189 Rolex A possibly unique, fresh to the market, consigned by the original owner's family, "Ovettone", automatic wristwatch in platinum, with no-date diamond dial and exceptional “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” designation, reference 6304.
Estimate: € 500.000 – 1.000.000
A 20% import VAT is due on the final price including premium, only if it is delivered within the EU.
Create an account or log in to place bids.
- Model Oyster Perpetual "Ovettone"
- Year 1955
- Reference 6304
- Case Material Platinum
- Case Number 102'957
- Bracelet Material Platinum Rolex bracelet, approximate length 195mm
- Movement Automatic, cal. A296, 18 jewels
- Dimension 36mm Diameter
- Signed Case, dial and movement
Among all metals employed by Rolex, platinum has always stood apart, reserved not for production, but for purpose. In the 1930s and 1940s, it appeared only in the rarest contexts: special commissions, experimental pieces, or watches intended to embody the very pinnacle of the brand’s craft. Notably, none of Rolex’s chronographs of the era were ever cased in platinum, underscoring just how exceptional such creations truly were. By the mid-1950s, platinum remained absent from regular production. Only a handful of Datejust “Ovettone” references are known in this noble metal, almost certainly produced in extremely small numbers, if not as special orders. It is within this already rarefied world that the present watch emerges, and then transcends it. At first glance, it appears to be a classic reference 6304. Yet closer inspection reveals something extraordinary: the complete absence of the date aperture. In its place, a fourth baguette diamond restores perfect symmetry, creating a dial of striking purity and balance. Equally remarkable is the inscription. Instead of the expected “Officially Certified Chronometer,” the dial bears “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified”, a designation introduced by Rolex in 1955. The present watch, dating precisely to that year, may represent one of the very earliest appearances of this now-iconic signature. The omission of the date may not be accidental, but deliberate, an elegant decision to grant prominence to this new chronometric claim. Combined with the absence of the usual chronometer engraving on the rotor, the platinum case, and this unique dial configuration, the watch strongly suggests a special or experimental purpose: a transitional piece, created at a pivotal moment in Rolex’s evolution. Adding to its allure, the watch has remained within the same American family since the 1950s, gifted to the current owner upon his graduation and carefully preserved ever since: worn sparingly, cherished quietly. A platinum Ovettone of possibly unique configuration, and perhaps among the earliest to bear the “Superlative Chronometer” designation, it is not merely rare: it is a discovery, a moment, and a story.
Condition Report
Create an account or log in to view the condition report!
Auction Preview
MONACO
Hôtel Méridien Beach Plaza, 22 avenue Princesse Grâce
24 April - From 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
25 April - From 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM