Phillips auction house in Association with Bacs & Russo has just revealed plans to sell the “four most significant and sought-after non-professional Rolex models” in the world at its coming Geneva Watch Auction X in November. By “non-professional” they mean to exclude sports and tool watches; however, there are some rather noteworthy “professional” replica watches featured alongside the Fantastic Four Vintage Rolex models.
Three of the “Fantastic Four” fake Rolex watches will bring in over $1 million at the landmark sale, taking place during two evening sessions on Nov. 8 and 10 at the Hôtel La Reserve in Geneva.
The oldest of the four dates from 1942 and is a split-seconds chronograph replica, the legendary reference thought to only ever have been presented in very small numbers to elite group of motor racing teams and drivers, making it a kind of proto-Daytona.
“No matter when the Rolex stainless steel reference 4113 split-seconds chronograph has appeared at auction it has always been a sensational horological event,” Phillips notes. “The very existence of the reference 4113 remains shrouded in mystery as it was never featured in a Rolex catalogue. But, research and scholarship have unearthed a similar pattern regarding all the known reference 4113s: they all came from families and owners related one way or the other to automobile racing.”
Next up is Ref. 8171, aka the “Padellone” – a model first appeared in 1949, and one of just two Rolex references ever to feature both a triple calendar complication and a moon phase complication. Phillips says this example is “one of if not the best, most appealing, and best-preserved stainless steel Reference 8171 to surface on the market, ever,” as well as “one of the most legendary and consequently sought after vintage wristwatches ever made by any manufacturer.” Look for it to go north of $1 million.
Then we have a well preserved pink gold triple calendar Reference 6062 “Stelline” – a model that Rolex introduced in 1950. The example on offer, expected to bring in over $1 million too, was originally owned by Gordon Bethune, an internationally renowned watch collector and CEO of Continental Airlines. It features a star-set dial and an Oyster case with a screw-on caseback.