The Collectors’ Index says these are the 4 Rolex Milestones to bid for

Ahead of Phillips’ 38-lot Rolex Milestones sale in Hong Kong, we asked Philip van Dedem from The Collectors’ Index to pick the pieces on which to keep a close eye when they go under the hammer next week…

Rolex 'Pre-Daytona' Ref. 6234

Earlier this year, Antiquorum sold a Rolex ref. 6238 with a 6234 dial for 305,000 CHF. It’s hard to compare the two, but it gives you an indication of the price that might be achieved when this near-perfect 6234 hits the market next week. This is one of a handful of 6234s with a ‘tropical’ dial (a black lacquer gilt dial that has turned chocolate brown) and actually featured in John Goldberger’s book, 100 Superlative Rolex Watches. It certainly has the potential to garner a new World Record price for the reference.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 16520

For any motorsport enthusiast with a passion for watches, this Rolex Daytona ref. 16520 could be the ultimate timepiece. It was awarded to Christophe Bouchut after his victory in the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona. What’s more, the case back is engraved with ‘Winner Rolex 24 at Daytona 1995’. Housing the innovative Zenith-based calibre 4030 movement, it’s estimated to fetch 50,000-100,000 US dollars – significantly more than other Daytonas with motorsport provenance sold in the last five years.

Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1831

Research suggests that just eight Rolex ref. 1831s were commissioned by the Shah of Iran in the late-1970s, built exclusively in platinum. This one is just the fourth to surface on the market, and was last sold in 2014 for 165,750 CHF. Antiquorum reported that the piece weighed 300g in 2014, while Phillips says today that it weighs 287g, perhaps indicating that it’s since been polished. We believe the watch should sell within its 150,000-300,000-dollar estimate.

Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 1665

Built on special request for the Sultan of Oman, this Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 1665 features the Khanjar symbol on its dial. Retailed by Asprey, its case number is very close to another example built for the Sultan of Oman that was sold by Christie’s in 2015 for 211,995 dollars. This watch’s slightly smaller 39mm case should perform better in Asia, where smaller sizes are preferred, and, because the Khanjar symbol is more desirable than the Qaboos signature dial of the Christie’s example, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this piece exceed 300,000 dollars.

Photos: Phillips