ref. 6556, “Tru-Beat” Rolex, “Oyster Perpetual, Tru-Beat, Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified”, Ref. 6556. Case No. 139166. Made in 1955. Very fine and very rare, dead-beat center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel gentleman's wristwatch with a stainless steel Rolex buckle. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, inclined bezel. Satiné silver with applied steel indexes, luminous dots outer minute/ seconds divisions. Radium-coated steel "dauphine" hands. Cal. 1040, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures and 5 positions, shockabsorber, self-compensating 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 and very few examples in gold. The 1960 catalogue stated that the system was be replaced by the new reference 1020 but this was never launched. The interesting extra mechanism for the dead seconds is made of beryllium and composed of a lever that allows the seconds wheel to jump, therefore allowing the usual going seconds hand with a beat of 18,000 to beat once per second. The dial of the present watch is different to the one we find in the Rolex catalogue of 1960 –1962. This suggests that this is a very early model. This watch is illustrated in “Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches”, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, 2001 Edition, p. 196.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-05-14
