Reference:3937: Difference between revisions

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The Rolex Prince ref. 3937 is a rectangular watch with curved lugs often called “Rams Horn” or “Scroll Lug” by collectors. Auction records ~~show~~ examples in 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold and steel~~, including watches~~ presented through the T. Eaton Company’s Quarter Century Club. The catalogues date individual watches from circa 1938 to circa 1950; they do not establish ~~the reference’s~~ production endpoints.

The Rolex Prince ref. 3937 is a rectangular watch with curved lugs often called “Rams Horn” or “Scroll Lug” by collectors. Auction records document examples in 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold and pink gold with steel. Some were presented through the T. Eaton Company’s Quarter Century Club. The catalogues date individual watches from circa 1938 to circa 1950; they do not establish production endpoints.

==Core facts==

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|-

| materials

| 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold~~, 14-karat~~ pink gold~~, and stainless~~ steel ~~appear in auction or dealer records~~

| 14-karat yellow gold and 18-karat rose gold; an Antiquorum lot describes pink gold with steel

|-

| dates

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|-

| movement

| Manual wind. Sotheby’s lists 15 jewels; Antiquorum ~~lists~~ 18 ~~jewels~~; Fabsuisse ~~identifies a~~ 971A ~~with 18 jewels on its example~~

| Manual wind. Sotheby’s lists 15 jewels; Antiquorum lots list 18. No caliber number is confirmed; Fabsuisse uses “Cal. 971A,” an unverified attribution

|-

| Eaton presentation

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==Movement notes==

The catalogues do not give a consistent specification. Sotheby’s lists a manual movement with 15 jewels and calls it “observatory quality”; Antiquorum’s Eaton 3937 has an 18-jewel chronometer movement but no caliber number. ~~Fabsuisse identifies~~ a ~~manual Cal. 971A~~ with 18 ~~jewels~~ in a separate 14-karat rose-gold example. These descriptions ~~should~~ stay attached to their respective watches~~. They do not establish a single movement specification for every ref. 3937~~.

The catalogues do not give a consistent specification. Sotheby’s lists a manual movement with 15 jewels and calls it “observatory quality”; Antiquorum’s Eaton 3937 has an 18-jewel chronometer movement but no caliber number. Antiquorum’s 1998 catalogue describes a pink-gold-and-steel example with an 18-jewel, 7½-ligne movement adjusted to six positions. Fabsuisse calls the movement in a separate 14-karat rose-gold example “Cal. 971A” and lists 18 jewels. The [[Reference:Movements|Movement guide]] treats 971A as a Prince case reference, and the auction catalogues do not confirm the dealer’s caliber label. Without a readable movement marking that resolves the conflict, the caliber remains unconfirmed. These descriptions stay attached to their respective watches.

[[File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|thumb|right|260px|alt=Manual Rolex Prince movement described by Fabsuisse as Cal. 971A with 18 jewels|Movement in a Fabsuisse-listed ref. 3937; dealer labels it Cal. 971A, a designation not confirmed by the auction records]]

==Auction record==

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| Bonhams, 13 September 2023, lot 50

| 18-karat rose-gold ref. 3937; catalogued circa 1938

| ~~GBP 2,000, according to the published lot record~~

| Not stated

|-

| Sotheby’s, 11 March 2020, lot 73

| 14-karat yellow-gold duo-dial Prince; catalogued circa 1950; case 45 × 22mm

| Result not shown on the public lot page

|-

| Antiquorum, Geneva, 18 April 1998, lot 367

| Pink-gold-and-steel Prince; two-tone dial; 18 jewels; 22 × 42mm

| CHF 13,800

|-

| Antiquorum, Geneva, 10 November 2024, lot 464

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File:Ref 3937 case.webp|Curved lugs on the Sotheby’s 2020 example

File:Ref 3937 eaton-dial.webp|Eaton Quarter Century Club dial

File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|Fabsuisse example ~~identified as~~ Cal. 971A

File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|Fabsuisse example; the listing calls it Cal. 971A

</gallery>

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* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28034/lot/50/rolex-an-18k-rose-gold-manual-wind-wristwatch-prince-ref-3937-circa-1938/ Bonhams, lot 50, 13 September 2023] — 18-karat rose-gold ref. 3937, catalogued circa 1938.

* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches-online/rolex-ref-3937-prince-a-yellow-gold-rectangular Sotheby’s, lot 73, 11 March 2020] — circa-1950 yellow-gold duo-dial example; case dimensions and movement description.

* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-90-367 Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 367, 18 April 1998] — pink-gold-and-steel case, two-tone dial, movement description and result.

* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-3937-prince-lot-372-464 Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 464, 10 November 2024] — Eaton presentation, caseback dedication, 18 jewels and result.

* [https://fabsuisse.com/rolex-prince-ref-3937-rare-chronometer-14k-rose-gold-1946-47/ Fabsuisse, “Rolex Prince ref. 3937, 14k rose gold, 1946–47”] — dealer ~~identification of~~ the movement as Cal. 971A.

* [https://fabsuisse.com/rolex-prince-ref-3937-rare-chronometer-14k-rose-gold-1946-47/ Fabsuisse, “Rolex Prince ref. 3937, 14k rose gold, 1946–47”] — dealer description labels the movement Cal. 971A; this conflicts with the case-reference numbering and is unconfirmed by the auction catalogues.

* [https://www.waddingtons.ca/eatons-%C2%BC-century-club-watch/ Dara Vandor, “The Canadian Rolex: Eaton’s ¼ Century Club Watch,” Waddington’s, 11 April 2024] — history of the company program and its Rolex partnership; does not date the 3937 specifically.

* [https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vintagerolexforum/the-rolex-prince-my-journey-so-far-t23475.html Christian Wass, “The Rolex Prince — my journey so far,” Vintage Rolex Forum] — collector use of “Rams Horn” and description of the 3937’s place in the Prince line.

[[Category:Prince]]

