Vintage Rolex Reference 8382 Neptune Cloisonné Enamel Dial (photo: Phillips)

Fans of Roman mythology and vintage watches will be happy to see another Rolex featuring a cloisonné of Neptune enameled on the dial. The yellow gold Rolex above (Reference #8382) will be available at Phillips' The Geneva Watch Auction Five taking place on May 13-14, 2017 in Switzerland. If the dial looks familiar to you, it's because this isn't the first time the auction house will offer a gold Rolex with Neptune enameled on the dial.

The current lot features a circular 37mm 18k yellow gold case fitted with a manual calibre E80'568 with 19 jewels. It comes on an alligator leather strap with a yellow gold Rolex pin buckle. On this reference, the cloisonné enamel is set inside a circular ring of gold where the gold indexes are placed.  It also features the company name in black inside the enamel just below the gold crown at 12 o'clock.

Vintage Rolex Reference 4645 Neptune Non-Oyster (photo: Phillips)

Both dials were executed by Mrs. Nelly Richard for Stern Frères. The labor-intensive enameling process includes outlining the figures with gold wire, applying the enamel to different regions and firing in a kiln to intensify the colors and lighting effects. Though they look nearly identical, there are subtle differences between the two Neptune depictions above. You can see the differences on the lower right, with the legs and manes of the the horses varying slightly in position. The position of the waves also vary a bit between the two.

At the Phillips Rolex Milestones auction in Hong Kong last year, the Reference 4645 above sold for over $750,000 US. This piece features a square, non-Oyster dial, making it even more rare than the 8382. The estimate for the current lot is between 300,000 and 600,000 Swiss francs. For more information on the Geneva auction, visit phillips.com.

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