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Chronograph · 1940s
“Monoblocco (POW)”
Grade A · 80/100Today's call: Buy
A: strong buy-and-hold. Ranked #49 of 164 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1942) | $250 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $100,000 – $250,000 |
| Vs original retail | +69900% |
| 1-year trend | +4% |
During World War II, Rolex's founder Hans Wilsdorf offered Allied officers held in prisoner-of-war camps the chance to order a Rolex and pay after the war, a gesture of confidence that they would win and survive.
One famous order came from Corporal Clive Nutting at Stalag Luft III, the camp behind the Great Escape. He ordered a 3525 chronograph, and the story of POWs timing guard patrols with these watches has followed the reference ever since.
It was Rolex's first chronograph in a waterproof Oyster case, a direct ancestor of the Daytona.
Provenance-backed POW examples command enormous premiums; standard examples are still serious vintage grails.
Our verdict: A: the best story in vintage Rolex. Buy the history and the paperwork as much as the watch.
| Sizes | 35mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Leather strap or riveted Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Smooth steel |
| Notable dials | Silver or black with tachymeter scale |
| Caliber | Valjoux 23 |
| Production | 1940s (discontinued) |
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