Rolex

We are pleased to offer the present 6100 directly from the family of the original owner, with a stunningly preserved dial and original bracelet.

Since its founding in 1905, Rolex has pushed the boundaries of performance timepieces and shaped our collective perception of the purpose-built endurance tool watch. Subsequently, Rolex’s lineup diverged from the highly complicated or dressy wristwatches of their peers, as Rolex directed their energy towards making the most durable and reliable precision instruments meant for daily wear against the elements. 

It is this brand DNA that makes a watch like the present Reference 6100 an object of extreme rarity. Featuring a cloisonné-champlevé dial, scholarship indicates that less than ten Rolex wristwatches with a coiled dragon enamel dial are known today, with only one other Reference 6100 bearing the same enamel dial, and all other examples being a different reference.

The dragon has permeated human culture, mythology, and language over millennia with a geographical reach as vast as its place in anthropology. Archaeological evidence of dragon-like creatures has surfaced in the Ancient Near East civilizations of Mesopotamia as far back as 2000 BCE, and in the Far East Hongshan cultures of Neolithic China. The iconography and folkloric tradition of the Dragon would go on to influence the imagery of these legendary beasts closer to the modern era with the Biblical European Dragons of the Middle Ages and contemporary works of fiction today. 

Depending on locality, Dragons could symbolize prosperity and embody natural elements, or it could symbolize treachery and an obstacle to be defeated, however the common denominator of dragons across cultures is power, which is also what makes the dragon a favorite motif for collectors. 

Almost as old as the dragon, is the enamel technique by which the subject of our 6100 is immortalized. Cloisonné enamel is the oldest enameling technique and can be traced back to jewelry in the Ancient Near East with the earliest examples being discovered in modern day Cyprus. Cloisonné involves shaping fine gold wires to define the contours of a chosen design, these wires are then soldered onto the surface of a base plate, usually copper, creating little ‘cloisons’ (partitions in French), the cloisons are subsequently filled with powdered glass, undergoing multiple rounds of firing. The vibrancy of the colors and soft blending from one shade to the next is thus wholly dependent on the technique and experience of the master enameller in understanding the atmospheric conditions and how the powdered enamel glass might react in the kiln from years of trial and error.

The most important dial supplier to the main horology houses was Fabrique de Cadrans Stern Frères, better known today as Stern Créations. Enamel dials produced during the mid 20th century by Stern Créations are some of the most important and beautiful examples that stretched the possibilities of enamel as a medium. Some of the most sought after examples are cloisonné-champlevé dials made by master enamellers Marguerite Koch and Nelly Richard who, during the 1940s-50s, were contracted by Stern Créations to produce these miniature works of art. 

Dials from this period are particularly desirable due to several factors, first, instead of the usual copper, 22k gold was often used as the base for its optimum heat conductivity, flexibility, and natural radiance. Second, the exact composition of the enamel colors are shrouded in mystery with each master enameller having their own secret formula for achieving specific colors, meaning these dials may never be reproduced. Finally, many color effects were partly achievable due to the availability of various lead oxides that were still in use in the mid 20th century to color enamel that are no longer available today. 

The dragon featured in our present 6100 is attributed to the Master Enameller Nelly Richard and is the result of painstaking rounds of enameling and firing, creating the rich depth and gradation of color. Upon closer inspection the limbs and tail of the dragon have a subtle gradient giving it a three dimensional quality. The handmade nature and multiple firing sequences mean that even the same design, created by the same artist, are unique creations with subtle differences. The enamel is further enhanced by the applied gold hour markers and hand-milled pearled minutes ring. 

The back of the dial is stamped ‘103 * 390’, 103 for the client Rolex, and 390 for the order number when the dial was commissioned. The hand engraved ‘No. 51’ represents the design number of this particular dragon. 

We are pleased to offer the present 6100 directly from the family of the original owner, with a stunningly preserved dial and original bracelet.

We would like to thank Tortella & Sons for their research and this lot is presented with a 2025 RLX 6100G Tortella & Sons study.