Up for sale from my personal collection is this early no crown guards reference 6542 GMT-Master, a.k.a. the “Pussy Galore,” with gorgeous and perfect dark chocolate Mark II gilt/gloss dial. This historically important Rolex model features a number of wonderful period details such as “+” crown, Roulette date wheel and gilt handset including its original “mini” GMT-hand. This watch comes with two bezels & inserts, the original zinc/brass bezel with the finest Italian handmade 2-color acrylic insert and a 100% Rolex OEM steel replacement bezel with wonderfully faded aluminum Pepsi insert. This great GMT dates from 1958 and will come with its original rivet Oyster bracelet dated “4 57.”
The price for this all-time classic 1950s GMT is $26,000 USD shipped worldwide.
Payment by official Bank/Cashier’s Check only. Personal check is OK for friends. Payment must be made in US DOLLARS. The watch will ship upon full clearance of the funds, as well as any necessary bank vetting.
CASE: Very hard to tell if this remarkable no crown guards case has ever been polished as the lugs are thick and bear the telltale Rolex chamfered edges. The sides have their fair share of marks from 50+ years of wear (a safe queen this is not) but these are all of the cosmetic variety and do not compromise the structural integrity of the case. 6542 reference & the 356,k serial numbers are crisp and legible between the lugs. Overall, the case is in Very Good condition.
CASEBACK: The rounded outer caseback has some scratches and a few light tool marks on the knurling. The inner case back shows no corrosion and bears the stampings “6542” & “1 1958”. The exterior of the case back is in Very Good cosmetic condition.
DIAL & HANDS: The original, un-retouched Mark II gilt/gloss dial (“SWISS – T<25”) is in absolutely pristine 9.9 out of 10 condition with all gilt printing, including the outer minute track and luminous surrounds, crisp and bright gold and the gloss finish unblemished and shiny as when new. Making this dial even more appealing, it has aged to a gorgeous overall dark chocolate color trending to a slightly lighter mahogany tone near the 9 o’clock region. Very hard to capture with my camera so I have included several bright light shots that illustrate this exceptional nuance. Completing the unparalleled vintage style of this 1950s GMT-Master is the coveted alternating red/black date wheel and light gilt hands in flawless condition.
CROWN: The signed Rolex crown screws down properly and pulls out to the winding and time-setting positions easily. The “+” marking beneath the coronet is the period correct one which predates the underline Twinlock crown and is thought to refer to Rolex’s Swiss patent on these screw down crowns.
CRYSTAL: The acrylic Cyclops crystal is chip & crack free with just some superficial swirls. Its flat profile indicates a modern-era Rolex replacement.
BEZEL: This great GMT will come with two bezels: 1) Its original zinc/brass bezel in rather poor condition showing loss of plating and some loss of the knurling but with the finest handmade Italian acrylic insert which has been lovingly crafted in the same style as the original Bakelite versions. 2) Additionally, the watch will come with a 100% Rolex replacement steel bezel with perfectly faded Pepsi insert. Rolex used these steel bezels as replacements when the fragile nature of the originals proved to be such a problem.
MOVEMENT: This 6542 features a cal. 1035 (GMT) with classic butterfly rotor in excellent working order, keeping good time and with a strong power reserve. The Roulette date changes a bit sluggishly on certain days and not always precisely at midnight; from what I gather, this is a classic issue with original black/red date wheels as they age. It is a small price to pay for keeping the hard-to-find and super cool period correct Roulette wheel, IMO. I have not had the movement serviced since owning the watch.
BRACELET/BAND: This 1st generation GMT comes with its original Swiss-made rivet Oyster (shown in the first several pictures) date stamped “4 57” in overall Excellent condition with very moderate stretch. The bracelet itself is without reference #s (correct for this era) but the end pieces are stamped “65.”
I make NO guarantees for the water resistance of this watch at all as it has not been pressure tested.
This historic Rolex is offered with a 3-day inspection period from the date of receipt and may be returned for a full refund (less any shipping costs incurred by the buyer). This refund is unconditional and once I get back the watch in exactly the same condition as it was sent to you, your money will be refunded. Of course, once the 3 days are over the sale will be considered FINAL.
Thanks for looking,
T.
[Email address suppressed for privacy]
United States