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 </div>
-The Rolex Prince ref. 3937 is a rectangular watch with curved lugs often called “Rams Horn” or “Scroll Lug” by collectors. Auction records show examples in 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold and steel, including watches presented through the T. Eaton Company’s Quarter Century Club. The catalogues date individual watches from circa 1938 to circa 1950; they do not establish the reference’s production endpoints.
+The Rolex Prince ref. 3937 is a rectangular watch with curved lugs often called “Rams Horn” or “Scroll Lug” by collectors. Auction records document examples in 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold and pink gold with steel. Some were presented through the T. Eaton Company’s Quarter Century Club. The catalogues date individual watches from circa 1938 to circa 1950; they do not establish production endpoints.
 ==Core facts==
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 |-
 | materials
-| 14-karat yellow gold, 18-karat rose gold, 14-karat pink gold, and stainless steel appear in auction or dealer records
+| 14-karat yellow gold and 18-karat rose gold; an Antiquorum lot describes pink gold with steel
 |-
 | dates
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 |-
 | movement
-| Manual wind. Sotheby’s lists 15 jewels; Antiquorum lists 18 jewels; Fabsuisse identifies a 971A with 18 jewels on its example
+| Manual wind. Sotheby’s lists 15 jewels; Antiquorum lots list 18. No caliber number is confirmed; Fabsuisse uses “Cal. 971A,” an unverified attribution
 |-
 | Eaton presentation
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 ==Movement notes==
-The catalogues do not give a consistent specification. Sotheby’s lists a manual movement with 15 jewels and calls it “observatory quality”; Antiquorum’s Eaton 3937 has an 18-jewel chronometer movement but no caliber number. Fabsuisse identifies a manual Cal. 971A with 18 jewels in a separate 14-karat rose-gold example. These descriptions should stay attached to their respective watches. They do not establish a single movement specification for every ref. 3937.
+The catalogues do not give a consistent specification. Sotheby’s lists a manual movement with 15 jewels and calls it “observatory quality”; Antiquorum’s Eaton 3937 has an 18-jewel chronometer movement but no caliber number. Antiquorum’s 1998 catalogue describes a pink-gold-and-steel example with an 18-jewel, 7½-ligne movement adjusted to six positions. Fabsuisse calls the movement in a separate 14-karat rose-gold example “Cal. 971A” and lists 18 jewels. The [[Reference:Movements|Movement guide]] treats 971A as a Prince case reference, and the auction catalogues do not confirm the dealer’s caliber label. Without a readable movement marking that resolves the conflict, the caliber remains unconfirmed. These descriptions stay attached to their respective watches.
-[[File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|thumb|right|260px|alt=Manual Rolex Prince movement described by Fabsuisse as Cal. 971A with 18 jewels|Movement in a Fabsuisse-listed ref. 3937, identified by the dealer as Cal. 971A]]
+[[File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|thumb|right|260px|alt=Manual Rolex Prince movement described by Fabsuisse as Cal. 971A with 18 jewels|Movement in a Fabsuisse-listed ref. 3937; dealer labels it Cal. 971A, a designation not confirmed by the auction records]]
 ==Auction record==
@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 | Bonhams, 13 September 2023, lot 50
 | 18-karat rose-gold ref. 3937; catalogued circa 1938
-| GBP 2,000, according to the published lot record
+| Not stated
 |-
 | Sotheby’s, 11 March 2020, lot 73
 | 14-karat yellow-gold duo-dial Prince; catalogued circa 1950; case 45 × 22mm
 | Result not shown on the public lot page
+|-
+| Antiquorum, Geneva, 18 April 1998, lot 367
+| Pink-gold-and-steel Prince; two-tone dial; 18 jewels; 22 × 42mm
+| CHF 13,800
 |-
 | Antiquorum, Geneva, 10 November 2024, lot 464
@@ Line 105: / Line 109: @@
 File:Ref 3937 case.webp|Curved lugs on the Sotheby’s 2020 example
 File:Ref 3937 eaton-dial.webp|Eaton Quarter Century Club dial
-File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|Fabsuisse example identified as Cal. 971A
+File:Ref 3937 movement.webp|Fabsuisse example; the listing calls it Cal. 971A
 </gallery>
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 * [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28034/lot/50/rolex-an-18k-rose-gold-manual-wind-wristwatch-prince-ref-3937-circa-1938/ Bonhams, lot 50, 13 September 2023] — 18-karat rose-gold ref. 3937, catalogued circa 1938.
 * [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches-online/rolex-ref-3937-prince-a-yellow-gold-rectangular Sotheby’s, lot 73, 11 March 2020] — circa-1950 yellow-gold duo-dial example; case dimensions and movement description.
+* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-90-367 Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 367, 18 April 1998] — pink-gold-and-steel case, two-tone dial, movement description and result.
 * [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-3937-prince-lot-372-464 Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 464, 10 November 2024] — Eaton presentation, caseback dedication, 18 jewels and result.
-* [https://fabsuisse.com/rolex-prince-ref-3937-rare-chronometer-14k-rose-gold-1946-47/ Fabsuisse, “Rolex Prince ref. 3937, 14k rose gold, 1946–47”] — dealer identification of the movement as Cal. 971A.
+* [https://fabsuisse.com/rolex-prince-ref-3937-rare-chronometer-14k-rose-gold-1946-47/ Fabsuisse, “Rolex Prince ref. 3937, 14k rose gold, 1946–47”] — dealer description labels the movement Cal. 971A; this conflicts with the case-reference numbering and is unconfirmed by the auction catalogues.
 * [https://www.waddingtons.ca/eatons-%C2%BC-century-club-watch/ Dara Vandor, “The Canadian Rolex: Eaton’s ¼ Century Club Watch,” Waddington’s, 11 April 2024] — history of the company program and its Rolex partnership; does not date the 3937 specifically.
 * [https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vintagerolexforum/the-rolex-prince-my-journey-so-far-t23475.html Christian Wass, “The Rolex Prince — my journey so far,” Vintage Rolex Forum] — collector use of “Rams Horn” and description of the 3937’s place in the Prince line.
 [[Category:Prince]]