ROLEX. AN UNIQUE AND INCREDIBLY WELL-PRESERVED COOKE & KELVEY CALCUTTA MEN'S 9K YELLOW GOLD MANUAL WRISTWATCH, POSSIBLY PROPERTY OF AIR CHIEF MARSHALL SIR WALTER HUGH MERTON Model: Cushion Oyster Case reference: 22356 Date: Circa 1930’S Movement: Signed, Extra Prima movement, 15-Jewels, timed 6 positions Rolex hairspring, swiss made Dial: Signed, Rolex and Cooke & Kelvey Calcutta, white with and aged patina, black Arabic numerals, black outer minute division, subsidiary dial for seconds at the 6 o’clock position, silvered sword hands with applied luminous Case: Signed, 9K yellow gold cushion, screw down Oyster Patented crown, 9K yellow gold knurled bezel, 9K yellow gold screw down back, stamped 20 world’s records, Great Britain patents 260554/1925, 274.789, Swiss Patents 114.948 and 120.851, signed R.W.C Ltd. Strap: Brown generic lizard , Rolex buckle Size: 32mm The back case is engraved with the initials and name “ W.H.Merton ". Air Chief Marshall Sir Walter Hugh Merton was a senior Royal Air Force commander during WW2. Born in Canada on 29 August 1905, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1924. He served in WW2 as Officer commanding Squadrons No.218 and No. 37. After a life dedicated to and spent in the military, he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters Allied Air Forces Central Europe in 1959 and Air Member for Supply and Organisation in 1960. In 1963, he became Inspector-General of Civil Defence and at last, retired. The Cushion Oyster was the first real hermetic and water-resistant watch thanks to the introduction of the screw-down back. Models in gold of the age of our exemplar are extremely rare. For further information about the Cushion Oyster and its d esign, please see lot 15