In recent years, watch auctions have transformed from niche gatherings of devoted collectors into high-profile events attracting the ultra-wealthy. This shift, while expanding the reach of horology, sometimes overshadows the intrinsic value of the watches themselves.
Among the many remarkable timepieces sold at the 2016 Phillips Start-Stop-Reset auction in Geneva, one watch stood out for its exceptional rarity and historical significance: the Rolex Oyster Zerograph Monopusher Flyback Chronograph Reference 3346.
The Rolex Oyster Zerograph Monopusher Flyback Chronograph Reference 3346: An Overview
Auctioned as lot 36 at the Phillips event, this 1937 Rolex Reference 3346 garnered a final hammer price of 389,000 Swiss francs. This impressive sum highlights the watch’s esteemed status among collectors.
What makes the Reference 3346 so extraordinary?
Unparalleled Rarity: This model is one of the rarest Rolex references ever, with only a single known example surfacing to date.
Historical Significance: It represents the first Rolex chronograph housed in an Oyster case, setting a precedent for future Rolex sports watches.
Innovative Features: The watch includes a rotating bezel, a design element that would later become a staple of Rolex sports watches in the 1950s.
Mechanical Marvel: The Zerograph Monopusher Flyback Chronograph featured Rolex’s most complex movement of the time, developed and patented in-house. Remarkably, this is the only flyback chronograph ever produced by Rolex.
Unique Design: The Reference 3346 includes a California dial, a feature found on only one of two Rolex models ever made.
At the auction, the final price fell within the estimated range of 250,000 to 500,000 Swiss francs, reflecting its significant value in the market.
