Important Watches: Part I
Important Watches: Part I
Oyster Royal, Ref. 6444 Stainless steel wristwatch with Eastern Arabic numerals Circa 1958 | 勞力士 | 6444型號「Oyster Royal」精鋼腕錶備東阿拉伯語時標,年份約1958
Auction Closed
May 10, 11:59 AM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Rolex
Oyster Royal, Ref. 6444
Stainless steel wristwatch with Eastern Arabic numerals
Circa 1958
勞力士
6444型號「Oyster Royal」精鋼腕錶備東阿拉伯語時標,年份約1958
Dial: silvered, blue enamel
Calibre: cal. 1210 manual winding, 17 jewels
Movement number: N32'260
Case: stainless steel, screw-down back
Case number: 336'317
Closure: Rolex leather strap and stainless steel buckle
Dimensions: 32 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
Often, the attribute of vintage watches that prompts most intrigue from collectors are the stories they tell. The present lot, the Rolex reference 6444 Oyster Royal model comes directly from the family of the original owner Khair-Al-Deen AlZerikly (1893-1976), a diplomat, Ambassador, historian and poet.
He lived a very prolific life; a renaissance-man living and working during a time of intense change in the Arab world. His life was one full of fervour, scholarship and adventure playing a pivotal role in the establishment and development of newly formed Arab countries while working on his collection of publications and literary works.
The Oyster Royal was introduced in 1933, distinguished from others by its centre seconds display, in contrast to subsidiary, or small, seconds that was found frequently on its contemporaries.
Fresh to the market, the present lot is dated from 1958, and features beautifully executed vivid blue translucent enamel made by Stern Freres. The back of the dial is numbered 103 corresponding to Rolex’s internal numbers. The dial features a range of techniques rarely seen together, especially on a time-only watch produced by Rolex. The Arabic eastern numbers on the dial are punched while the coronet is applied and secured by pins prior to the enamelling. As a result it sits in a dimple, similar to the effect created by the indexes on an early Patek Philippe 2526. The three lines of text comprised of the Rolex signature, Oyster and Royal are transferred atop the enamel afterward.
Preserved in incredible condition the watch is, to the best of our knowledge, the only one of its kind and would represents a pinnacle piece of Rolex history.