87 - Rolex - POW Prisoners of War

Rolex - POW Prisoners of War (*) A very attractive, rare vintage wrist chronograph with black tachymeter scale and blue telemeter scale - so called "Barilotto" - one of the first chronographs produced by Rolex. The watch comes in an excellently preserved version and has the most appealing charmingly vintage dial. Based on the serial number, it can be assumed that this is a "POW" watch ("Prisoners of War"), which Rolex supplied free of charge to British Officers who were held prisoners of war by the German army during the WW2 Ref. 4048, Cal. Valjoux 13, Case No. 206354, Dimensions 35 mm, circa 1942, Origin Schweiz, Original box Case: Steel, screw back with marking 4048 and letters "SAR" under a crown, screwed old "Oyster Patent" winding crown, original pushers, later folded steel bracelet (aftermarket), Rolex clasp dated 2/66, total length 170 mm. Dial: Silvered; very beautiful patinated; blued hands with luminous filling. Movm.: Manual. The Rolex reference 4048 ranks among the rarest and earliest Oyster chronographs made by the brand. Produced for only a short period, it is considered the first Rolex chronograph to feature three subsidiary dials in a waterproof Oyster case. Even with this technical advancement, the watch retained the rounded, elegant "Calatrava-style" silhouette of its predecessors. Because of the large and powerful case, collectors later nicknamed it "Barilotto". It is believed that fewer than 100 examples were produced, all of them in stainless steel. The example described here features a rare telemeter scale in miles and remains in remarkably fine condition: the case shows well-defined edges and sharp lugs, while the original screw-down "Oyster Patent" crown with Swiss cross is a rarely surviving detail. Over time, the unrestored, original, silvered dial has developed an attractive patina, which lends the watch a distinctive character. Together with the original engravings on the case-back and movement - including "Fab. Suisse" and "Swiss Made" — this piece underscores the historical significance of reference 4048 as one of the most sought-after models among early Rolex chronographs. Case: very good, worn. Dial: very good, slightly oxydized. Movm.: very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended. Please note that leather straps made from endangered or protected species - such as alligator, crocodile, or lizard - are used in our catalogue or on our website for illustration purposes only. For customs-related reasons, such straps cannot be shipped outside the EU.