James M. Dowling´s Rolex Webpage

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Steel model 1490 Prince Made around 1934, the steel flared Prince is one of the rarest models, after the Platinum model. The steel model was only introduced towards the end of the production run and was 10% more expensive than the comparable silver versions. The 1490 is the smaller flared model with more subtle flares than the earlier 971.
9k gold model 971S Prince Hallmarked 1930, the 3D striped version is rarely seen and many Experts go so far as to deny the existence of this model. Many fakes of it are seen, and this is one of only three verifiably genuine versions I have ever seen. Interestingly, the model number 971S brings the number of 971 variants known up to four; 971, 971U, 971A and now 971S.
Steel triple calendar Oyster chronograph A perfect example of one of the nicest watches Rolex ever made (in my humble opinion). The 6236 was the third version of the triple calendar chronograph from Rolex; all used the Valjoux 72C movement but the 6236 had the most modifications from the basic calibre. It used a free sprung Rolex balance and Rolex patented shock protection. It came with box, papers, receipts for the purchase of the watch and all subsequent services.
Model 971 Silver Prince Rare black dial version of the Brancard Prince; 15 jewel movement with oversized balance wheel. One of the earliest Princes, this watch is hallmarked 1929 and is in excellent condition.
Model 5514 COMEX Submariner Before the launch of the Sea Dweller, Rolex used to supply the diving company COMEX with specially modified non date Submariners. These had a gas escape valve added on the side of the case at ‘9’; the initial run were regular 5513 models; but when COMEX gave Rolex a large order a special model number was allocated to this batch, 5514.
Model 6429 Steel Oyster Commando I know nothing at all about the origins of the Commando model, it is a simple manual wind Oyster watch. But the dial makes it look like a stripped down version of the 1016 Explorer. This is one of only three of these watches I have ever seen.
Pink gold 1926 Oyster cushion. This watch is one of the small pre-production run of the first model Oyster. It has a Glasgow 1926 hallmark and a different case construction to the later production versions. Its serial number is from before the introduction of the Oyster numbers (which began at 20,001). It has a perfect enamel dial with beautiful cathedral hands.
Steel 1935 Prince Elegant. One of the first watches to use the HW tonneau shaped movement; this watch is also interesting in that it has the ‘bow-tie’ two toned dial. The dial is signed by the store Bucherer who were, for many years, the largest Rolex retailer in the world.
Steel & gold model 5701 Explorer Date. Made at the end of the 1960s the Explorer Dates are a rarely seen version of the Air King Date (in fact they share the same model numbers). The two tone version, is by far the rarest and most desirable model.
1968 Paul Newman model 6239 One of the very first 18k Paul Newmans, this watch has the desirable configuration of black dial and black bezel. It came with the original box, papers and receipts.
´Striped´ 18k Prince This Prince is unusual in 2 ways, having a luminous dial (as dress watches Princes usually had painted dials) and it also has the retailer’s name (P. Orr, Madras) printed on the dial. It even still has the original winder. Essentially a 95% watch in case movement and dial.
Model 3131 Bubbleback Pink 18k gold three piece case, with a pink Roman Arabic dial and ‘Mercedes’ hands this is one of the most desirable bubblebacks around. Made in 1946, it was originally sold in Montevideo, Uruguay and was bought from the son of the original owner.
Model 6202 Turn-O-Graph The very first Rolex watch with a rotating bezel, the Turn-O-Graph can be considered the foundation stone on which the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Thunderbird and Yachtmaster were built. The bezel is unusual in having markers for each of the minutes, rather than just the first 15 as is done nowadays.
Flexible Lug Steel Oyster Dating from the late 1930s, this is one of the most exotically styled Oysters The dial is 2 colour silver and is signed Rolex Oyster Chronometre. The movement is a 10.5 ligne hunter, in the highest specification with 18 jewels, capped endstones and jewelled to the centre.
