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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Rolex USA Service Warranty dated December 18, 1992, and a Rolex presentation box.
Starting as early as the 1940's, Rolex began producing watches and movements for various organizations, both military (Italian Navy and British Forces) and scientific (Comex). One of the rarest series of watches produced by Rolex were the ones made for the Fuerza Aerea del Perù (FAP), a branch of the Peruvian military that was created from the merger of the Peruvian Army and Navy. It is estimated that around 700 Rolex watches were supplied to the Peruvian Air Force. A few of these watches were Cosmographs, with the military designation engraved on the case back. These Daytonas are highly sought after by collectors.
The Peruvian Air Force began in 1911 as an aviation group, and was formally established in the early 1950's. They began ordering various instruments, wristwatches included - originally Omega was contracted for wristwatches, but starting in the early 1960's, Rolex began supplying timepieces. It is interesting to note that the Daytona chronographs were ordered by the Peruvian Air Force, as a chronograph is not an aviator's watch. A few GMT watches, which are used by pilots, were additionally ordered, as well as the Submariner model
A few features distinguish the FAP Daytona from regular production examples, the first being the engraving on the outside of the case back. This engraving is done by means of a rotary cutter, which provides a level of depth and smoothness to the engraving. The second feature is the engraving of the last three digits of the serial number on the inside of the case back. Early examples will have the entire serial number engraved on the inside of the case back. These features alone would excite any Rolex collector, but the presence of the Paul Newman dial makes the present watch stand out even further.
A similar example, Case No. 2'414'010, sold at Christie's Geneva, in the Rolex Daytona: Lesson One sale for 299,000 CHF (Lot15).
Starting as early as the 1940's, Rolex began producing watches and movements for various organizations, both military (Italian Navy and British Forces) and scientific (Comex). One of the rarest series of watches produced by Rolex were the ones made for the Fuerza Aerea del Perù (FAP), a branch of the Peruvian military that was created from the merger of the Peruvian Army and Navy. It is estimated that around 700 Rolex watches were supplied to the Peruvian Air Force. A few of these watches were Cosmographs, with the military designation engraved on the case back. These Daytonas are highly sought after by collectors.
The Peruvian Air Force began in 1911 as an aviation group, and was formally established in the early 1950's. They began ordering various instruments, wristwatches included - originally Omega was contracted for wristwatches, but starting in the early 1960's, Rolex began supplying timepieces. It is interesting to note that the Daytona chronographs were ordered by the Peruvian Air Force, as a chronograph is not an aviator's watch. A few GMT watches, which are used by pilots, were additionally ordered, as well as the Submariner model
A few features distinguish the FAP Daytona from regular production examples, the first being the engraving on the outside of the case back. This engraving is done by means of a rotary cutter, which provides a level of depth and smoothness to the engraving. The second feature is the engraving of the last three digits of the serial number on the inside of the case back. Early examples will have the entire serial number engraved on the inside of the case back. These features alone would excite any Rolex collector, but the presence of the Paul Newman dial makes the present watch stand out even further.
A similar example, Case No. 2'414'010, sold at Christie's Geneva, in the Rolex Daytona: Lesson One sale for 299,000 CHF (Lot15).