Reference:Movements: Difference between revisions
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Document Rolex Cal. 7040 suffixes and 5441/9 attribution |
Document the manual Kew A caliber labels for ref. 5056 |
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This Aegler-supplied 10½-ligne hand-wound family uses the 700/710 architecture. It has a straight-line lever escapement, monometallic Superbalance adjusted to six positions, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, and swan-neck micrometer regulator, with no documented shock protection. Antiquorum names Cal. 700 in its catalogue for ref. [[Reference:3358|3358]], case 51,419, with 18 jewels; its ref. [[Reference:2081|2081]] case 599,744 lot names the same caliber and grade but records 15 jewels. The discrepancy is unresolved, so the jewel count is left unspecified here. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-225 Antiquorum, ref. 3358] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-226 Antiquorum, ref. 2081] The movement powers the original Air-King 4925 and its Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant siblings, including the sub-seconds 4365, mid-size 4444, and 4647 Hunter Precision. Its architecture links the pre-war Prince and Bubbleback movements with the post-war automatic Cal. 1030. Cal. 700 and 710 are hand-wound movements; Cal. 720 belongs to the automatic branch. White’s *The Vintage Rolex Field Manual* maps [[Reference:5031|ref. 5031]] to Cal. 710 in a reference table, but auction catalogues describe 5031 examples as automatic date watches. Christie’s [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-204100 listing] records movement number 37519 but no caliber; Antiquorum’s [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-120-203 1995], [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-53-191 1999] and [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-222-285 2009] entries do not name a caliber and report differing sizes and jewel counts. Sotheby’s 2020 and 2022 entries say only “automatic.” The available records do not resolve the conflict, so the 5031 is not assigned to Cal. 710, A.295, 740, or 745 here. | This Aegler-supplied 10½-ligne hand-wound family uses the 700/710 architecture. It has a straight-line lever escapement, monometallic Superbalance adjusted to six positions, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, and swan-neck micrometer regulator, with no documented shock protection. Antiquorum names Cal. 700 in its catalogue for ref. [[Reference:3358|3358]], case 51,419, with 18 jewels; its ref. [[Reference:2081|2081]] case 599,744 lot names the same caliber and grade but records 15 jewels. The discrepancy is unresolved, so the jewel count is left unspecified here. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-225 Antiquorum, ref. 3358] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-226 Antiquorum, ref. 2081] The movement powers the original Air-King 4925 and its Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant siblings, including the sub-seconds 4365, mid-size 4444, and 4647 Hunter Precision. Its architecture links the pre-war Prince and Bubbleback movements with the post-war automatic Cal. 1030. Cal. 700 and 710 are hand-wound movements; Cal. 720 belongs to the automatic branch. White’s *The Vintage Rolex Field Manual* maps [[Reference:5031|ref. 5031]] to Cal. 710 in a reference table, but auction catalogues describe 5031 examples as automatic date watches. Christie’s [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-204100 listing] records movement number 37519 but no caliber; Antiquorum’s [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-120-203 1995], [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-53-191 1999] and [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-222-285 2009] entries do not name a caliber and report differing sizes and jewel counts. Sotheby’s 2020 and 2022 entries say only “automatic.” The available records do not resolve the conflict, so the 5031 is not assigned to Cal. 710, A.295, 740, or 745 here. | ||
Catalogues describe hand-wound Kew A movements in refs. [[Reference:5056|5056]] and [[Reference:6210|6210]] as 10.5-ligne or Cal. 720 examples; Uhrenkosmos calls the 6210 Cal. 700. Bonhams describes ref. 5056 movement 4215 as a Cal. 700 base reworked into what Rolex called Cal. 720, and Vetroplastica describes the Kew movement as Cal. 700-based with Cal. 720 parts. These are source-specific labels for manual Kew A movements. The generic Cal. 720 entry above describes the automatic branch. [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/24632/lot/21/rolex-a-very-rare-stainless-steel-manual-wind-bracelet-watch-with-kew-certification-and-especially-good-result-oyster-speedking-kew-a-certificate-ref-5056-circa-1947/ Bonhams, ref. 5056] [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5257637 Christie’s, ref. 6210] [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29155/lot/19/rolex-an-extremely-rare-18k-gold-kew-a-manual-wind-wristwatch-rolex-oyster-observatory-chronometer-ref-6210-circa-1955/ Bonhams, ref. 6210] [https://www.vetroplastica.it/rolex-kew-a-18.html Vetroplastica] [https://www.uhrenkosmos.com/rolex-meilensteine-1952-bis-1955-wegweisend/ Uhrenkosmos] | |||
White’s reference table also maps [[Reference:6031|ref. 6031]] to Cal. 710, but the auction records describe automatic date watches. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-17-555 Antiquorum’s 2001 lot] and [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-25-143 2002 lot] list 10½ lignes and 19 jewels without naming a caliber; the latter combines refs. 6031 and 6074. [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/160689 Phillips] records movement G3569, and [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/fine-watches-pf2570/oyster-perpetual-reference-6031-montre-bracelet-en?locale=en Sotheby’s] G9307, but neither names a caliber. The assignment remains unresolved. | White’s reference table also maps [[Reference:6031|ref. 6031]] to Cal. 710, but the auction records describe automatic date watches. [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-17-555 Antiquorum’s 2001 lot] and [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-25-143 2002 lot] list 10½ lignes and 19 jewels without naming a caliber; the latter combines refs. 6031 and 6074. [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/160689 Phillips] records movement G3569, and [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/fine-watches-pf2570/oyster-perpetual-reference-6031-montre-bracelet-en?locale=en Sotheby’s] G9307, but neither names a caliber. The assignment remains unresolved. | ||