Reference:971 - Revision history

Admin: Resize hero: 340px -> 250px

2026-04-30T04:23:04Z

Resize hero: 340px -> 250px

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:23, 30 April 2026
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	The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490 and comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants).		The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490 and comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants).

	[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|~~340px~~\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]		[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

Admin: Text audit final check: strip remaining caliber-label bold

2026-04-30T00:33:15Z

Text audit final check: strip remaining caliber-label bold

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:33, 30 April 2026
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	Two distinct caliber generations appear in 971 cases, and they are visually identifiable from the movement plate shape:		Two distinct caliber generations appear in 971 cases, and they are visually identifiable from the movement plate shape:

	* ~~'''~~Cal. 300 / Cal. 350 — rectangular plates, 1928–1935.~~'''~~ 7½ by 14½ lignes. 18,000 vph. Approximately 50-hour power reserve. 15 jewels at the Prima base; 18 jewels at Extra Prima and Ultra Prima with 6-position adjustment. Phillips Geneva V lot 212 documents a platinum 971 with Cal. 300 7½′′′ 18-jewel movement in case 6,013 dated 1935.		* Cal. 300 / Cal. 350 — rectangular plates, 1928–1935. 7½ by 14½ lignes. 18,000 vph. Approximately 50-hour power reserve. 15 jewels at the Prima base; 18 jewels at Extra Prima and Ultra Prima with 6-position adjustment. Phillips Geneva V lot 212 documents a platinum 971 with Cal. 300 7½′′′ 18-jewel movement in case 6,013 dated 1935.
	* ~~'''~~Cal. 360 HW — tonneau plates, 1936–late 1930s.~~'''~~ The successor caliber for the late-period 971s and the 1936-onward Prince family broadly. Auction houses routinely lump both calibers as "Prince movement" without distinguishing the plate shape; the NAWCC discussion (Doug Sinclair, gmorse, Cary Hurt, March 2013) is the load-bearing source for the cal. 300 versus cal. 360 split. A 971 with rectangular movement plates is a 1928–1935 example; a 971 with tonneau plates is 1936-onward.		* Cal. 360 HW — tonneau plates, 1936–late 1930s. The successor caliber for the late-period 971s and the 1936-onward Prince family broadly. Auction houses routinely lump both calibers as "Prince movement" without distinguishing the plate shape; the NAWCC discussion (Doug Sinclair, gmorse, Cary Hurt, March 2013) is the load-bearing source for the cal. 300 versus cal. 360 split. A 971 with rectangular movement plates is a 1928–1935 example; a 971 with tonneau plates is 1936-onward.

	Movement grading runs Prima → Extra Prima → Ultra Prima, corresponding to ascending jewel counts (15 → 18), adjustment positions, and chronometer testing rigour. The "Chronometer" or "Observatory" designation on the dial indicates Extra Prima or Ultra Prima grade. The Kew-Teddington observatory tradition runs through this period — Rolex submitted Prince movements to the National Physical Laboratory at Kew for independent rate certificates against the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. Antiquorum's May 2013 platinum 971 (case 6,077) noted only the fourth platinum 971 sold through that house at the time, suggesting that platinum-cased Princes were specifically reserved for the highest movement grades.		Movement grading runs Prima → Extra Prima → Ultra Prima, corresponding to ascending jewel counts (15 → 18), adjustment positions, and chronometer testing rigour. The "Chronometer" or "Observatory" designation on the dial indicates Extra Prima or Ultra Prima grade. The Kew-Teddington observatory tradition runs through this period — Rolex submitted Prince movements to the National Physical Laboratory at Kew for independent rate certificates against the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. Antiquorum's May 2013 platinum 971 (case 6,077) noted only the fourth platinum 971 sold through that house at the time, suggesting that platinum-cased Princes were specifically reserved for the highest movement grades.

Admin: Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

2026-04-30T00:13:12Z

Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

Show changes

Admin: Category casing fix per audit. Normalize: working-draft → Working Draft; Explorer-Ii → Explorer II; Oyster-Perpetual → Oyster Perpetual; Daytona Manual-wind → Daytona Manual-Wind; Daytona In-house Gen 1 → Daytona In-House Gen 1. Drop redundant Category:References (not part of convention; family-and-status categories are sufficient).

