Rolex

* cal. 1570 automatic movement, 26 jewels * black matte dial, sweep seconds, magnified date aperture, Tiffany & Co. printed in red * rotating black bezel calibrated for 60 units, screw-down crown, screw back * case, dial and movement signed • stainless steel Rolex Oyster Patent Pending bracelet with flip-lock deployant clasp

The movement is running, however it might need service soon. It is numbered 439142. The dial is in nice condition overall. There is a small scuff to the second 'F' in 'Tiffany'. Otherwise the luminescent paint has aged nicely. The case shows light to general wear throughout and is in nice condition. The numbers to the back of the lugs are crisp. The outside of the back has some scuffs from wear, but overall is in good condition. The numbers between the lugs are 1680 and 2241340. The inside of the case back is stamped 1680 and III 69, indicating the third quarter of 1969. The back of the bottom lugs are stamped 052 and 11. The bracelet is stamped 1 70 to the buckle, 9315 to the last link and 285 to the endpieces.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping.

Important Notice regarding importation into the United States of Rolex watches
Sotheby's cannot arrange for the delivery of Rolex watches to the United States because U.S. laws restricts the import of Rolex watches. The buyer or a designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale."

This model, Ref. 1680, was launched in 1966 as the first Submariner model to feature a date aperture. On the earliest examples, the word 'Submariner' was printed in red lettering. To produce this detail, Rolex would print the model name in white and then print over that with red paint. As a result of this, one can sometimes see traces of the white paint underneath the red toward the edges of the letters.

The present example is extremely unusual as it features the Tiffany & Co. signature in red rather than 'Submariner' in red. It appears that the retailer's name was printed in white with red over top of that, the same way the 'Red Sub' dial was made. The result is that the white outline effect common on 'Red Sub' models, is now visible here as the 'Red Tiffany.'

From a close-up view of the dial, it would seem that it was originally designed to be a 'Red Sub' dial, but was changed at the last minute to a 'Red Tiffany.' The white Submariner signature remains white and the red printing was only put on the retailer's name. Normally, such a watch with a retailer's signature would feature red print only on the word 'Submariner' rather than the retailer's name. 

According to our research, this is the only 'Red Tiffany' watch to have come to market in recent years.

In addition to the rare dial, the present example also features Tiffany reference numbers to the back of the lower lugs. One is stamped '11' and the other is stamped '052'. These numbers were used for internal tracking of the piece for the retailer. Although Tiffany sold thousands of Rolex watches over the years, it is very rare to find a piece with stamped numbers to the lugs.

Furthermore, the watch comes with a Rolex Oyster Patent Pending bracelet, which is the earliest Rolex bracelet designed with the flip-lock clasp. Examples with the words 'Pat. Pend.' to the folded extension links were produced for only a short period around 1970, making them more rare and desirable to today's collectors.