Rolex Midas, Reference 4316 | A white gold and diamond-set...
Dial: onyx, diamonds
Calibre: cal. 651 manual winding, 18 jewels
Case: 18k white gold, snap-on case back
Case number: 4'209'883, N°3582
Closure: 18k white gold Rolex bracelet and folding clasp
Size: 24 x 33 mm (width x length), bracelet circumference approximately 165 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Accessories: none
Catalogue Note:
The King Midas occupies a fascinating position within Rolex history, representing one of the manufacture’s most daring departures from the utilitarian Oyster watches for which it had become famous. The original Midas appeared during the 1960s as an extraordinarily luxurious sculptural wristwatch, its architecture directly inspired by classical Greek architecture and the legend of King Midas. The design later evolved into the Cellini family, with reference 4316 adopting a more symmetrical rectangular form while preserving the uncompromising use of precious metal and integrated bracelet that defined the collection.
Dating to circa 1976, the present reference 4316 is rendered particularly arresting by its 18k white gold construction and exceptional black onyx and diamond-set dial. The perfectly austere surface of the onyx is almost entirely devoid of ornamentation, allowing the Rolex coronet and slender white-gold hands to seemingly float above the stone, while two rows of brilliant-cut diamonds form a dazzling frame around its perimeter. Combined with the broad, satin-finished integrated white gold bracelet, the result is quintessentially 1970s yet remarkably contemporary, a fascinating meeting of jewellery, architecture and watchmaking. Comparable diamond-set hardstone examples of reference 4316 are notably uncommon, with period examples documented in onyx, lapis lazuli and sodalite.
Preserved in excellent overall condition and retaining its remarkable integrated Rolex bracelet, the present watch beautifully demonstrates the extravagant character of the Midas. The unusual combination of white gold, black onyx and diamonds elevates an already unconventional reference into a particularly striking expression of Rolex design during the 1970s, far removed from the manufacture’s familiar sports watches and precisely for that reason so compelling to collectors today.
Dial: onyx, diamonds
Calibre: cal. 651 manual winding, 18 jewels
Case: 18k white gold, snap-on case back
Case number: 4'209'883, N°3582
Closure: 18k white gold Rolex bracelet and folding clasp
Size: 24 x 33 mm (width x length), bracelet circumference approximately 165 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Accessories: none
Catalogue Note:
The King Midas occupies a fascinating position within Rolex history, representing one of the manufacture’s most daring departures from the utilitarian Oyster watches for which it had become famous. The original Midas appeared during the 1960s as an extraordinarily luxurious sculptural wristwatch, its architecture directly inspired by classical Greek architecture and the legend of King Midas. The design later evolved into the Cellini family, with reference 4316 adopting a more symmetrical rectangular form while preserving the uncompromising use of precious metal and integrated bracelet that defined the collection.
Dating to circa 1976, the present reference 4316 is rendered particularly arresting by its 18k white gold construction and exceptional black onyx and diamond-set dial. The perfectly austere surface of the onyx is almost entirely devoid of ornamentation, allowing the Rolex coronet and slender white-gold hands to seemingly float above the stone, while two rows of brilliant-cut diamonds form a dazzling frame around its perimeter. Combined with the broad, satin-finished integrated white gold bracelet, the result is quintessentially 1970s yet remarkably contemporary, a fascinating meeting of jewellery, architecture and watchmaking. Comparable diamond-set hardstone examples of reference 4316 are notably uncommon, with period examples documented in onyx, lapis lazuli and sodalite.
Preserved in excellent overall condition and retaining its remarkable integrated Rolex bracelet, the present watch beautifully demonstrates the extravagant character of the Midas. The unusual combination of white gold, black onyx and diamonds elevates an already unconventional reference into a particularly striking expression of Rolex design during the 1970s, far removed from the manufacture’s familiar sports watches and precisely for that reason so compelling to collectors today.
