Rolex

Produced for only a short period of three year between 1949 and 1952, the Rolex reference 8171 is among the most complicated watches that Rolex has ever produced. Alongside the reference 6062, it is the only vintage Rolex that was produced with moon phases. The watch was nicknamed 'Padellone', Italian for frying pan, by Italian collectors. This name comes from the case back which has a similar shape as the utensil.

The case is composed of three distinct parts: the separately welded lugs, the middle case and the case back. It was produced in yellow gold, pink gold and stainless steel. According to our research, only approximately 350 cases were ever produced in yellow gold. This case was made by Favre-Perret in La-Chaux-de-Fond, indicated by the number 115 punched inside a hammer on the inside of the case back.

Even tough, the Rolex crown and the serial number on the outside case back are not legible anymore, the case is in very good condition. It retains strong proportions and shows no signs of polishing. The hallmarks on the case band and on the back of the lower right-hand lug are crisp and clearly defined. A three-digit serial number can be found on the inside of the case back alongside the reference number 8171.

The present watch belonged to the consignor’s father, it was purchased as a wedding gift in 1949 by his grandparent, who was a watchmaker, directly from Rolex in Geneva.

The dial features a French calendar and presents a fine-grained surface. Made by Stern Frères it has beautifully aged into an attractive warm patina. The bullet-shaped indexes and the dauphine hands are incredibly well preserved. The “Officially Certified Chronometer” in the subsidiary seconds register perfectly complements this 18k yellow gold model.