223 Rolex A technically advanced and exceptional, single button manual chronograph wristwatch in steel, with two-tone sector dial, reference 2303.
Estimate: € 25.000 – 50.000
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- Model Piccolino Monopusher
- Year Circa 1930s
- Reference 2303
- Case Material Stainless steel
- Case Number 021'188
- Bracelet Material Stainless steel Gay Freres bracelet, approximate length 180mm
- Movement Manual, 17 jewels
- Dimension 28mm Diameter
- Signed Case, dial and movement
- Literature This specific watch was previously sold by Bonhams in "Fine Watches and Wristwatches" auction on June 11th 2014 as lot 78 for £22,500.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Rolex explored chronograph production with remarkable creativity, experimenting across shapes, materials, and dial configurations, often in limited numbers.
The reference 2303 represents a fundamental chapter in this early language. Introduced in the 1920s and presented as “the smallest chronograph in the world,” it reflects a time when miniaturisation was a true technical challenge. To house a full chronograph, and notably a monopusher system, within such compact proportions was a remarkable achievement.
In this configuration, the entire chronograph sequence, start, stop, and reset, is controlled by a single crown-integrated pusher, an elegant yet mechanically complex solution in keeping with the watch’s refined proportions.
The present example, in a well-preserved steel case with crisp engravings, features a particularly captivating two-tone sector dial with Arabic numerals, blued feuille hands, and an outer tachymeter scale. Sector dials are always appealing; on early chronographs of this size and period, they are decidedly uncommon and immensely charming.
Completing the ensemble is a Gay Frères bracelet, adding another layer of period correctness and desirability.
Compact in scale yet monumental in significance, the reference 2303 stands as a testament to the ingenuity of early chronograph construction, a diminutive watch with outsized historical importance.
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MONACO
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24 April - From 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
25 April - From 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM