What's Selling Here - September 20, 2023

By Charlie Dunne

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer Reference 346 Unpolished

Before Abercrombie & Fitch was the “middle of the mall store” as Jeff Stein coined it, the company was the preeminent destination for outdoor sporting apparel. Among the high-quality goods you would expect to find were the incredible sports watches by Heuer. The most desirable models from the retailer would be the Seafarer.

It is estimated that a total of 10-15 examples of the reference 346 were produced. It features a 2nd execution dial variant with the radium-filled Arabic numerals 11,12, and 1, with round hour markers. This particular example is in pristine condition.

The watch features a Valjoux 71 movement which was modified to incorporate a tide complication. The case is unpolished. It measures in at 37.5mm wide (44mm lug-to-lug). The lug width is 20mm and the height is 14.5mm (including the crystal). The watch is paired on a Gay Freres Rivet bracelet.

Rolex Explorer I Reference 1016 Unpolished

Introduced in 1960 an icon was born in the Rolex Explorer reference 1016. The 1016 was produced until circa 1989. The ref. 1016 marked the first Explorer with “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" printed on the dial. It is one of the most desired timepieces and for great reason. The 1016 is one of the purest expressions of watch design and for this reason that I am probably asked for vintage Explorer reference 1016s more than any other watch.

This is one of my favorite Explorers I have ever seen. This example features an 9.0M serial dating it to circa 1986. The case is unpolished and measures 36mm in diameter (43mm lug-to-lug). The lume is super attractive and has a warm yellow tone. It is paired on a Rolex 78360 bracelet with 580 end links.

To learn more about the history and evolution of the Rolex Explorer I, you can see my video and corresponding article Reference Points A Comprehensive Collector's Guide To The Rolex Explorer I.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history and is running great. It features the original crystal. It has just passed a 3 bar water resistance test.

Rolex Antimagnetic Reference 3529 Chronograph Unpolished

We are thrilled to offer this very rare and beautiful Rolex antimagnetic chronograph reference 3529. The watch features a Valjoux 69 movement. The case is unpolished and measures 25.5mm in width (36.5mm lug-to-lug). The watch is paired on a beautiful leather strap.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running great. The watch comes from the family of the original owner.

Rolex Blue Dial Datejust Reference 16014 Unpolished

This Rolex Datejust reference 16014 is a phenomenal timepiece. The case measures 36mm in diameter (42mm lug-to-lug). It is unpolished. It features a beautiful and uncommon blue dial. The dates to circa 1985.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.

Rolex Black Dial Datejust Reference 16014 Unpolished

This Rolex Datejust reference 16014 is a phenomenal timepiece. The case measures 36mm in diameter (42mm lug-to-lug). It is unpolished. It features a beautiful and uncommon black dial. The dates to circa 1987.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.

Rolex Tide Dial Datejust Reference 1601

I absolutely love steel Rolex Datejusts. I recently wrote about them in our blog ‘Don't Sleep On This: The Simple Vintage Rolex Datejust In Steel’. I’m constantly amazed by the quality and differentiations of the dials that Rolex used in vintage Datejusts over the decades. I have found the Rolex Datejust to be one of the most versatile watches a person can have and the simplicity in this silver-dial reference 1601 is so beautiful. However, this example is very special in that if features a corporate logo for the company Tide. Tide was a chemical and fertilizer company associated with growing cotton. Their tagline was “Symbol of Quality”.

The watch dates to 1968. The case measures 36mm in diameter and is paired on a Jubilee bracelet.

The watch is in great condition with a lightly polished case. It does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history of this watch, but it is running well.

Rolex Day-Date II Reference 218238 in Yellow Gold Unpolished

This Rolex Day-Date II Reference 218238 is a very bold timepiece. The case measures 41mm in diameter (49mm lug-to-lug). The 18K yellow gold case is unpolished. It features a very sophisticated Roman-numeral dial. The has a G serial and dates to circa 2010 .

