A solid eighteen carat yellow gold manual wind Rolex Precision with an integrated mesh bracelet. This watch is a very unique offering from a brand that was very well known for its various iterations of the Oyster case. This model is perhaps the cousin of the iconic U.F.O model that was introduced in the early 1950's during the height of some of the most revolutionary and modern design to impact the planet from visionaries like van der Rohe and Charles and Ray Eames. The design approach to this watch very much reflects this new movement. Clean, simple lines and the introduction of the integrated bracelet was very modern for Rolex, and watch design in general. When people look at the revolutionary Royal Oak and Nautilus designs from Genta in the 1970's, this was introduced over a decade earlier.
The thin case holding a manually wound caliber 1210 movement sits beautifully on the wrist, and is a wide 36mm across. This is how its cousin came to acquire the moniker the "U.F.O". It appears to come out of a 1950's sci-fi film!
The dial is all original, with a soft silver metallic hue to it. The condition is excellent throughout. There is some slight debris marks to the dials outer edge, but it is not distracting to the eye, and is mentioned for transparency. It could potentially be cleaned, but we have chosen to leave it all original. The dial itself is exceptionally rare, especially for the time. It has a concentric circular polished finish to it, and aside from the hand applied Rolex coronet, is plain. No hash marks. No luminous material. Below the applied, long, Rolex coronet "Rolex", in serif font, is printed in black. It is marked correctly below the six o'clock marker "Swiss", and that is it!
The original eighteen carat yellow gold dauphine hands are perfect, and show no deterioration, with the added fine center seconds sweep hand. It is hard to find these watches in original condition. The sealing to the case, mainly through the crown, is not perfect and they succumbed to moisture and dirt. So, to find one in such clean original condition is quite a feat.
The gold case is unpolished, and is as a great strong example. The case back of these early Rolex precision watches have their serial numbers on the back. However, the engraving is very fine, and so polishing tends to remove it completely. The serial is a 1,367,XXX, which dates the watch to early 1966. It appears to have possibly been very lightly polished at some time, but only the removable case back. Not the edges of the case, or the amazingly engraved top bezel. There are unfortunately a number of scratches where the tools to open this, very rare case back, have slipped. It has a similar opening as the Midas where there are four very small round holes which the tool would drop into. Being that this is on the back of the watch, it does not catch the eye when wearing it. Again, this is being mentioned for transparency, and can be seen from the image.
The original signed Rolex crown is present. Another wonderful and rare feature to this watch is the engine turned bezel. This has the same design engraved into the metal as was found on the Zephyr models from the time, a watch that was hugely popular and worn by people such as Racing giant Carol Shelby. The likelihood of the origin story of this watch is that this is the dress version of the OP Zephyr and the U.F.O.
When comparing Rolex watches from this early period in the company's history, this is perhaps among the most interesting and compelling. To find these today is rare, to find them unpolished and with this dial is near impossible. To wear it is fabulous and it is a watch that even the most seasoned watch collectors will get a positive reaction from. The original bracelet is also long. The ladder clasp, with safety catch, has three runs on it, so it has a degree of sizing. The full length is around seven and three quarter inches long, so it will fit most wrists comfortably. There are a couple of small kinks to the slid gold mesh bracelet, nothing that affects wearing the bracelet, and is being mentioned purely for transparency.
The are no papers or Rolex box present. The watch has been tested and is working well.
