199 Rolex Extremely Rare and Very Well Preserved, Glamorous and Very Remarkable, “Centregraph” Single-Button Fly-Back Chronograph Wristwatch in Steel, Reference 3346, Published in John Goldberger Book “100 Superlative Rolex Watches”

Estimate: €200,000 –⁠ 400,000

Model: Centegraph
Reference: 3346
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Bracelet Material: Stainless Steel
Year: 1941
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 10 1/2
Case N°: 142589
Dimensions: 32 mm
Signed: Dial, Movement and Case
Literature: This specific watch is published in John Goldberger Book “100 Superlative Rolex Watches” at page 92-93

For dedicated Rolex aficionados, the Split-Seconds Chronograph, specifically identified as reference 4113, is often celebrated as the quintessential vintage Rolex, frequently dubbed the "Holy Grail." With a mere twelve crafted and only eight known to have surfaced, these timepieces can command astonishing prices at auctions, occasionally surpassing the million-dollar mark. However, delving even further into the realm of rarity and obscurity reveals a Rolex that eclipses the elusive nature of the reference 4113, the Rolex Zerograph or Centregraph, designated as reference 3346. The designations Zerograph and Centregraph were interchangeably employed for timepieces boasting identical functions, distinguished by either reference number 3346 (featuring a calibrated bezel) or 3462 (showcasing a milled bezel). This experimental timepiece was produced in an exceedingly limited quantity, marking a brief yet significant chapter in Rolex’s storied history. Both the Zerograph and Centregraph serve as precision instruments, meticulously crafted to calculate intermediate consecutive times. This functionality proves pivotal in scenarios demanding the instantaneous halt, reset to zero, and restart of the seconds hand in a single operation, be it for sports, car racing, motorbike events, cycling, or even for calculating manufacturing process times. The fly-back function, facilitating the instant reset of the chronograph hand, is particularly advantageous in sports, aviation, or any endeavour necessitating precise timing intervals. Only a handful of these watches have surfaced at auctions, solidifying their status as some of the most exceptionally rare timepieces globally. The rotating bezel, calibrated to 60 units with black enamelled Arabic five-minute divisions and red baton quarters, found its way into series production in the 1950s, notably with the Turn-O-Graph model. The showcased lot is an exemplary specimen, featuring a screwed-down back and crown, a revolving bidirectional inward-tilting bezel graduated to 60 units, adorned with red markers for the quarters, and a serrated edge bezel rim. The dial is a visual masterpiece, boasting a matte silver finish with Arabic numerals, an outer black seconds track, an outer minutes division, and tachymeter scale. Remarkably, the Zerograph and Centregraph were never made available for public sale, underscoring their significance in Rolex’s innovative history, with many subsequent Rolex advancements drawing inspiration from this exact model. Furthermore, Zerographs are very rare, like almost all vintage watch prototypes, from them a tiny production is under the name of Centregraph. Our research shows that there has only ever been 9 reference 3346 Zerograph or Centregraph that has appeared on the market including this newly discovered piece, clearly indicating an extremely small production range. Reference 3346 having appeared at auction include serial numbers 142587 (Christie's, May 14, 2002, lot 48), 146262 (Antiquorum, May 9, 2021, lot 292), 146271 (Antiquorum, November 12, 2006, lot 365), 146275 (Antiquorum, January 18, 1992, lot 41), 146276 (Christie's, May 13, 2013, lot 179), and others with unrecorded serials at various auctions. Our watch, with the serial number 142589, is only two numbers from the example passed by Christie’s on May 14, 2002, as lot 48 with the name Centregraph.