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"Cigarette 1" Rolex GMT ... a "fantasy watch" story and tribute to Don Aronow


manodeoro

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Don Aronow, an avid racer and New York businessman, founded Cigarette Racing Team on 188th Street in South Florida in 1999.
Aronow's boats won over 350 offshore races and he was a two-time world champion and three-time U.S. champion.
He has been elected to every powerboating Hall of Fame in existence and as stated above, he and Gar Wood were the only two Americans to have ever received the UIM Gold Medal of Honor.

 

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In 1979 a mini-serie of customized Rolex 5513 was produced for the "Cigarette 1" racing team ... some research shows they are only 50 in the world.
One was sold at Christie's November 2005 and nother one in Geneva Octobre 2006.

 

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So ....
Some time ago an Italian member on RWI contacted me showing me this MQ dial.

 

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I have never seen a Rolex 16800 with this dial and for me it is a fancy dial but I found the project interesting.
Icing on the cake and to go further on the way of the fantasy, my Italian friend wanted the same dial for his GMT.
I like challenges so I said "why not?" 😛
Then I followed the usual procedure ...

First a first test print to set the dial design ...

 

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Then the final printing itself the painting of the GMT hand in red ...

 

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Lume work and the assembly on the movement ...

 

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And final assembly ... with 2 insert variants ...

 

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That watch is a fantasy one but I really like it ... letting it go to its real owner was a real pain 🤣
I hope you'll like it too ...

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