Reference 3330 Rolex antimagnetic chronograph c.1939 – €180,000 (£153,000) at Finarte.
Produced in the late 1930s and early 1940s, it features a large 37mm case with a 12-hour register – both popular today but uncommon features at the time. This example, retailed by Italian jeweller Cravanzola, is in virtually unworn condition.
It was consigned for sale at Finarte (20% buyer’s premium) in Rome on June 13 by the daughter of the original owner. He had purchased the watch c.1940 shortly before he was killed during the Second World War.
Estimated at €20,000-40,000, it did rather better in selling at €180,000 (£153,000).
Only a dozen of these have appeared for sale in the past decade. Another ‘near mint’ 3330 dated 1939 was sold by Phillips in 2016 for a premium-inclusive SFr390,000 (£310,000). Although it had a salmon pink dial without the retailer’s name, it had a serial number that was only nine digits apart from Finarte’s watch.
