Lot 361

Rolex

Cellini King Midas

A rare vintage Geneva "cult" wristwatch "King Midas

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Gérald Genta designed the revolutionary King Midas for Rolex in the 1960s. The design is inspired by geometric pattern from ancient Greece. The name "King Midas" comes from Greek mythology, where King Midas is remembered for his ability to turn everything he touched with his left hand into pure gold. The story goes that the King Midasis fitted with a crown on the left while the watch is worn on the right wrist. The watch was originally produced in three very small series only. It was advertised as the heaviest gold watch that money can buy. Other references were developed once the Midas collection was integrated in the Cellini range. The King Midas achieved extra fame when it was worn by Elvis Presley and John Wayne.
The King Midas bears all the marks that make a watch a coveted collector’s piece: a brand rich in tradition, a renowned designer, a revolutionary appearance, precious materials and an irresistible look.
This timepiece dating from 1975 comes in an assymetric pentagonal gold case and is in excellent condition with only very slight signs of wear. The dial is immaculate, the gold baton hands have aquired a rainbow-coloured patina and go perfectly with the unusual case.