S otheby’s is pleased to announce the February Fine Watches sale in London. Whether you are just beginning your collecting journey, or looking to add to a seasoned collection, this sale offers watches extending the full breadth of the horological spectrum including some of the most important brands and desired models in the watch world, including pocket watches from Masterworks of Time.
The Royal Italian Navy began commissioning pieces such as the present lot from Panerai in the mid 1930s. The firm then developed the Radiomir Type B, ref 3646 for the Navy's frogmen, who specialized in under water military missions. The exceptional reference 3646 could withstand extreme elements while simultaneously keeping accurate time. This watch comes to us from an officer of the British Royal Navy, Chief Petty Officer Canning, who served in the Navy throughout the Second World War in North Africa and in Italy. Placed under the command of Commander Lionel Crabb, he aided the Allied forces to preserve Venice, demining its canals and lagoon.
One of 5 estimated pieces produced as special orders for Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman, produced in 1984. Presented in 18k white gold, with a pave diamond dial and rainbow set coloured sapphires around the bezel with matching hour indexes, with the national symbol of Oman engraved on the reverse. Of the 3 known, this is the first of the batch to be offered for sale at auction and aside from its extreme rarity offers the opportunity to own a vintage Rolex in new old stock condition with original box and papers, from the original owners who were personally gifted the watch by the Sultan.
The Rolex Submariner 16618 was manufactured between 1988 and 2008 as an opulent variant of the World’s most popular divers’ watch. Despite its full yellow gold configuration, the model was tightly based on its stainless-steel counterpart, the reference 16610, using the same newly introduced calibre 3135 featuring a convenient hacking seconds function and quick date setting.
A design by iconic watch designer Gerald Genta, this watch encapsulates all his creative genius and offers a combination of horological complications including a perpetual calendar combined with an array of mesmerising materials.
Rolex jointly introduced the references 6263 and 6265 in the early 1970s and stopped their production in 1988. While both references shared most of their design and technical attributes, the 6263 was fitted with a bakelite bezel insert while the 6265 would showcase a bezel matching with the case material. The present Daytona reference 6265 in stainless steel was manufactured in 1985. Its elegant 18k yellow gold case and bracelet are complemented by a matching dial, allowing the black registers to stand out. Serviced by Rolex in March 2018, the present timepiece bears all the luminescent plots to its very clean dial.
