1955 Rolex Chronometre Metropolitan 18K Yellow Gold 'Ronchi Milano' Ref. 4325

The Chronomètre Metropolitan Rolex in the 1950s was far more diverse than the watches we tend to associate with the brand today. Alongside the newly emerging sports models and familiar Oyster cases, Rolex was still producing some very elegant manually wound watches. The Chronomètre “Metropolitan” reference 4325 is a great example and one that we rarely come across. Made in 1955, the watch has a 35mm case in 18k yellow gold with a stepped bezel that gives it a very distinctive profile. The champagne dial is beautifully balanced, combining silvered Roman numerals with baton indexes and the additional signature of Ronchi Milano above the center post. Double-signed Rolex dials are always interesting, particularly when connected to established regional retailers, and the Ronchi signature gives this example a nice Italian connection. The watch is paired with its period 18k yellow gold bracelet, which works particularly well with the shape and proportions of the case. At 35mm it is also a surprisingly good size for a Rolex dress watch from this period and feels very natural on the wrist today. There is also some nice history attached to this particular watch. It was sold twice at Phillips Geneva in November 2015 and again in November 2017 and is further is illustrated in Osvaldo Patrizzi’s 2001 book Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches across pages 52–53. A very different Rolex from the 1950s and a reference we don't see very often. The combination of the unusual Metropolitan case, Ronchi Milano dial and documented history makes this a particularly interesting example – and the bracelet is really to die for.