Reference:Movements: Difference between revisions

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== Early chronograph movement

The early Oyster chronograph ~~references use Valjoux ébauches, with~~ Rolex ~~caliber designations that should be kept distinct from the maker’s base number. Available auction records support a limited~~ Cal. 13 / Valjoux ~~23-family entry~~. Ebauches S.A.~~'s 1951~~ technical guide labels a two-pusher, 13-ligne movement “VZ 23” ([https://myretrowatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Valjoux-VZ-23-Technical-Guide.pdf technical guide~~, 2nd edition March 1953~~]~~). That nomenclature does not establish Rolex fitment. The Cal. 13 evidence discussed here concerns the 3525 and does not identify every early Rolex chronograph movement.~~

The early Oyster chronograph records distinguish Rolex Cal. 13 from the Valjoux base designation. Ebauches S.A.’s technical guide labels a two-pusher, 13-ligne movement “VZ 23”; that nomenclature does not establish Rolex fitment. Auction catalogues identify Cal. 13 in individual ref. 3525 and 3668 watches. Christie's reports 13′′′ 23 VZ on 3668 case 279'352, while other 3668 lots use Cal. 13 or VZ. Treat these as lot-level identifications and check the movement marking on the watch. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5130820 Christie's, case 279'352] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-259 Antiquorum, case 45,343] [https://myretrowatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Valjoux-VZ-23-Technical-Guide.pdf Ebauches S.A., Valjoux VZ 23 technical guide]

For ref. [[Reference:2057|2057]], Phillips describes a manual movement. The 2026 FutureGrail catalogue transcription attributes a 13-ligne Valjoux base by Reymond Frères and 17 jewels; its photograph shows the Rolex signature and jewel count, while the caliber and maker remain unreadable. Treat this as a lot attribution, not a confirmed caliber assignment.

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|-

| size / jewels

| 13 lignes and 17 jewels in the ~~Antiquorum~~ Nutting ~~record~~; ~~Sotheby’s records~~ 17 jewels ~~for~~ case ~~372822~~

| 13 lignes and 17 jewels in the 3525 Nutting and 3668 case 45,343 records; Christie's reports 13′′′ 23 VZ and 17 jewels on 3668 case 279'352

|-

| fitment documented here

| [[Reference:3525|3525]]; ~~other early reference assignments require their own source check~~

| [[Reference:3525|3525]] and [[Reference:3668|3668]] in individual catalogue records; confirm the movement marking on each watch

|}

Antiquorum identifies Cal. 13 and a 13-ligne, 17-jewel movement in the 3525 delivered to Clive Nutting; its Leon Brownlee catalogue also names Cal. 13. Sotheby’s ~~2020 catalogue for~~ a ~~3525 gives manual winding and~~ 17 ~~jewels but no caliber number~~. ~~The recurring Valjoux 23 attribution is supported by specialist references and auction~~ descriptions~~, but~~ the ~~precise movement marking should be read~~ from the ~~individual watch~~. Cal. 13 is Rolex’s designation in ~~these~~ records~~; it is~~ not a claim that Rolex manufactured the Valjoux chronograph base. See the [[Reference:pre-daytona-chronographs|pre-Daytona chronograph guide]].

Antiquorum identifies Cal. 13 and a 13-ligne, 17-jewel movement in the 3525 delivered to Clive Nutting; its Leon Brownlee catalogue also names Cal. 13. For ref. 3668, Christie's names Cal. 13′′′ 23 VZ on case 279'352, while Antiquorum reports Cal. 13 and 17 jewels on cases 45,343 and 279358. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel VZ movement on case 47'948. These are lot-level descriptions; confirm the caliber and suffix from the movement itself. Cal. 13 is Rolex’s designation in the cited records, not a claim that Rolex manufactured the Valjoux chronograph base. See the [[Reference:pre-daytona-chronographs|pre-Daytona chronograph guide]]. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5130820 Christie's] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-259 Antiquorum] [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/important-watches-3/reference-3668-a-pink-gold-and-stainless-steel Sotheby's]

