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See also the [[Reference:prince|Prince family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
See also the [[Reference:prince|Prince family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].


== Gallery ==


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<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">

Latest revision as of 05:25, 29 September 2026


Prince -> 1527

14K white + pink gold stepped Railway case on its strap, two-tone silver and gold dial with off-center hours and minutes and sub-seconds at six (Antiquorum Monaco 2019 lot 173, case no. 49767)
14K white + pink gold stepped Railway case on its strap, two-tone silver and gold dial with off-center hours and minutes and sub-seconds at six (Antiquorum Monaco 2019 lot 173, case no. 49767)

The 1527 is the Prince Railway, a rectangular Classic case with stepped sides and a two-zone Prince dial. Published auction records show white-and-pink and white-and-yellow gold examples, along with 9K imports and less common steel or gold-filled cases. The movement is a shaped Prince caliber described in catalogues as Extra Prima or Ultra Prima. The nickname is collector and auction language, not a period Rolex model name.


Core facts

detail value
reference 1527 (and "1527 M" sub-designation on some bicolor examples, M suffix unexplained in primary documentation)
family Prince Classic with stepped bicolor case ("Railway" / "Chemin de Fer")
production documented examples from about 1930 through the 1940s; the surviving auction record does not prove a continuous run
case shape rectangular Classic case with stepped sides; gold and less common steel or gold-filled examples are documented
case dimensions approximately 23 mm × 42 mm with horns; body proportions vary slightly across documented examples
case construction polished stepped case; construction and material must be checked on the individual example
crystal acrylic
crown onion / pull-out, non-screw
lug style integrated flared, period-strap fit
movement Shaped Prince movement; catalogues use 7½′′′ T.S. 300, Extra Prima, or Ultra Prima labels
movement grades Extra Prima and Ultra Prima descriptions both appear in auction catalogues; grade and jewel count vary by example
jewels 15, 17, or 18 are reported in catalogues; verify against the movement
chronometer dial designation chronometer wording appears on some documented dials; text varies by example
dial layout duo-dial with sub-seconds at six
sub-references some auction and dealer records use “1527 M”; the meaning of the suffix is not established by a primary Rolex document
materials documented 18K white + pink gold, 18K white + yellow gold, solid 18K yellow (monochrome), 18K two-tone unspecified, 9K bicolor (Glasgow imports), steel + gold-filled (1940s anchor), stainless steel (Sotheby's 2008 Time Museum, single example). platinum is not established in the cited auction record

Where it sits in the line

The 1527 belongs to the straight-sided Classic Prince group, alongside the 1862. Its stepped case separates it from the flared Brancard references 971, 1490, and 1491. Auction records date individual examples to about 1930 and into the 1940s, but they do not establish an uninterrupted production run.

A 1992 Antiquorum catalogue used “Prince Railway” for a 1527. Later auction houses use both 1527 and 1527 M. A watch's case number, movement, dial, and hallmarks should be checked together because the catalogue record is not fully consistent.

The 2005 Cellini Prince is a later watch on a different platform and is outside this vintage reference.

The Railway nickname

“Railway” is collector and auction terminology. The earliest dated use cited here is Antiquorum's 1992 Vicenza Oro catalogue, which applied the name to the stepped case. No period Rolex advertisement using the name is cited. “Chemin de Fer” is a French equivalent used in later descriptions.

A separate “Railway” attribution has appeared for a jump-hour Prince listed as 1571. That reference is not established by the sources used here and should not be merged with the 1527.

The case and materials

The defining feature is the stepped rectangular case. Auction photographs and descriptions show alternating metal colours on many examples, especially white-and-pink and white-and-yellow gold. The record also includes 9K bicolor imports, a steel-and-gold-filled example, and a stainless-steel example. The construction and material should be verified on the individual watch; a visual resemblance is not proof of solid-gold construction.

Published measurements vary because catalogues measure the body, bezel, or horn-to-horn length differently. Examples are commonly listed around 22–23mm wide and about 42mm long including the horns. Glasgow or Edinburgh hallmarks can date an imported case.

Materials documented

The auction record includes:

  • 18K white-and-pink gold, including the Christie's 1527 M with a Glasgow 1931 import letter.
  • 18K white-and-yellow gold, including the Mondani example with a bamboo bracelet.
  • Solid 18K yellow gold, including the Cooke & Kelvey Calcutta-signed Sotheby's lot.
  • 9K bicolor, documented in Sotheby's 2019 lot 169.
  • Steel and gold-filled, documented by Bonhams in a 1940s-dated example.
  • Stainless steel, reported in the 2008 Time Museum catalogue.

No platinum 1527 is established by the auction records cited here. The “1527 M” suffix appears in some records, but its meaning remains undocumented by a primary Rolex source.

