Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, Oct 15, 2006

LOT 332

Ref. 1665 ?Double-Red Sea-Dweller Submariner? Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual Date, Sea-Dweller, Submariner 2000, 2000 ft./610 m., Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified?, Ref. 1665. Made circa 1964. Fine, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel gentleman's wristwatch with ?Sea-Dweller, Submariner 2000? in red, gas-escape valve, date and a stainless steel Oyster "Fliplock" bracelet.

CHF 13,000 - 16,000

EUR 8,000 - 10,000 / USD 11,000 - 13,000

Sold: CHF 19,470

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and ?Triplock? crown, first generation helium escape valve at 9, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, winding-crown protected by the "crown -guard". D. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, aperture for the date. Luminous steel "skeleton" hands. M. Cal. 1570/ 1575, rhodium-plated, "oeil-de-perdrix" decoration, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures and five positions, shock absorber, selfcompensating free sprung Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws, hack mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 17 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

The ?Sea-Dweller 2000? was the first production watch to employ a gas escape valve, this allows the interior of a watch to decompress and avoid injury if the crystal of the watch explodes. Crystals ?popping? was not an uncommon problem during decompression after deep diving, this is caused when the internal pressure of a watch is higher that the ambient pressure in a decompression chamber. It can be very hazardous for the divers in the chamber as it is not possible to open the chamber until decompression is complete, otherwise the inhabitants can contract the ?bends?. Examples of the ?Sea-Dweller? without gas escape valve are known, one was sold by Antiquorum, New York on the 1st of December 2004 as lot 98. Caliber 1575 is an improved version of the calibre 1570. The bridge of the caliber 1575 is however still engraved 1570. For the technical details see the Rolex spare parts catalogue R5. A similar watch is published in ?Rolex: Collecting Modern and Vintage Wristwatches? by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore Genova, 2004, vol. 1, p. 371.