Exclusive Timepieces 22 – 23 April 2023 | Monaco
Auction Details
The Monaco Legend Group team has put together an astonishing selection of rarities in the horological field. From the Unique Piece Rolex Yachtmaster, former property of the late President of Rolex Patrick Heiniger, to an outstanding example of the Patek Philippe 2523-1. Not to mention the great selection of rarities destined for Middle Eastern market, such as a Rolex Submariner and Daytona from the Sultanate of Oman and a steel Daytona with UAE emblem on the dial.
Many thanks to Auro Montanari, alias John Goldberger, Roberto Randazzo and George Pakkos for their significant help in supervising the catalogue and to Eric Tortella for his assistance in searching for some of our rarest Patek Philippe watches in his database and releasing his passport of authenticity for them.
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Session I: Saturday 22 April, 2:30 PM – lots 1 to 100
Session II: Sunday 23 April, 10:30 AM – lots 101 to 164
Session III: Sunday 23 April, 2:30 PM – lots 165 to 261
34 Rolex Very Rare and Limited Edition, Datejust, Automatic Wristwatch in Steel and Gold, Made for the Olympic Committee, With Warranty and Green Sticker, Reference 16 233
Estimate: € 5,000 – 10,000
Sold € 22,100
Model: Datejust
Reference: 16233
Case Material: Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold
Bracelet Material: Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold
Year: 1994
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: 3135
Case N°: S976159
Dimensions: 36 mm
Signed: Dial, Case and Movement
Accessories: Warranty, Leather Wallet and Tag
During all its history, Rolex has always been supporting athletes, sport and human achievements, since day one: nowadays sponsoring all the major sports tournaments and, back in the days, with Mercedes Gleitze trying to swim the English Channel with an Oyster on her wrist in 1927, passing through the ascent of mount Everest in 1953. It logically follows that the name of Rolex is now inextricably linked to that of sports. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, the crowned manufacture also wanted to mark the Olympic games by offering some special pieces to the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, founded in 1894. Taking inspiration from the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia in the 8th century BC, in 1896 Baron Pierre de Coubertin gave life to the first modern Olympic games which took place in Athens. These timepieces were Datejust, men or ladies, adorned with the celebrated five Olympic rings, representing the five continents united by Olympism. The present lot is one of these extraordinary watches. It was presented in 1996, exactly 100 years after the first modern edition of the Olympic Games, on the occasion of the edition that took place in Atlanta. The watch has been preserved in outstanding condition, with sharp proportions and still bearing its green sticker on the back, and comes with all its original accessories including its punched Rolex guarantee confirming the IOC as the purchaser, the 1995 date and the 039 client code for Switzerland. The Olympic games are unanimously considered as the most important and prestigious sports competition in the world. Taking part to them is the ultimate dream of any athlete and this exceptional watch is as well the uptime goal for a collector considering the scarcity of specimens made and the fact that these watches were never available to the public, but only to the Comité International Olympique.