Swiss rare thin gentleman’s watch with black dial Circa 1940

Gold open faced pocket watch by Rolex
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A Swiss rare, thin gentleman’s Geneva pocket watch sold to Cooke & Kelvey, Calcutta, circa 1940.
18 carat gold polished and tiered case with push back. Black enamel dial with indexes, auxiliary seconds and gold baton hands. Bridge movement, rhodium plated, with Geneva Striping decoration, six adj., 17 jewels and Elinvar balance.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Weight: 45 g
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Signed: Rolex, Cooke & Kelvey, Calcutta
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Cooke & Kelvey, Indian / English jewellers goldsmiths, silversmiths and watch dealers.
The company was founded in 1857 by Robert Thomas Cooke (1831-1914) and Charles Kelvey. A shop later opened in London at 150 Leadenhall Street. In Calcutta, the company was located at 20 Old Court House Street, and there was also a branch in Simla. The company was named as the Horp Supplier “Cooke & Kelvey, Watch, Clock & Chronometer Makers to HE The Viceroy & Governor General of India”.

Cooke & Kelvey specialised in retailing fine watches for the Indian market. As a rule, the watches were fitted with Swiss movements, often from well-known manufacturers such as Audemars Piguet. In this unusual case, however, the watch is equipped with a highly complicated movement made in England. In 1895 James Ernest Caithness (1839-1902) became a senior business partner in the company. The company was the first Rolex dealer in India. In 1946 the company was taken over by the Khemka family.

Today the company is no longer in Calcutta but in New Delhi.