Reference:6074: Difference between revisions
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
Refresh SEO modified timestamp |
Clarify unresolved gold attribution and audit prose |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
|og_type=article | |og_type=article | ||
|published_time=2026-08-10T13:38:56Z | |published_time=2026-08-10T13:38:56Z | ||
|modified_time=2026-10-04T20: | |modified_time=2026-10-04T20:05:04Z | ||
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large | |robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large | ||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
The 6074 is a date-equipped Big Bubbleback. Antiquorum and John Goldberger describe a platinum commission made in 1950 in two examples; the illustrated watch has a black honeycomb dial, smooth bezel, roulette date and platinum Jubilee bracelet. Their measurements differ: Antiquorum gives 35mm, while Goldberger gives 36mm. | The 6074 is a date-equipped Big Bubbleback. Antiquorum and John Goldberger describe a platinum commission made in 1950 in two examples; the illustrated watch has a black honeycomb dial, smooth bezel, roulette date and platinum Jubilee bracelet. Their measurements differ: Antiquorum gives 35mm, while Goldberger gives 36mm. | ||
Auction houses have also catalogued gold watches as 6074. | Auction houses have also catalogued gold watches as 6074. The 1990 catalogue omits a case number, and a gold watch examined in a 2015 restoration had earlier 6030 and 6031 numbers struck out before 6074 was stamped on the caseback. The gold 6074 remains a disputed attribution. | ||
<span id="core-facts"></span> | <span id="core-facts"></span> | ||
| Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| date | | date | ||
| Date at 3 o'clock; date-change behavior | | Date at 3 o'clock; date-change behavior varies across the movement descriptions | ||
|- | |- | ||
| platinum example | | platinum example | ||
| Line 56: | Line 56: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| movement | | movement | ||
| | | Watch-specific caliber attributions; see Movement notes | ||
|- | |- | ||
| dial text | | dial text | ||
| "Oyster Perpetual" | | The pictured platinum dial reads "Oyster Perpetual"; the "Datejust" signature is absent | ||
|- | |- | ||
| bracelet | | bracelet | ||
| Line 70: | Line 70: | ||
The 6074 belongs to the date-equipped Big Bubbleback group around refs. [[Reference:6031|6031]] and [[Reference:6075|6075]]. Italian auction houses use ''Ovettone'' for the larger 36mm Bubbleback form and distinguish it from the smaller ''Ovetto''; the 6074 appears in that larger group. The exact case measurements reported for individual 6074 examples vary, so the family label should not be used as a measurement for every watch. | The 6074 belongs to the date-equipped Big Bubbleback group around refs. [[Reference:6031|6031]] and [[Reference:6075|6075]]. Italian auction houses use ''Ovettone'' for the larger 36mm Bubbleback form and distinguish it from the smaller ''Ovetto''; the 6074 appears in that larger group. The exact case measurements reported for individual 6074 examples vary, so the family label should not be used as a measurement for every watch. | ||
The platinum example is an unusual commission in that group. Antiquorum and Goldberger both describe two platinum examples made in 1950. | The platinum example is an unusual commission in that group. Antiquorum and Goldberger both describe two platinum examples made in 1950. Gold watches catalogued as 6074 remain disputed attributions. | ||
<span id="production-outline"></span> | <span id="production-outline"></span> | ||
==Production outline== | ==Production outline== | ||
Antiquorum's 1992 catalogue dates its platinum lot to 1950 and says two were made for the caseback inscription, "The Rolex Jubilee-Custom made The noblest of metal." Goldberger's 2013 book also gives two examples and reports that one is unaccounted for. The engraving, bracelet and description suggest that the 1992 lot and Goldberger's published watch may be the same example | Antiquorum's 1992 catalogue dates its platinum lot to 1950 and says two were made for the caseback inscription, "The Rolex Jubilee-Custom made The noblest of metal." Goldberger's 2013 book also gives two examples and reports that one is unaccounted for. The engraving, bracelet and description suggest that the 1992 lot and Goldberger's published watch may be the same example; their chain of custody is undocumented. The published records date the platinum pair without naming their case serials. | ||
A separate gold watch identified as 6074 by Henrik Korpela at SJX had movement 56567, which Korpela identifies as Cal. 630 NA. Its caseback showed 6030 and 6031 scratched out with 6074 stamped over them. Antiquorum's 1990 gold lot | A separate gold watch identified as 6074 by Henrik Korpela at SJX had movement 56567, which Korpela identifies as Cal. 630 NA. Its caseback showed 6030 and 6031 scratched out with 6074 stamped over them. Antiquorum's 1990 gold lot omits a case number; its 2025 gold lot says the number was no longer visible. These catalogues document gold watches assigned the number, while the case evidence leaves their factory status open. | ||
<span id="movement-notes"></span> | <span id="movement-notes"></span> | ||
==Movement notes== | ==Movement notes== | ||
The surviving records give different movement descriptions, and only the SJX restoration names a caliber. Antiquorum's 1992 platinum lot lists a 9¾-ligne, 17-jewel movement with shock protection | The surviving records give different movement descriptions, and only the SJX restoration names a caliber. Antiquorum's 1992 platinum lot lists a 9¾-ligne, 17-jewel movement with shock protection; the catalogue leaves the caliber unnamed. Its 1990 gold lot lists an 11-ligne, 18-jewel movement, also without a caliber name. Korpela identifies Cal. 630 NA in the restored gold watch; that watch's caseback had been reworked. Keep the attribution attached to that watch, since the records do not establish a reference-wide assignment. | ||
