ROLEX | Lady Dresswatch
Double-Signed Dial "H. G. Bell | Salisbury"
Subseconds
1930s
Gorgeous example of one of the company's distinctive and fine 1930's ladies dresswatches.
Adding to its distinctiveness is the original southern African retailer's name, H. G. Bell - Salisbury, emblazoned on the dial. H. G. Bell, the appointed Rolex jewelers in Salisbury, was an extremely fine Rhodesian jewelry company located in the city that is now called "Harare". They were the designer of the famous "Flame Lily brooch" presented to the then Princess Elizabeth on her 21st Birthday.
The brooch was the gift of the children of Rhodesia, and some 42,000 of them contributed towards the gift. The brooch, which was created in the shape of the flame lily Gloriosa Superba, the national flower of Rhodesia, was made of platinum set with 300 diamonds. It was designed by Len Bell of H.G. Bell and the work was executed by Cartier trained jeweller Eric H.S. Kippin (1912-1998) at Sidersky & Son in Johannesburg. The brooch was presented to the Princess during her parents' tour of Southern Africa in 1947. It was probably most famously worn when she alighted from the aircraft upon her return from Kenya following the death of her father King George VI, the first time she stepped on British soil as monarch after her flight home in February 1952.
__
Powering this gem is a fine, early Rolex timekeeping mechanism. Featuring Rolex's patented Super Balance system, it employed Rolex's premier movement technology for the era.
Fully original preserved in miraculous condition.
Manual movement
Diameter 22 mm without crown
Technical indications | Keeping time -36 sec/day
Differential taxation according to § 25a UStG. No taxes included. | Differenzbesteuerung nach § 25a UStG. Kunstgegenstände und Sammlungsstücke, Sonderregelung.