Rare Exhibition Rolex Oyster Part of the reason I love Rolex watches so much is because their history is so chaotic & undocumented; it means that (unlike say, Patek) it is possible to discover something no one ever dreamed about. This is one of those serendipitous finds. For about 20 years between the 1930s and the 1950s, there was a box behind the counter at BEYER jewelers in the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. When there were “odds & sod” lying about they were thrown into this box; if a model ceased production and the store had one “orphan” watch left; if a crown fell off a watch & no-one could find a replacement; it went into the box. Then things such as old unused cases and dials for long out of production watches were also tossed into the box along with demonstration versions of other long out of production watches. That is what we have here; a beautiful 100% unused Rolex Oyster Royal, stainless steel manual wind watch from the late 30s with a lovely 2 tone silvered dial. But despite the fact that the watch is beautiful and unused, this is not what prompted me to spend a small fortune on it; no it is the fact that this watch is one of only two KNOWN Rolex Oyster watches with a glass exhibition back. The back is obviously factory made as it is a perfect hermetic fit between the glass & the steel back, also the glass used for the back is the same as the crystal used for the case. Click to see the watch case back.When you see the movement, please also note that the top balance jewel is white sapphire, this enables you to see straight through to the balance staff. Crucially the provenance of the watch is 100% verifiable; it was sold to Beyer and then was sold by them in May of this year when the complete contents of the box mentioned above were sold. So, as I bought it from the original dealer you can say that I am the first owner of the watch
Earliest Known Military Submariner. Stainless steel Rolex Oyster Submariner, model number 5510, case number 362196, dating from the first quarter of 1958. Made for the Australian Navy, this is the rarest Submariner I have ever seen. In simple terms this watch scores four times in the rarity stakes. Firstly, it is a model 5510, generally acknowledged to be the rarest Submariner model of all, next it is a military Submariner and all military Subs are rare watches. Then it is the first military "James Bond" submariner ever to surface. The existence of the military James Bond watches has been known for some time, see the ad on page 259 of our book and Click here to see a blow up of the watch in the ad. Finally it has the most desirable of all dials with the gloss black back ground and luminous 3/6/9 numerals. The 5510 is a strange interim model, in that it uses the old style "James Bond" shoulderless case with the large 8mm "Brevette" crown but fitted with the newer 1520 movement. It is universally acknowledged that the 15XX series of calibres is the best that Rolex ever made; so the combination of the old style case & the 1520 make this one of the most usable of the vintage Rolex watches. The dial is a fabulous gloss black with silver gold printing whilst the luminous tritium has faded to a slightly cream colour. The original gold hands have also faded to a similar colour. The case is in excellent condition but does show signs of its 40+ years of life; the bezel & insert are original but the insert has several light scratches; the rare 8mm "Brevet" crown is brand new (as is the tube), the original bezel insert still has the red triangle at 12 .	View case back & movement.
Rare 18k gold Rolex Kew A Oyster chronometer It is a Kew A but a very special one; in our book I state that all the Kew As were cased in simple steel boys' size Speedking. It is with some pleasure I have been proved wrong again, as this is an 18k full size version. It transpires that 24 of these were made in 1954, which is interesting in that the movement left Kew in 1951. In fact this movement was one of the very last to obtain a certificate, doing so on 6th April, 1951 as part of the last batch of 6 movements to leave Kew, (only 5 of which obtained certificates). The dial is also unusual in that the words "Kew A Certificate" around the subsidiary seconds are printed in red, the first time I have ever seen this.
Unique Left Hand Rolex Sea Dweller, made in 1987. The model 16660 was the first sapphire glass version of the Sea Dweller and the first to be rated for 4,000 feet depth capability. Rolex Geneva records show that it was delivered to the French company COMEX specifically for a diver who wished to wear his watch on his right arm, although the watch bears no COMEX identification. Rolex produced an unknown number of Datejusts in the 1950s with Left Hand configuration and ten 18k model 1680 Submariners in the late 1970s. However this is the only known sapphire glass watch and the only Sea Dweller known to have been made in this unusual configuration. I choose to wear it on my left wrist which makes the watch very comfortable as the crown no longer digs into the back of my hand as I type.
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18k Oyster Scientific The rarest of all oysters; this is only the second of this model I have ever seen. The Scientific is a rare watch in itself, but vast majority of them were snap backs not Oysters. The dial on these watches are 2 piece porcelain with distinct index rings for hours, minutes and seconds.