The movement

Rolex Prince 1527 movement bridge stamped Rolex Chronometer Timed 6 Positions 18 rubies
1527 movement bridge stamped “ROLEX CHRONOMETER TIMED 6 POSITIONS,” Antiquorum Monaco, 2019 lot 173

The cited 1527 lots use shaped Prince movements described as 7½′′′ T.S. 300, Extra Prima, or Ultra Prima. Jewel counts and adjustment wording vary between catalogues. Some dials carry chronometer wording, but that wording should be checked against the actual movement and case.

The movement is part of the wider Aegler Prince family. This page does not assign a universal grade, beat rate, power reserve, or service-fault pattern to every 1527. A movement photograph is necessary when a reference or grade is disputed. A tonneau-plate movement associated with the later Prince Elegant family would need specific evidence before being accepted in a 1527.

Dial layout

Rolex Prince 1527 silvered duo-dial Rolex Prince Chronometre sub-seconds at six
1527 dial removed from the case, silvered duo-dial reading "ROLEX PRINCE" / "CHRONOMETRE," sub-seconds at six, Antiquorum Monaco, 16 July 2019, lot 173 (case no. 49767)

The 1527 uses the Prince duo-dial layout: hours and minutes in the upper register and subsidiary seconds at 6. Documented examples include:

  • Silvered duo-dial with painted Arabic numerals and "ROLEX PRINCE" + "CHRONOMETER" or "Officially Certified Chronometer" or "Observatory Quality" text, the wording varies with the individual movement and dial.
  • Silvered duo-dial with applied baton hour markers, appears on dressier 18K solid-gold examples.
  • Cooke & Kelvey Calcutta retailer-double-signed dial, Sotheby's GE1301 2013 lot 87, a documented retailer double on a 1527. The lot provides individual evidence of Calcutta retail provenance.
  • One Ultra Prima example is catalogued with "Officially Tested in Eight Ways" in place of the standard "Chronometer" wording; this is lot-specific evidence.
  • The cited record contains no confirmed Bucherer, Beyer, or Eaton 1/4 Century 1527.

Blued hands appear in the cited examples. Hand originality and refinishing are individual-watch questions.

Authentication

Assess the case, movement, dial, hallmarks, and service history together.

  1. **Case and material.** Confirm the stepped profile and whether the case material matches the catalogue description. Do not infer solid gold from colour alone.
  2. **Movement.** Compare the movement plates and markings with the period Prince architecture and with the catalogue description for the watch. Extra Prima and Ultra Prima labels are not interchangeable without evidence.
  3. **Dial and caseback.** Record the exact dial wording, retailer signature, serial, and any “M” or other suffix separately. A replacement dial or case can make a visual reference check misleading.
  4. **Hallmarks and provenance.** Glasgow or Edinburgh marks can date an imported case. Box, papers, and retailer signatures belong to the individual watch and should be checked against the case and movement.

The available record does not establish a universal case construction rule, an M-suffix meaning, a complete population count, or a reference-wide material hierarchy.

Auction record

year venue configuration hammer
1992 Antiquorum Vicenza Oro (lot 146) 18K white + pink stepped (earliest documented "Prince Railway" naming)
2001 Antiquorum HK (lot 15/434) 18K white + pink ,
2005 Antiquorum Geneva (lot 100/1) 18K white + yellow ,
2006 Antiquorum May Mondani (108/33) 18K white + yellow with bamboo bracelet, 1931 CHF 27,140
2006 Bonhams NY (15217/9) steel + gold-filled, 1940s USD 1,912
2008 Sotheby's NY Time Museum (N08474) stainless steel ,
2013 Sotheby's Geneva (GE1301/87) 18K solid yellow, Cooke & Kelvey Calcutta double-signed CHF 5,250
2015 Christie's NY (3752/28) 18K two-tone USD 8,750
2017 Artcurial Monte-Carlo (M1017/145) 18K solid yellow, Arman Collection EUR 2,860
2019 Sotheby's NY (N10082/169) 9K bicolor est. USD 12,000–15,000
2026 Bonhams London (31977/25) 18K white + pink GBP 6,144 inc.
2026 Bonhams London (31977/29) two-color 18K est. GBP 4,000–6,000

The table is a selected auction record, not a valuation guide. Results depend on material, dial originality, hallmarks, bracelet, papers, and condition. The cited records do not establish a complete auction census or a reference-wide price band.


Related references

See also the Prince family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.


  • Whole-watch view
    Whole-watch view
  • Movement bridge and markings
    Movement bridge and markings
  • Duo-dial and subsidiary seconds
    Duo-dial and subsidiary seconds

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:1527&oldid=11267"