Important Watches: Part II

Important Watches: Part II

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 428. 'The Texan' Quartz, Ref. 5100 BETA 21 Yellow gold wristwatch with date and bracelet Circa 1970 | 勞力士 5100 BETA 21型號「'The Texan' Quartz」黃金鍊帶腕錶備日期顯示,年份約1970.

Rolex

'The Texan' Quartz, Ref. 5100 BETA 21 Yellow gold wristwatch with date and bracelet Circa 1970 | 勞力士 5100 BETA 21型號「'The Texan' Quartz」黃金鍊帶腕錶備日期顯示,年份約1970

Lot Closed

May 12, 12:28 PM GMT

Estimate

12,000 - 18,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Rolex

'The Texan' Quartz, Ref. 5100 BETA 21

Yellow gold wristwatch with date and bracelet

Circa 1970

勞力士 5100 BETA 21型號「'The Texan' Quartz」黃金鍊帶腕錶備日期顯示,年份約1970


Dial: gilt

Calibre: cal. RE10 BETA 21 quartz, 13 jewels

Movement number: 00'006'700

Case: 18k yellow gold, snap-on back

Case number: 155, 161

Closure: 18k yellow gold Rolex bracelet and folding clasp

Dimensions: 39 mm, bracelet circumference approx. 195 mm

Signed: case, dial and movement

Box: no

Papers: no  

Accessories: Rolex presentation case


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The quartz crisis undoubtedly was, and in many ways still is, a very divisive period in the manufacturing of wristwatches. While the mechanical wristwatch ultimately prevailed, it was a time where all manufactures, even the most powerful, were forced to re-evaluate what the future potentially held. 

To consider this, twenty-one manufactures collaborated to form the Centre Electronique Horologer and one of that number was Rolex. From this collaboration was born, in 1969, the Beta-21 and powered by this new movement, the Rolex reference 5100 became the first quartz watch ever manufactured by the company. 

The first batch of 1000 pieces was produced in yellow gold and numbered to the case back, as can be seen with the present lot, numbered 155. These first 1000 were all purchased before production even began, Rolex offering a tour of their factory to all those who joined this new and exclusive Quartz powered club. Production however lasted only two years, and as such the reference was made in very limited number by Rolex's usual standards, offering any collector a superb opportunity to own a piece of Rolex's history, especially one that is reminiscent of such a turbulent time.