Reference:Movements: Difference between revisions

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Prince grades run Prima → Extra Prima → Ultra Prima, with higher jewel counts, more adjustment positions, and stricter chronometer testing. Only Extra Prima and Ultra Prima watches carry "Chronometer" or "Observatory" dial marks. Rolex submitted Prince movements to the National Physical Laboratory at Kew for rate certificates independent of the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. Its often-cited 1914 Class A Kew certificate belongs to an earlier ladies' wristwatch movement, while Prince testing at Kew-Teddington began in 1928.

The Prince Imperial pocket watch, ref. [[Reference:1645|1645]], ~~is also catalogued with~~ shaped manual ~~movements~~. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel Class A Observatory movement, number 1,000,823. Antiquorum describes other ~~1645~~ examples as 17-jewel Ultra Prima or Observatory movements~~, measured at 14½, 16½~~ and ~~17 lignes. These are separate watches;~~ the ~~catalogues~~ do not ~~establish~~ a ~~numbered~~ caliber ~~sequence~~.

The Prince Imperial pocket watch, ref. [[Reference:1645|1645]], has a shaped manual movement. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel Class A Observatory movement, number 1,000,823; Antiquorum describes other examples as 17-jewel Ultra Prima or Observatory movements in several line sizes. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists 5096 in its caliber column for the 1645. Auction descriptions and the inspected movement photographs do not confirm that number on a movement, so it remains a book attribution rather than an established caliber.

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For [[Reference:1073|ref. 1073]], Antiquorum names a 10½-ligne Extra Prima movement with 15 jewels. David Boettcher reports that Prima movements he has examined are generally 15-jewel, while the Extra Prima and Ultra Prima examples he has examined have 18 jewels. Antiquorum’s description is an exception to that pattern; its catalogue does not explain the mismatch. Christie's describes a 15-jewel Prima, and Bonhams calls another 15-jewel movement Ultra Prima. The lot descriptions give no shared caliber number or reference-wide grade. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-15-258 Antiquorum]; [https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-811717 Christie's]; [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster/ref-rolex-1073/lpi Bonhams archive]; [https://vintagewatchstraps.com/blogprima.php David Boettcher, movement-grade survey]

A scanned Oyster case-and-crown table lists ref. [[Reference:2416|2416]] at 10½ lignes in its “calibre size” column. TimeAnagram gives the same figure in a dealer movement field. A Hodinkee photograph of case 32342 shows a manual movement stamped “Rolex 15 rubies”; Bonhams also describes a 2416 movement as a patented Superbalance. The 10½ figure is movement size, and the numbered caliber remains unconfirmed. [https://www.vrfm.io/Scans/OYSTER-CROWNS-GUIDE.pdf Oyster case-and-crown table, ref. 2416 row]; [https://timeanagram.com/en/products/57171 TimeAnagram, ref. 2416 item 57171]; [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bring-a-loupe-march-14-2025 Hodinkee, case 32342]; [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25954/lot/93/ Bonhams, case 37425]

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 Prince grades run Prima &rarr; Extra Prima &rarr; Ultra Prima, with higher jewel counts, more adjustment positions, and stricter chronometer testing. Only Extra Prima and Ultra Prima watches carry "Chronometer" or "Observatory" dial marks. Rolex submitted Prince movements to the National Physical Laboratory at Kew for rate certificates independent of the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. Its often-cited 1914 Class A Kew certificate belongs to an earlier ladies' wristwatch movement, while Prince testing at Kew-Teddington began in 1928.
-The Prince Imperial pocket watch, ref. [[Reference:1645|1645]], is also catalogued with shaped manual movements. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel Class A Observatory movement, number 1,000,823. Antiquorum describes other 1645 examples as 17-jewel Ultra Prima or Observatory movements, measured at 14½, 16½ and 17 lignes. These are separate watches; the catalogues do not establish a numbered caliber sequence.
+The Prince Imperial pocket watch, ref. [[Reference:1645|1645]], has a shaped manual movement. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel Class A Observatory movement, number 1,000,823; Antiquorum describes other examples as 17-jewel Ultra Prima or Observatory movements in several line sizes. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists 5096 in its caliber column for the 1645. Auction descriptions and the inspected movement photographs do not confirm that number on a movement, so it remains a book attribution rather than an established caliber.
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 For [[Reference:1073|ref. 1073]], Antiquorum names a 10½-ligne Extra Prima movement with 15 jewels. David Boettcher reports that Prima movements he has examined are generally 15-jewel, while the Extra Prima and Ultra Prima examples he has examined have 18 jewels. Antiquorum’s description is an exception to that pattern; its catalogue does not explain the mismatch. Christie's describes a 15-jewel Prima, and Bonhams calls another 15-jewel movement Ultra Prima. The lot descriptions give no shared caliber number or reference-wide grade. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-15-258 Antiquorum]; [https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-811717 Christie's]; [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster/ref-rolex-1073/lpi Bonhams archive]; [https://vintagewatchstraps.com/blogprima.php David Boettcher, movement-grade survey]
+A scanned Oyster case-and-crown table lists ref. [[Reference:2416|2416]] at 10½ lignes in its “calibre size” column. TimeAnagram gives the same figure in a dealer movement field. A Hodinkee photograph of case 32342 shows a manual movement stamped “Rolex 15 rubies”; Bonhams also describes a 2416 movement as a patented Superbalance. The 10½ figure is movement size, and the numbered caliber remains unconfirmed. [https://www.vrfm.io/Scans/OYSTER-CROWNS-GUIDE.pdf Oyster case-and-crown table, ref. 2416 row]; [https://timeanagram.com/en/products/57171 TimeAnagram, ref. 2416 item 57171]; [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bring-a-loupe-march-14-2025 Hodinkee, case 32342]; [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25954/lot/93/ Bonhams, case 37425]
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