Auction a Rare Rolex Ref. 4113 Split-Second Chronograph

The Monaco Legend Group is set to auction one of the rarest Rolex watches ever made, the Ref. 4113 split-second chronograph. Only twelve of these extraordinary watches were ever produced, and just nine are known to still exist. This particular piece, from the collection of renowned watch collector John Goldberger, is one of the most coveted replica Rolex chronographs in existence. Some may recognize this watch from Goldberger’s appearance on Talking Watches, where he famously used a cheese knife to pop off the back and reveal its movement. Now, this legendary watch is fresh on the market as one of the featured lots, with an estimated sale price ranging between €2,800,000 and €5,600,000.

The Rolex Ref. 4113 is a highly unusual model, being the only split-second chronograph the brand ever produced. Its unique design stands apart from any other clone Rolex model in terms of case shape, dimensions, or style. True to form, Rolex has shared little official information about the watch’s origins, making its history even more mysterious. Manufactured in 1942, the watch measures an impressive 44mm – unusually large for its era. It is powered by the Valjoux 55 VBR movement, the same movement found in other split-second chronographs, including the Universal A. Cairelli, one of which will also be featured at the Monaco Legend Group auction.

The Ref. 4113 is known for its sleek, flat profile, which sits comfortably on the wrist thanks to its thin case and slightly domed back. Its unusual lugs taper toward the edges, giving them a refined structure that adds both aesthetic appeal and support. All known examples of this reference fall within the serial number range 051313 to 051324. The current auction record for a Ref. 4113 was set in 2016 at Phillips Geneva’s “Start-Stop-Reset” auction, where it sold for CHF 2,405,000. This weekend’s auction could see that record shattered.

Though not surprising, that many of the 55 VBR watches, including those by Rolex and Universal, found their way to Italy in the 1940s. The Universal model, for example, was made for the Italian military, and there is speculation that the Ref. 4113s were similarly commissioned by the Italian government but never delivered. Interestingly, each of the nine known Ref. 4113 dials displays slight variations in text and printing, despite all being cased and finished in 1942. The Rolex coronet and signature differ slightly between pieces, as do the telemeter scales, which were originally printed in blue but have faded uniquely over time. For a detailed comparison of this watch to the one auctioned at Phillips in 2019, Arthur Touchot’s analysis provides excellent insight. There is also a unique two-tone steel and rose gold example of the Ref. 4113, featured in Sandro Fratini’s My Time book.

While the full history of the Ref. 4113 remains somewhat obscure, two official letters from Rolex have confirmed its authenticity. The first letter, written in 1988 by Patrick Heineger (who later became replica Rolex‘s President and Chairman of the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation), verifies the existence of the Ref. 4113 for an Italian retailer. A second letter, written around 1990, corroborates the production of twelve Ref. 4113 watches for a German retailer.

Most known examples of the Ref. 4113 have surfaced in Italy, often linked to families with ties to motorsports. Notably, many come from Sicily, home to the Giro Automobilistico di Sicilia, once Europe’s longest closed-circuit race. Paused during World War II, the race resumed in 1948 and merged with the famed Targa Florio race. The first public auction of a Ref. 4113 took place in 1988 at Habsburg, with interest in the model gaining significant traction in the early 1990s. One particularly famous auction occurred on May 15, 1991, at Christie’s Geneva, where a watch consigned by the family of Italian racing driver Stefano La Motta was sold, complete with a photograph of him wearing it in the 1940s. Goldberger acquired his piece in the 1990s from a dealer who had sourced it from another driver involved in the Targa Florio.

The only known Ref. 4113 watches that did not originate from Italy came from motorsport-connected families in England. Adding a final layer of intrigue to Goldberger’s replica watch, it comes with a “caseback opener” knife, similar to the one used in his Talking Watches feature.