1971 King Midas: Gentas Asymmetric Rolex

Made in 1971 according to our books: Whitegold Rolex King Midas ref9630, the 1st series of the icon designed by Gerald Genta in 1961 -- one of just 144 ever made.

We have written almost everything about this overlooked & special Rolex series in our website blog and there is probably little to add or change. For sure, this watch needs no introduction: Rolex King Midas! So bold, so iconic, so heavy, so on its own. Second to none. The Midas series is probably the most iconic Rolex made in the 1960s and 1970s -- and probably holds this title up till today. If it is possible to distinguish a Daytona or a Nautilus from 50m distance, then you can easily spot a King Midas from at least 100m distance -- there is nothing similar or even close to it.

This example was made in 1971 and it might be a surprise but it is in good condition, without stretch or warp in the bracelet but some very superficial scratches and minor oxidation on the edges of the dial.

The King Midas series was designed by the master himself, Gerald Genta for Rolex as a response to Pateks asymetric Gilbert Albert line. Each piece was completely hand-made and given the high gold price in the 1980s, right at a time when this icon was a pure anachronism, it is today a even rarer gem than it was in the 1970s, already -- we expect more than 65% of them were smelted over time.

This watch is so impressive, heavy, bold and iconic. Its character is second to none and you cannot compare to a regular nowadays Rolex. A real traffic stopper and a timepiece to wear when attending the watch club meeting --- one that will make an impression. Few know its a Rolex and most have never touched one: Nick Foulkes describes on revolutionwatch with precise words and much better than we could, how it feels.

It was the first Rolex ever with a sapphire crystal and it is housing a very flat manual Rolex cal650, developed by Piguet. But of course that's not the most relevant aspect with this watch as this watch is about its design and appearance and quite sure not about its technical features. Yes, of course this is probably one of the most relevant manual calibers of 2nd half of 20th century and there are a lot of stories to tell -- check out our blog where we will honor this technical masterpiece -- but let us focus on the design aspects condensed in this watch.