Monte Carlo Ref. 7159

TUDOR, OYSTERDATE aka MONTE CARLO,  Ref. 7159/0

ICONEEK Price: SOLD

The present Oysterdate is a superb and very attractive vintage chronograph, in fact, one of the most iconic vintage sport’s watch of the 1970s. The present reference 7159/0 with fixed bezel, equivalent to the Rolex 6265, was made around 1972. Introduced the same year, the present ref. 7159 belongs to the second generation of the model, started in 1970 with references  7031 and 7032, easily recognizable with their “homeplate” indexes dial and caliber 7734.

This wristwatch is characterized by a massive 39.5 mm stainless steel case with brushed lugs and polished band. The brushed steel stepped bezel is engraved with a tachymeter scale to 500 uph (units per hour). The screw-down case back is engraved “Original Oyster Case by Rolex  Geneva”,  “Triplock” crown, protected by the crown  guard, and pushers are screwed as well. The inside case back is engraved « I.72 ». The size is a bit bigger than the Rolex 6265 of the same area. The plexi glass is set at 6 with a “cyclops” lens to magnify the date. The steel bracelet is a Rolex Oyster one, ref. 78360, also found on some Rolex.

Under the screwed case back, the watch is powered by a hand wound mechanical movement, caliber Valjoux 234, chronograph with column wheel and date, rhodium-plated, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring. Under the glass, the original two-tone dial, anthracite and black, is very attractive. The dial bears luminous baton indexes, an outer 1/5th seconds scale with 5 minute/second orange Arabic markers, two subsidiary dials for the seconds and the 45-minute register, an aperture for the date at 6, luminous steel baton hands and on orange chronograph hand. The Tudor Montecarlo is very colorful, the contrast is great and less classical and conventional design than a Rolex Cosmograph. Dial, case, movement and bracelet are signed.

The Tudor MonteCarlo chronograph is an icon of the 1970s design. The model is amongst the firm’s most popular models and enjoys nowadays great popularity amongst collectors. The vintage charm of the 1970s, very trendy!

Condition: 9.5/10, in extremely good overall condition, very strong case, sharp edges, mint dial, original luminous, deep engravings on the case back