Rolex

• cal. 72 manual wind movement, 17 jewels • silvered dial, three subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 12-hour and 30-minute registers, telemeter scale in red tracking, tachometer scale in blue tracking • chamfered bezel, two round chronograph pushers to the band, screw-down case back • case, dial and movement signed • stainless steel Rolex buckle • serivce paperwork from 1985, 1986, 1998 and 1999

The movement is running, however it may require service soon. The service paperwork lists various movement cleanings and adjustments over the years as well as cleaning of the chronograph buttons and crown. The dial appears very clean. The case shows some scuffs throughout from wear. The crown is a Rolex Super Oyster crown. The numbers between the lugs are 6034 and 847411. The watch is also accompanied by a Rolex Service division box. The strap of this wristwatch is made from an endangered species; please refer to Important Notices for further information.
"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."

The present lot was originally purchased by Joseph W. Cochran, an amateur race car driver on the California Sport Car Club circuit during the late 1940s and 1950s. At that point, the sport was just gaining recognition and becoming a professional sport rather than simply an amateur hobby.

He would use the watch's chronograph function to time his own races as well as those of this competitors. His car, No. 101, a 1952 Cad-Allard J2 4150cc Roadster, featured the engine of a Cadillac in the body of the smaller and faster Allard.

Cochran's races took him all around California and Nevada and introduced him to Hollywood race enthusiasts, including James Dean and the Gabor sisters. Through these connections, his car was prominently featured in the 1949 Mickey Rooney picture, 'The Big Wheel', a film that put the star behind the wheel on the tracks of the California raceways.

The provenance of the present example is evidence of the direct connection that Rolex watches have always had with sports, and auto racing in particular. Even a decade before the development of the Cosmograph Daytona, drivers were already relying on Rolex chronographs for accurate timing of their events.

The present example, Ref. 6034, figures into the succession of Oyster chronographs Rolex produced from the beginning of the 1950s until the introduction of the Daytona in 1961. Along with other round-button chronographs with three subsidiary dials, such as Ref. 5034, 6234 and 6238, this model was produced in relatively few numbers as a result of its short production period.

For another example of Ref. 6034 with red and blue tracking, see Gobbi, P. & Pucci, P., I Cronografi Rolex: La Leggenda, pp. 230-1, and for other examples of the model, see pp. 232-251, op. cit.