== Prince (shaped movements) ==

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 == Early chronograph movement
-The early Oyster chronograph references use Valjoux ébauches, with Rolex caliber designations that should be kept distinct from the maker’s base number. Available auction records support a limited Cal. 13 / Valjoux 23-family entry. Ebauches S.A.'s 1951 technical guide labels a two-pusher, 13-ligne movement “VZ 23” ([https://myretrowatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Valjoux-VZ-23-Technical-Guide.pdf technical guide, 2nd edition March 1953]). That nomenclature does not establish Rolex fitment. The Cal. 13 evidence discussed here concerns the 3525 and does not identify every early Rolex chronograph movement.
+The early Oyster chronograph records distinguish Rolex Cal. 13 from the Valjoux base designation. Ebauches S.A.’s technical guide labels a two-pusher, 13-ligne movement “VZ 23”; that nomenclature does not establish Rolex fitment. Auction catalogues identify Cal. 13 in individual ref. 3525 and 3668 watches. Christie's reports 13′′′ 23 VZ on 3668 case 279'352, while other 3668 lots use Cal. 13 or VZ. Treat these as lot-level identifications and check the movement marking on the watch. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5130820 Christie's, case 279'352] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-259 Antiquorum, case 45,343] [https://myretrowatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Valjoux-VZ-23-Technical-Guide.pdf Ebauches S.A., Valjoux VZ 23 technical guide]
 For ref. [[Reference:2057|2057]], Phillips describes a manual movement. The 2026 FutureGrail catalogue transcription attributes a 13-ligne Valjoux base by Reymond Frères and 17 jewels; its photograph shows the Rolex signature and jewel count, while the caliber and maker remain unreadable. Treat this as a lot attribution, not a confirmed caliber assignment.
@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 |-
 | size / jewels
-| 13 lignes and 17 jewels in the Antiquorum Nutting record; Sotheby’s records 17 jewels for case 372822
+| 13 lignes and 17 jewels in the 3525 Nutting and 3668 case 45,343 records; Christie's reports 13′′′ 23 VZ and 17 jewels on 3668 case 279'352
 |-
 | fitment documented here
-| [[Reference:3525|3525]]; other early reference assignments require their own source check
+| [[Reference:3525|3525]] and [[Reference:3668|3668]] in individual catalogue records; confirm the movement marking on each watch
 |}
-Antiquorum identifies Cal. 13 and a 13-ligne, 17-jewel movement in the 3525 delivered to Clive Nutting; its Leon Brownlee catalogue also names Cal. 13. Sotheby’s 2020 catalogue for a 3525 gives manual winding and 17 jewels but no caliber number. The recurring Valjoux 23 attribution is supported by specialist references and auction descriptions, but the precise movement marking should be read from the individual watch. Cal. 13 is Rolex’s designation in these records; it is not a claim that Rolex manufactured the Valjoux chronograph base. See the [[Reference:pre-daytona-chronographs|pre-Daytona chronograph guide]].
+Antiquorum identifies Cal. 13 and a 13-ligne, 17-jewel movement in the 3525 delivered to Clive Nutting; its Leon Brownlee catalogue also names Cal. 13. For ref. 3668, Christie's names Cal. 13′′′ 23 VZ on case 279'352, while Antiquorum reports Cal. 13 and 17 jewels on cases 45,343 and 279358. Sotheby’s records a 17-jewel VZ movement on case 47'948. These are lot-level descriptions; confirm the caliber and suffix from the movement itself. Cal. 13 is Rolex’s designation in the cited records, not a claim that Rolex manufactured the Valjoux chronograph base. See the [[Reference:pre-daytona-chronographs|pre-Daytona chronograph guide]]. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5130820 Christie's] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-259 Antiquorum] [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/important-watches-3/reference-3668-a-pink-gold-and-stainless-steel Sotheby's]
 == Prince (shaped movements) ==