ROLEX. A RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH CENTER SECONDS, GAS ESCAPE VALVE AND BRACELET

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER PERPETUAL, COMEX, 660FT=200M, "SUBMARINER", CASE NO. 3804908, REF. 5514, CIRCA 1974

Details

ROLEX. A RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH CENTER SECONDS, GAS ESCAPE VALVE AND BRACELET
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Comex, 660ft=200m, "Submariner", Case No. 3804908, ref. 5514, circa 1974
Cal. 1520, with nickel-finished lever movement, 26 jewels, mono-metallic balance with timing weights, black matte dial with Comex logo and luminescent baton, disc and triangular numerals, luminescent hands, tonneau water-resistant-type case with black bezel calibrated for minutes and gas escape valve, screw-down crown and screw back engraved Rolex Comex, case, dial and movement signed, with stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet and deployant clasp
39mm diam.

Lot Essay

The Submariner Comex model, ref. 5513 and 5514, was specifically developed by Rolex for Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise or COMEX, a professional diving operation for the oil industry. The gas escape valve was designed to release excessive helium pressure from the case during the diver's decompression periods.

The reference 5514 is amongst the rarest of all Submariner models, according to literature less than 200 examples were made and sold exclusively to COMEX. It was never available to the public.

The model is illustrated in Rolex Submariner, by Guido Mondani-Lele Ravagnani, pp. 158-161.

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