279 Rolex A sought-after and very early, Jean Claude Killy Dato-Compax, chronograph triple calendar manual wristwatch in steel, with teardrop lugs, reference 4768.

Estimate: € 20.000 –⁠ 40.000

• Model Dato-Compax "Jean-Claude Killy"
• Year Circa 1947
• Reference 4768
• Case Material Stainless steel
• Case Number 584'584
• Bracelet Material Leather strap
• Movement Manual, cal. 72C, 17 jewels
• Dimension 35mm Diameter
• Signed Case, dial and movement

While Rolex is celebrated for its mastery of tool watches, from the Oyster to the Submariner and GMT, a far rarer chapter of its history reveals a more sophisticated ambition: the triple calendar chronographs, later known as the “Jean-Claude Killy” models. Combining calendar and chronograph functions, these mid-century creations represent one of the brand’s most complex and desirable achievements.
The present Dato-Compax reference 4768 belongs to the earliest and most elusive examples of this lineage. Introduced in the late 1940s alongside reference 4767, it is distinguished by its non-Oyster snap-back case and elegant teardrop lugs, features that underline its transitional nature. Powered by the manual-wind calibre 72C and featuring day, month, central date, tachymeter scale and tri-compax layout, it embodies the full complexity of the Killy family.
At approximately 35 mm, the watch offers a refined and balanced presence, its dial aged with grace while retaining clarity and charm. Produced in very small numbers, reportedly around 220 examples, the reference 4768 stands as a cornerstone for collectors, capturing a moment when Rolex boldly fused utility with sophistication, long before complications became part of its modern identity.