A fine and rare 1940s Stainless Steel Rolex Oyster Chronograph, REF 3525, together with its original Rolex guarantee card, dated 5/7/1943, plus the original RAF owner's WW2 medals, inscribed Irvin Gold Caterpillar Club pin and other personal effects. Description of watch: Stainless steel 'monobloc' Oyster case, ref 3525, serial number 186045. Black dial signed - Rolex Oyster Chronograph Antimagnetic - with gold coloured numerals and outer telemetric and tachometric scales; gilt, luminous hour and minute hands; subsidiary dials for running seconds and minutes elapsed. Signed 17 jewel, manual wind chronograph movement with overcoil hairspring and monometallic balance. Dial, case and movement signed. Fitted, signed Rolex leather strap with Stainless steel Rolex buckle. Diameter 35mm excl. crown and pushers. This Rolex chronograph was ordered by P/O (later Flt/Lt) John Francis Williams, known as Jack, while he was a POW in Stalag Luft III. It was delivered to him at the camp in August 1943. He took part in the Great Escape in March 1944, and was no. 67 out of tunnel "Harry". He was recaptured and was one of the 50 to be executed by the Gestapo. His watch and a few other personal items were returned to his family after the war, by his friend and fellow POW, Flt/Lt Donald Wilson. Provenance: Left in Trust to the present owner by Jack's mother in 1973, whereby he inherited it in 1983. It has remained in the same family for the past 70+ years. The items in this lot were recently displayed in a special exhibition at the Bourne Hall Museum, Ewell, Surrey. Condition Report: Overall the watch is in exceptional condition. The hand wound movement is very bright and is currently running with a good action. Both the hand-set and chronograph feature function correctly, as does the screw down crown. The original black dial with gold lettering is in very good condition with slight fading around the hour numerals, noticeable with an eyeglass. Original luminous hour and minute hands have a light patina. There are signs of rusting and pitting to the centre seconds hands due to having had a cracked glass, which has since been replaced. The steel case with screw down crown is in very good, crisp condition with minor light scratches to the case - back. The watch was serviced by the Rolex Service Centre in Bexley in 1984, when it was fitted with a new, period, leather Rolex strap and buckle, as well as one new pusher. It still has the box in which it was returned from Rolex. An accompanying tag from Rolex states that this watch is not waterproof. It has had very little use since it was serviced. As with all watches sold, we do not guarantee the accuracy or working of this watch.
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Lot 67
Lot 2671
Dated 1872 and undated. Durango(?). Obv: eagle with snake with date below and REPUBLICA MEXICANA legend. Rev: liberty cap on sun over scroll and scales with [UN PESO Do?......] legend; fields fully cut away to display obverse, pin and catch to reverse. KM# 408.2. 17.41 grams. [No Reserve] Very fine; wearable.
Lot 2094
A rosewood and brass inlaid cased engineers drawing set, late 19th century, a rosewood stereoscopic viewer, a brass plum bob, a set of weighing scales, brass weights, cased, a quantity of ivory alphabet letters in a mahogany case, and associated scientific and drawing related items (qty). 82
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