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Lot Essay
Any 18k gold example of the reference 6034 ‘Pre-Daytona’ is an extreme rarity, mostly cased in stainless steel, an example in 18k gold is a great prize – indeed, only a small number of reference 6034 in yellow gold are known publicly.
Originally part of the fabled Gordon Bethune Collection of Fifty Exceptional Vintage Wristwatches, sold at Christie’s New York in 2012, Gordon Bethune was the former CEO of Continental Airlines 1994-2004 and a world-renowned watch collector, famed for the condition and originality of the pieces in his collection. Since its acquisition from the Gordon Bethune Collection by the present owner, the present timepiece has since been part of the world’s finest collection of important vintage wristwatches.
This superlative reference 6034 is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and best preserved examples to be offered at auction in recent years. Visually, it greatly impresses with its wonderful crisp, clear silvered dial with stunning outer blue telemeter and black tachymeter indications. The present watch is likely to have been intended for the U.S. market with its ‘Mile’ tachymeter calibration in place of the ‘Km’ calibration used for European market watches.
The case is very crisp and well-preserved, retaining excellent definition to all angles and facets, and maintaining clearly visible gold mark and clearly legible numbers in between the lugs. The gold has developed the wonderful purple patina that is only seen on watches that have lain untouched in a safe for many years. Only the finest and best-preserved examples of this reference can fully display the true beauty and fascinating personality of this ultra-rare model.
Uniting rarity and superlative condition, the present Pre-Daytona represents a golden opportunity for the discerning collector of the finest vintage Rolex watches to add this legendary model to his or her collection.
Reference 6034
Two-body case reference 6034 was introduced to the international watch market in 1950. In production for only five years, it was equipped with the reliable manual-winding Valjoux 72 calibre and characterized by the word 'Antimagnetic' on the dial, as well as having both a telemetre and a tachymetre scale. Equipped with smooth bezel and round chronograph buttons, the water-resistant watch with screw back has an elegant and sporty flair.
Originally part of the fabled Gordon Bethune Collection of Fifty Exceptional Vintage Wristwatches, sold at Christie’s New York in 2012, Gordon Bethune was the former CEO of Continental Airlines 1994-2004 and a world-renowned watch collector, famed for the condition and originality of the pieces in his collection. Since its acquisition from the Gordon Bethune Collection by the present owner, the present timepiece has since been part of the world’s finest collection of important vintage wristwatches.
This superlative reference 6034 is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and best preserved examples to be offered at auction in recent years. Visually, it greatly impresses with its wonderful crisp, clear silvered dial with stunning outer blue telemeter and black tachymeter indications. The present watch is likely to have been intended for the U.S. market with its ‘Mile’ tachymeter calibration in place of the ‘Km’ calibration used for European market watches.
The case is very crisp and well-preserved, retaining excellent definition to all angles and facets, and maintaining clearly visible gold mark and clearly legible numbers in between the lugs. The gold has developed the wonderful purple patina that is only seen on watches that have lain untouched in a safe for many years. Only the finest and best-preserved examples of this reference can fully display the true beauty and fascinating personality of this ultra-rare model.
Uniting rarity and superlative condition, the present Pre-Daytona represents a golden opportunity for the discerning collector of the finest vintage Rolex watches to add this legendary model to his or her collection.
Reference 6034
Two-body case reference 6034 was introduced to the international watch market in 1950. In production for only five years, it was equipped with the reliable manual-winding Valjoux 72 calibre and characterized by the word 'Antimagnetic' on the dial, as well as having both a telemetre and a tachymetre scale. Equipped with smooth bezel and round chronograph buttons, the water-resistant watch with screw back has an elegant and sporty flair.