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Lot Essay
After the Explorer, the Submariner is the oldest Rolex model and one of the first diver’s sports watches. Few vintage Rolex watches have such a compelling and powerful attraction for collectors as a fresh to the market, beautifully aged reference 6200. With a depth rating of 200 meters and intended for use by professional divers, the Rolex reference 6200 ‘Big Crown’ of 1954 is one of the rarest of all Submariners, with only 300 examples thought to have been produced originally, and perhaps less than 30 specimens known today. Nicknamed ‘King Sub’, this model is regarded by many Rolex collectors as the most perfect vintage Submariner to own due, not only to its extreme rarity, but also to the unmistakable super-cool eye-catching aesthetic created by its large thicker case, large diameter ‘Brevet’ (patent) ‘Big’ crown, bezel with only 5-minute divisions, and of course the immensely charismatic 3,6,9 ‘Explorer’ dial without ‘Submariner’ designation and the noticeably longer ‘Mercedes’ hands. Reference 6200 is one of the very first Rolex watches to feature the so-called ‘Mercedes’ hands that would become standard for Rolex sports watches and the first series produced diver’s watch with big crown.
Offered for the first time at auction, the present watch is an important and significant discovery as one of the most original and unrestored specimens of reference 6200 to be offered at auction. It immediately impresses with its highly desirable ‘big logo’ Explorer-type dial, defined by the bold 3, 6, 9 numerals and featuring neither the Submariner designation nor depth rating. Of great importance is the fact that the original hands are still preserved, easily identifiable by their extended length and matching luminous material. The serial number of the present watch, 32’133, fits exactly into the known serial number group - 320xx – 322xx as all other known reference 6200. Unsurprisingly all have serial numbers with a very close proximity to each other.
Reference 6200
The first Rolex diving watch available commercially and the first ‘big crown’ wristwatch, reference 6200 is one of the rarest and most desirable Rolex Submariner models ever made, its large case featuring the rounded case back and generously proportioned 'Brevet' crown of 8 mm. lend it a very distinct glamorously sporty look. The dials used for the reference 6200 were the same type as those of the 1953 Explorer models reference 6298 and 6150: the triangle at the 12 o'clock position is equilateral, hence of different shape than those on ref. 6204 and 6205. Reference 6200 was the first Submariner model with so-called ‘Mercedes’ hands as opposed to the straight ‘pencil’ hands of its peers. Compared to later Submariner generations, these were longer. Despite no depth rating appearing on the dials of reference 6200, it is in fact water resistant to 200 meters, double the 100 meter ratings of the related ‘small crown’ Submariner references 6204 and 6205.
Offered for the first time at auction, the present watch is an important and significant discovery as one of the most original and unrestored specimens of reference 6200 to be offered at auction. It immediately impresses with its highly desirable ‘big logo’ Explorer-type dial, defined by the bold 3, 6, 9 numerals and featuring neither the Submariner designation nor depth rating. Of great importance is the fact that the original hands are still preserved, easily identifiable by their extended length and matching luminous material. The serial number of the present watch, 32’133, fits exactly into the known serial number group - 320xx – 322xx as all other known reference 6200. Unsurprisingly all have serial numbers with a very close proximity to each other.
Reference 6200
The first Rolex diving watch available commercially and the first ‘big crown’ wristwatch, reference 6200 is one of the rarest and most desirable Rolex Submariner models ever made, its large case featuring the rounded case back and generously proportioned 'Brevet' crown of 8 mm. lend it a very distinct glamorously sporty look. The dials used for the reference 6200 were the same type as those of the 1953 Explorer models reference 6298 and 6150: the triangle at the 12 o'clock position is equilateral, hence of different shape than those on ref. 6204 and 6205. Reference 6200 was the first Submariner model with so-called ‘Mercedes’ hands as opposed to the straight ‘pencil’ hands of its peers. Compared to later Submariner generations, these were longer. Despite no depth rating appearing on the dials of reference 6200, it is in fact water resistant to 200 meters, double the 100 meter ratings of the related ‘small crown’ Submariner references 6204 and 6205.