Rolex Prince Elegant 18k Pink Gold Paris Artdeco Case "pink on pink"
An exceptionally rare Rolex Prince Elegant in 18k pink gold, housed in a striking Paris-made Art Deco case.
While most Rolex Prince watches are already considered highly collectible today, examples such as this are in a completely different category. The sharp geometric case, stepped architecture and elongated proportions perfectly capture the spirit of late 1930s and early 1940s Parisian Art Deco design. Unlike the more common Swiss-made Prince cases, this example has a far more architectural appearance, almost resembling a miniature skyscraper on the wrist.
Measuring 40mm in length, 22mm in width and only 9mm thick, the watch has remarkably elegant proportions on the wrist while still maintaining a strong presence thanks to its elongated rectangular form.
The warm pink-on-pink configuration makes this watch even more special. The soft salmon-toned dial combined with the pink gold case gives the watch an incredibly elegant and understated appearance, something rarely seen on vintage Rolex watches from this period. The dial itself is a beautiful example of restrained Art Deco design, featuring elegant Roman numerals, strong geometric symmetry and perfectly balanced proportions centered around the recessed small seconds register.
The case was made in Paris by a Parisian casemaker, most likely the celebrated Robert Linzeler, identifiable by the “RL” master mark inside the caseback. Linzeler was one of the most respected Parisian casemakers and jewelers of the period, known for producing cases and luxury objects for prestigious houses such as Cartier, Boucheron and other important French maisons.
During this era, Rolex often supplied movements and dials separately to France, where cases were produced locally to avoid heavy import taxes on complete watches. Unlike the more industrially produced Swiss cases, many Paris-made cases from this period were largely hand-finished and produced in much smaller numbers by specialized Parisian ateliers. This gives watches such as this Prince a far more artisanal and sculptural feel, with sharper lines, richer proportions and a level of individuality rarely seen in standard Swiss production models.
This watch still retains its original French eagle head hallmarks for 18k gold as well as the internal casemaker production numbers. The wide sculpted lugs, sharp stepped case construction and beautifully faceted surfaces further enhance the dramatic Art Deco appearance of the watch.
Inside beats the legendary manually wound Rolex Prince movement, famous for its high-quality finishing and superb chronometric performance. The Prince was marketed by Rolex as the “watch for men who value precision,” and remains one of the most important and recognizable rectangular wristwatch designs ever produced by the brand.
A truly spectacular and extremely uncommon pink-on-pink Paris-made Rolex Prince Elegance, combining some of the finest elements of vintage Rolex and French Art Deco craftsmanship into one watch.
import taxes & import cost are the expense of the Buyer.
NOTE: All our watches are bank stored and can be visited with 1 to 2 days processing time