Rolex Beta21 'Texano' -- Important Limited Edition Rolex

One of the few limited editions Rolex ever did -- the other was Rolex Midas. Well, and it was quite a success: the first Quartz Rolex, predecessor of the OysterQuartz, was sold in no-time when it was unveiled in 1970. This is the beginning of the Rolex OysterQuartz chapter, which started with their first quartz watch in 1970 -- exactly this ref5100 Beta21. And this is one of the first.

The watch is impressive -- imagine one and a half QuarterPounders on your wrist -- and able to run the show / start the discussion right away: mentioning its sweeping second is one way, its optical impression is another and when all else fails -- it is humming like a bee and you can hear that. No tick but a gentle fis-like humming. By the way, the heavy gold case was made by popular case-maker Baumgartner, Geneva and it has developed a warm butter-colored patina.

This offered timepiece is one of the first and has a serial number engraved 3X -- 1'000 were done in total. So, it is a rare gem and a horological important Rolex, the watch that started quartz movements at all and OysterQuartz especially.

This timepiece has the iconic first-batch bracelet and the first-batch folding-clasp, which is in good condition. This is the sign of being one of the first ever Rolex quartz watches, since the first 250 of the 1'000 Rolex Beta21 were made with a more delicate and more complex bracelet with such a single folding clasp, while the later 750 pieces got a mark 2 bracelet with a president-bracelet style clasp. By the way, when a serial number below 250 is presented with another bracelet or clasp, then it is a replacement.

The movement is in very good condition after our service and runs precise as on day one of the Rolex quartz chapter.