Rolex Padellone Ref.8171 18K Yellow Gold Triple Calendar Moonphase Cal.A295 Vintage 1950s 38mm

⭐ A mythical reference from the golden age of mechanical watchmaking: the oversized Rolex “Padellone” triple calendar and moonphase, preserved in wonderfully honest vintage condition, with its charismatic champagne dial, full calendar display and legendary Calibre A295.

“Legend Reawakened”

Some watches are collected. Others are hunted. The Padellone 8171 belongs to the second category – a piece whispered about in specialist circles, traded quietly between serious connoisseurs, and increasingly absent from the open market. This example brings together originality, technical depth and irreplaceable 1950s charm in a way that modern pieces simply cannot replicate.

DESCRIPTION

The Rolex Ref.8171 “Padellone” occupies a unique position in the brand’s history: a large, non-Oyster 38mm case in 18K yellow gold, housing a full triple calendar and moonphase – produced for only a brief window around the early 1950s and in extremely small numbers. For many scholars, it remains the most poetic expression of pre-Oyster Perpetual Rolex.

This example presents a gorgeously aged champagne-gold dial, with the full date track circling the perimeter, day and month apertures at 12 o’clock, and a blue moonphase disc with running seconds at 6. The surface has developed an even spread of spotting and tone shift that only seven decades of honest life can create. It reads immediately as “unrestored,” with all the emotional resonance that serious vintage collectors look for.

The 18K yellow gold case, bezel, and caseback retain strong volume and pleasing curves, showing only small marks from careful wear and no obvious evidence of over-polishing. At approximately 38mm across, the Padellone still feels strikingly contemporary on the wrist while retaining all of its mid-century proportions and charm.

Inside, the calibre A295 reveals the technical ambition behind this reference. The movement re-engineers Rolex’s earlier 620 base into a ring-type date mechanism, driving the full calendar and moonphase through a network of cleverly simplified wheels. The result is a robust, serviceable and surprisingly elegant architecture, designed to keep the complications reliable over the long term.

The watch is currently running within an approximate +10 seconds per day on a modern timing machine, with healthy amplitude for a piece of this era – always subject to natural variation and environment, but entirely in the expected range for high-grade vintage. A crocodile strap pairs with a period-correct 18K Rolex pin buckle, completing the ensemble with appropriate dignity.

For collectors seeking a cornerstone vintage Rolex with true historical weight, this Padellone offers originality, mechanical importance and emotional presence in one highly coherent package.

HIGHLIGHTS & FEATURES

• Early 1950s Rolex Ref.8171 “Padellone” triple calendar and moonphase
• 18K yellow gold non-Oyster case, approx. 38mm
• Original champagne-gold dial with full perimeter date track
• Day and month windows at 12 o’clock
• Blue moonphase disc with running seconds at 6 o’clock
• Central date pointer hand
• Calibre A295 automatic movement, chronometer-graded base architecture
• Honest, evenly aged vintage dial patina
• Strong case proportions with no obvious signs of heavy polishing
• Crocodile strap with 18K Rolex buckle
• A historically important, low-production Rolex complication model

ITEM DETAILS

Model: Rolex Padellone “Triple Calendar & Moonphase”
Reference: 8171
Movement: Calibre A295, automatic
Material: 18K yellow gold
Case Diameter: approx. 38mm (without crown), approx. 43.6mm lug-to-lug
Dial: Champagne gold, triple calendar with moonphase
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date pointer, day, month, moonphase
Strap: Crocodile leather strap, 19mm lug width
Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex pin buckle
Production Era: 1950s
Inclusions: Watch head, strap and buckle as configured; detailed internal evaluation notes available on request

CONDITION

Dial
Original 1950s champagne dial with full calendar layout. Even spotting and tone shift across the surface, consistent with untouched vintage condition. No signs of recent redialing or modern over-printing under normal magnification.

Hands & Calendar Furniture
Original 18K yellow gold hour and minute hands, central date pointer with metal tip, and calendar apertures all present correctly. Surfaces show light aging appropriate to the period, with no disruptive corrosion.

Case & Bezel
18K yellow gold smooth bezel and mid-case remain well defined. Light superficial marks only; no major dents or evident over-polishing, and lugs retain their original profile and thickness.

Caseback
18K yellow gold screw back with correct interior markings for reference and gold hallmarking. Surface shows light wear from normal use and handling; no deep scratches or structural issues.

Crystal
Domed crystal clear to the eye with minor hairlines only, typical for a vintage piece.

Movement (Cal. A295)
Automatic movement functioning, with recent timing machine results around +10s/day, amplitude approximately 245° and healthy beat parameters (values always subject to environment and positional variance). Calendar and moonphase functions advance as intended in internal testing.

Strap & Buckle
Crocodile strap in fresh, wearable condition. 18K Rolex buckle shows light hairlines but retains crisp form.

Overall
A remarkably coherent, period-correct example of an extremely challenging reference, with integrity and character preserved rather than cosmetically “updated.”

WHY COLLECTORS WANT THIS PIECE

The Ref.8171 Padellone occupies a near-mythical tier among vintage Rolex: a large non-Oyster case, full triple calendar with moonphase, extremely limited production and a short three-year manufacturing window around the early 1950s. Many surviving examples have been heavily restored, modified, or built from compromised components, making correct, honest watches like this extraordinarily difficult to secure.

For seasoned collectors, this reference offers several compelling advantages:

• Historic importance as one of Rolex’s most complex mid-century calendar watches

• Oversized 38mm presence that translates effortlessly to modern tastes

• Deep technical interest in the A295 architecture and its simplified wheelwork

• Significant long-term scarcity, with strong demand in both vintage Rolex and complicated-watch circles

As a portfolio anchor, the Padellone stands not just as a “rare Rolex,” but as a serious chapter in 20th-century horology.

BRAND HERITAGE

Rolex is synonymous with precision, durability and design continuity, but its mid-century complicated watches tell a more nuanced story: brief experiments in calendar and moonphase mechanisms that predate the modern professional lines. The Padellone sits at the heart of this narrative – a sophisticated mechanical canvas that demonstrates Rolex’s ability to balance engineering simplicity with poetic calendar displays. Collecting a correct 8171 is less about following trends and more about holding a key to Rolex’s most exploratory era.

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