[[Reference:Movements|The movement index]] gives the broader Cal. 630 lineage and keeps the 6074's watch-specific caliber descriptions separate. | [[Reference:Movements|The movement index]] gives the broader Cal. 630 lineage and keeps the 6074's watch-specific caliber descriptions separate. | ||
| Line 89: | Line 89: | ||
==Dial map== | ==Dial map== | ||
The published platinum example has a black honeycomb dial, applied faceted markers, a printed minute track, "ROLEX / OYSTER PERPETUAL" below the coronet and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER" above six. Its date wheel shows alternating red and black numerals. The | The published platinum example has a black honeycomb dial, applied faceted markers, a printed minute track, "ROLEX / OYSTER PERPETUAL" below the coronet and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER" above six. Its date wheel shows alternating red and black numerals. The dial carries the "Oyster Perpetual" signature, without the later "Datejust" wording. | ||
The 1992 Antiquorum catalogue describes the platinum lot's hands as platinum Dauphine. Goldberger's photograph shows long alpha-style hands with luminous inserts. The sources appear to describe the same watch, but | The 1992 Antiquorum catalogue describes the platinum lot's hands as platinum Dauphine. Goldberger's photograph shows long alpha-style hands with luminous inserts. The sources appear to describe the same watch, but leave the difference unexplained. Antiquorum's 1990 gold lot describes a white dial with applied gold indexes and radium feuille hands. The published examples offer a limited dial and hand record. | ||
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span> | <span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span> | ||
| Line 100: | Line 100: | ||
The platinum watch's bezel is smooth. Watchlover's reference-specific caption describes it that way, and the published photograph shows a plain polished bezel. The reeded bezel pictured on adjacent 6075 examples should not be carried over to the 6074. | The platinum watch's bezel is smooth. Watchlover's reference-specific caption describes it that way, and the published photograph shows a plain polished bezel. The reeded bezel pictured on adjacent 6075 examples should not be carried over to the 6074. | ||
The inner caseback of the platinum example is stamped 6074 and marked PT 0,950, with a Geneva assay poinçon. That is direct evidence for the photographed case's material. | The inner caseback of the platinum example is stamped 6074 and marked PT 0,950, with a Geneva assay poinçon. That is direct evidence for the photographed case's material. Published 6074 descriptions leave the crystal material and exact crown type open. | ||
[[File:Ref 6074 caseback.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 6074 inner caseback with 6074 reference and PT 0,950 platinum hallmark|Inner caseback of the platinum example, stamped 6074 and PT 0,950]] | [[File:Ref 6074 caseback.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 6074 inner caseback with 6074 reference and PT 0,950 platinum hallmark|Inner caseback of the platinum example, stamped 6074 and PT 0,950]] | ||
| Line 107: | Line 107: | ||
==Caseback engraving== | ==Caseback engraving== | ||
The outer caseback carries the inscription, "The Rolex Jubilee-Custom made the noblest of metal." Goldberger reproduces the wording and identifies the watch as platinum. It links the Jubilee bracelet and case metal in one presentation line; the published | The outer caseback carries the inscription, "The Rolex Jubilee-Custom made the noblest of metal." Goldberger reproduces the wording and identifies the watch as platinum. It links the Jubilee bracelet and case metal in one presentation line; the recipient remains unnamed in published accounts. | ||
[[File:Ref 6074 goldberger page.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=John Goldberger's published page showing the engraved 6074 caseback and platinum Jubilee clasp dated 1-50|Goldberger, ''100 Superlative Rolex Watches'', p. 164: engraving and clasp stamped 1-50]] | [[File:Ref 6074 goldberger page.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=John Goldberger's published page showing the engraved 6074 caseback and platinum Jubilee clasp dated 1-50|Goldberger, ''100 Superlative Rolex Watches'', p. 164: engraving and clasp stamped 1-50]] | ||
| Line 114: | Line 114: | ||
==Bracelets, end links, and clasps== | ==Bracelets, end links, and clasps== | ||
Antiquorum's 1992 platinum lot and Goldberger's book describe a platinum Jubilee bracelet with a deployant clasp. Goldberger's photograph shows the clasp code 1-50. That code dates the bracelet component | Antiquorum's 1992 platinum lot and Goldberger's book describe a platinum Jubilee bracelet with a deployant clasp. Goldberger's photograph shows the clasp code 1-50. That code dates the bracelet component, not the watch head, and cannot show whether Rolex delivered the bracelet with it. | ||
The gold lots from 1990 and 2025 are described on leather straps with gold buckles. | The gold lots from 1990 and 2025 are described on leather straps with gold buckles. The strap details belong to those individual watches; a standard gold 6074 configuration remains undocumented. | ||
<span id="special-branches"></span> | <span id="special-branches"></span> | ||
| Line 126: | Line 126: | ||
==Auction record== | ==Auction record== | ||
Antiquorum's Geneva sale on 14 October 1990 offered a gold watch catalogued as ref. 6074, dated to the 1950s and measured at 34mm. It sold for CHF 6,325 | Antiquorum's Geneva sale on 14 October 1990 offered a gold watch catalogued as ref. 6074, dated to the 1950s and measured at 34mm. It sold for CHF 6,325; the lot omits a case number. Antiquorum's Vicenza Oro sale on 18 January 1992 offered the platinum 6074, dated 1950, with a 35mm measurement and an estimate of ITL 30,000–35,000; the archived listing carries no result. Antiquorum's Geneva sale on 8 November 2025 again catalogued a gold 6074, dated circa 1950s and measured at 35mm. It sold for CHF 7,500; the case number was recorded as no longer visible. | ||
<span id="related-references"></span> | <span id="related-references"></span> | ||