The watch does not come with box and papers. It comes from the family of the original owner. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.

Rolex Spider Dial Sea-Dweller Reference 16660

The Rolex Sea-Dweller reference 16600 is a super fun sports watch. The watch measures 40mm in diameter (48mm lug-to-lug). The case is lightly polished. The watch dates to circa 1984. The dial has developed some cracks, also referred to as a “spider” dial. It is more discernible under a loupe or at specific angles. The lume is a warm tone.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well and keeping good time. The watch has recently passed a pressure test of 5 bar.

Rolex Air-King Reference 14010 Unpolished

This Rolex Air-King reference 14010 is a very attractive timepiece. The watch is slightly over 34mm in diameter (with a lug-to-lug length of 43mm). The lug width is 19mm and the height is slightly lower at around 11.5mm including the crystal. The case is unpolished and dates to circa 1991.

The watch does not include box and papers. The service history is unknown, but it is running great.

Rolex Mark 4 Explorer I Reference 1016 Unpolished

Introduced in 1960 an icon was born in the Rolex Explorer reference 1016. The 1016 was produced until circa 1989. The ref. 1016 marked the first Explorer with “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" printed on the dial. It is one of the most desired timepieces and for great reason. The 1016 is one of the purest expressions of watch design and for this reason that I am probably asked for vintage Explorer reference 1016s more than any other watch.

This is an incredible Explorer 1016. This example dates to circa 1976. The case is unpolished and measures 36mm in diameter (43mm lug-to-lug). The lume is very attractive and has a warm yellow tone. It is paired on a Rolex 7836 bracelet with 258 end links.

To learn more about the history and evolution of the Rolex Explorer I, you can see my video and corresponding article Reference Points A Comprehensive Collector's Guide To The Rolex Explorer I.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history and is running great. It features the original crystal. It has just passed a 3 bar water resistance test.

Rolex Blue Mosaic Oyster Perpetual Reference 1002 Unpolished Full Set

This is a spectacular Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref 1002. The watch is in mint condition, with very little signs of wear. This example dates to circa 1971. It features a blue Mosaic dial. The case is unpolished and measures 34mm in diameter. The lume is very attractive. It is paired on an oval link Jubilee bracelet made in the US. For those who are looking for a spectacular vintage OP, this is a great choice!

The watch comes with box and papers. We do not know the service history and is running great. It has just passed a 3 bar water resistance test.

Benrus Type 1 Unpolished

The Benrus Type 1 Class A wristwatch is one of the iconic US Military issued watches and is beginning to develop a cult following over the most recent years. It is powered by the self-winding, calibre GS1D2. The watch features fixed spring bars, and the asymmetrical case remains unpolished (albeit a few scratches from its time in action). It measures at 42.5mm in diameter and 15mm in thickness.

It was issued to the US Military as part of the MIL-W-50717 contract. The watch dates to November 1973 and features the serial number 238. It features the original crystal.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.

Rolex Submariner Reference 1680 Unpolished

This Rolex Submariner reference 1680 is a very cool sports watch dating to circa 1970. It is one of the most attractive white Subs we have ever seen. The case is unpolished. The dial, minute and hour hand all have the original lume which is an incredibly attractive warm yellow. The second hand has had the lume patched as it was falling out. It is paired on the original bracelet. The bezel has some scratches, but it remains a very raw and attractive example!

The watch comes from the family of the original owner. It was recently serviced by Dr. Greg Petronzi. It does not come with box and papers.

Rolex Ghost Dial Day-Date Reference 1803 in White Gold Full Set Unpolished

The Rolex Day-Date was introduced in 1956 and was the first watch to display the date, as well as the fully-spelled-out day of the week. This reference 1803 is very nice and rare example in white gold. The 18K white gold case is very strong and possibly unpolished. It measures 36mm in diameter (43mm lug-to-lug). This particular example dates to circa 1973.

The watch comes with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.