Rolex. An exceptionally rare and historically important wristwatch submitted for testing
Oyster Speedking, 'Kew A Certificate', Ref.5056, Serial No.629380, Movement No.4180, made circa 1948
Estimate: £7,000 - £9,000
Auction: 22 May 2025 from 14:00 BST
Description
Manual-winding movement with cut and compensated Guillaume balance jewelled to the centre, signed ‘Kew A Tested’ and numbered 4180, silvered dial with black numerals, outer minutes, subsidiary seconds dial, additionally signed “Kew A” Certificate, blued steel baton hands, stainless steel case with screw-down reverse and Oyster crown, smooth bezel. Case, dial and movement signed.
Dimensions
Diameter 30mm.
Provenance
Originally the property of a prominent Scottish Gentlemen, thence by descent.
Footnote
The watches Rolex submitted for testing at Kew are considered some of the rarest examples from the brand. As each watch supplied was numbered, we know that only 136 successfully passed and were awarded the coveted ‘Kew A’ Certificate.
Rolex has always pioneered for accuracy and those watches that passed were used in advertising this achievement. Significant effort was put into the watches supplied for testing, using a 10 ½ ligne 700 base calibre the balance bridge and escapement were modified to increase accuracy, these were renamed the calibre 720.
The’ Kew A’ Certificate Rolex watches are often referred to in literature as ‘the rarest Rolex’