The History of the Rolex Prince
Rolex Prince ‘Brancard’ ref. 971 / Credit: Lofty
Rolex had a few stand-out models in the early 2000s, models that are not particularly sought after by the typical 'Hulk' collector but still worth learning about. These are the kinds of watches that are easily forgotten in the midst of new, pinker releases by the storied Swiss brand. One of such models was the Rolex Cellini Prince. And while the modern Cellini Prince may not scream 1920s Art Deco, that's actually where it comes from!
Doctor's watches were especially popular during the Art Deco period in the 1920s, when several models were produced by different companies, all aimed at providing functionality for doctors. The most common function of a doctor’s watch was being able to tell a patient’s heartbeat – invoking the classic image of a young doctor staring at their wrist while they have their hand on the patient’s chest counting out their heartbeat. The Rolex Prince, originally released in 1928, was made precisely for that, with a large small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock that the doctor could use to keep track of time.
1930s Rolex Prince ad
This beautiful Art Deco Rolex was quite successful at the time, noted for its beautiful design and high-precision chronometer movement, which was important as it was used by doctors. Other, similar watches, were also released in the same time period – the Gruen Techni-Quadron and Hamilton Seckron being two prominent American examples. Although the Rolex proved more popular over time, largely for its unforgettable designs. The Rolex Prince ‘Zebra’, for example, is another notable version of the Prince for its distinct dial design and striped case, a design seldom, if ever, reproduced by Rolex since. Moreover, Al Capone is thought to have worn a Rolex Prince at some point during his reign over Chicago, adding to the allure of the timepiece.
Rolex Prince ‘Zebra’ / Credit: Analog/Shift
Rolex also released other versions of the Prince like the ‘Railroad Prince’ and the ‘Jumping Hour’. The jumping hour version being especially intriguing for its Atomic Age-like design – often called the first digital watch ever! With the hour being displayed through a window at 12 o’clock and the minutes and seconds in the two dials below.
Rolex Prince ‘Jumping Hour’ / Credit: Matthew Bain
There’s also some Canadian history to be added to the tale of the Rolex Prince. The Eaton department store in Toronto, Ontario ordered special versions of the Rolex Prince to be made for their employees who had reached their 25-year anniversary working for the company. Instead of Arabic numerals on the dial it read “1/4 Century Club” and is signed “Eaton”. An interesting anecdote alluding to the good relationship Rolex always had with the Canadian market.
Rolex ‘Quarter Century Club’ Prince / Credit: Yorktime
And so, while the original Rolex Prince was discontinued in the 1940s, the modern Rolex Cellini Prince, released in 2005, is also a unique Rolex for one other seemingly insignificant reason: its transparent caseback! Apart from its very ‘non-Rolex’ design, much more refined than the clunky sports watches Rolex is known for, this was the first Rolex to have a transparent caseback! Although discontinued today after about a decade on the market, the Cellini Prince and its predecessor, the Prince, are certainly worthwhile vintage Rolexes – and the prices show it. However, that is only for the Prince, the Cellini Prince remains, in my opinion, under-appreciated – which is no surprise in a market that prefers bright yellow dials over precision mechanical movements!
By: Andres Ibarguen
Modern Rolex Cellini Prince ad
Read more:
“The Complete History of the Rolex Prince.” Rolex Magazine, July 27th, 2019, https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2017/05/the-complete-history-of-rolex-prince.html.
“Rolex Prince: the doctor’s watch.” Rolex Encyclopedia, September 22nd, 2013, https://www.rolexencyclopedie.nl/english/models/rolex-prince-the-doctors-watch/.
“In Praise of the Rolex Cellini Prince.” Grail Watch, February 25th, 2021, https://grail-watch.com/2021/02/25/in-praise-of-the-rolex-cellini-prince/.
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