Rolex made some exceptional chronographs, this is known by now.
What you might not know, is that Rolex made some fabulous ‘square chronographs’ too.
Long before Rolex made the famous oyster chronograph with screw down case, like the 6032, it made some interesting Square shaped chronographs in the 1940s and 1950s. I am thinking of the 3529 but also the 8206, also known as the Gabus.
But maybe the most beautiful of all is the 3830, the subject of this PAK series. It is a 1940s Rolex Ref 3830.
(Credit: Goldberger).
What makes this model, the 3820, interesting is that it seems to the grandfather of all square shaped Rolex chronographs that followed. Made in the 1940s, it is one of the earliest square shaped Rolex chronographs I could find in the history of Rolex.
I think the design of the case most interesting and beautiful: A stepped case (called so because of the case which seems multilayered and requires steps to get to the top). Also the crown which is slightly inset of the watch is simply beautiful in my opinion.
The masterpiece of this watch is also the dial. A so called spiral tachymeter dial with beautiful spaced out Arabic numerals. Although the watch was made only in beginning of the 1940s, it seems so modern and timeless compared to later Rolex square chronographs like the 3529 for example. Notice also the ‘Fab Suisse’ signed dial at the bottom, which many early Rolex chronographs have.
Look at the dial close-up below.
(Picture credit: Goldberger).
Another noticeable feature of the dial is the double signed signature on the dial. Yes it is a Rolex watch but it was retailed by Verga, a well known retailer in Italy based in Milano.
The movement is circular in form and creates a nice contrast to the square snap back case. See below. The watch is signed Rolex on the movement as can be seen below.
(Picture credit: Goldberger).
A look at the unusually signed case back. 31 Victories with high precision. A signature that we are not used to seeing from Rolex.
One very shrewd watch collector clearly knew what he was doing back in 2004 and snapped this probably unique piece in dial layout and double signature. This is how the watch looked liked when it was sold at Christies in 2004.
(Picture Credit: Christies).
This watch is a PAK watch for its rarity, beauty and shape.
For a collector of rare Rolex chronographs, this should be on the top of their list. A beautiful dial layout, a double signed signature on the dial, a complex stepped case and Rolex signed movement all make this early chronograph a trophy watch.
I salute the owner of this rare chronograph watch and if he ever decides to sell – he should contact me with the greatest of pleasures.
(This watch is also in the Goldberger 100 Rolex books and App which you can find here).