2026-04-29T19:57:12Z

Category casing fix per audit. Normalize: working-draft → Working Draft; Explorer-Ii → Explorer II; Oyster-Perpetual → Oyster Perpetual; Daytona Manual-wind → Daytona Manual-Wind; Daytona In-house Gen 1 → Daytona In-House Gen 1. Drop redundant Category:References (not part of convention; family-and-status categories are sufficient).

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:57, 29 April 2026
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	[[Category:Prince]]		[[Category:Prince]]
	[[Category:~~working-draft]]~~		[[Category:Working Draft]]
	~~[[Category:References~~]]

Admin: SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

2026-04-29T03:23:39Z

SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:23, 29 April 2026
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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex ~~Prince Brancard~~ 971 — BezelBase		\|title=Rolex 971 — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges \| BezelBase
	\|description=The Rolex Prince Brancard 971 is the original Brancard — the 1928 launch reference of the rectangular Art-Deco "stretcher" Prince family. Aegler shaped chronometer movements (Cal. 300 / 350 / 360 HW) in Prima, Extra Prima, and Ultra Prima grades. Sub-references 971, 971A (18K Tiger Stripe), 971U (Ultra Prima), 971S, with Zebra (9K bicolor) and Pink Zebra (18K pink+white) variants. Documented in sterling silver, 9K/14K/18K gold, two-tone, stainless steel, and platinum.		\|description=The Rolex Prince Brancard 971 is the original Brancard — the 1928 launch reference of the rectangular Art-Deco "stretcher" Prince family. Aegler shaped chronometer movements (Cal. 300 / 350 / 360 HW) in Prima, Extra Prima, and Ultra Prima grades. Sub-references 971, 971A (18K Tiger Stripe), 971U (Ultra Prima), 971S, with Zebra (9K bicolor) and Pink Zebra (18K pink+white) variants. Documented in sterling silver, 9K/14K/18K gold, two-tone, stainless steel, and platinum.
	\|keywords=Rolex, Prince, 971, 971A, 971U, 971S, Brancard, Tiger Stripe, Zebra, Pink Zebra, Aegler, Cal. 300, Cal. 350, Cal. 360, Ultra Prima, Extra Prima, Eaton 1/4 Century Club, vintage, Art Deco, doctor watch, reference guide		\|keywords=Rolex, Prince, 971, 971A, 971U, 971S, Brancard, Tiger Stripe, Zebra, Pink Zebra, Aegler, Cal. 300, Cal. 350, Cal. 360, Ultra Prima, Extra Prima, Eaton 1/4 Century Club, vintage, Art Deco, doctor watch, reference guide
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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:36:~~53Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:51:01Z
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Admin: SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

2026-04-29T02:51:01Z

SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:51, 29 April 2026
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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-~~28T05~~:13:~~40Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:36:53Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

2026-04-29T02:36:53Z

SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:36, 29 April 2026
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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T05:04:07Z
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	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
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Admin: Move hero image to before Core facts section (matches 5513/1016 pattern: breadcrumb → intro → hero+core facts)

2026-04-28T05:13:40Z

Move hero image to before Core facts section (matches 5513/1016 pattern: breadcrumb → intro → hero+core facts)

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:13, 28 April 2026
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	<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] → '''971'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] → '''971'''</small>
	~~[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|340px\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]~~

	The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490 and comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants).		The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490 and comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants).

			[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|340px\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

Admin: Build source list from package.yaml.source_ids (37 sources)

2026-04-28T05:10:45Z

Build source list from package.yaml.source_ids (37 sources)

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 ==Sources==
 [[Category:Prince]]
 [[Category:working-draft]]
 [[Category:References]]

Admin: Strip price range from intro per writing guidelines (auction prices belong in Auction record section, not intro)

2026-04-28T05:07:47Z

Strip price range from intro per writing guidelines (auction prices belong in Auction record section, not intro)

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:07, 28 April 2026
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	[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|340px\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]		[[File:Ref 971 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|340px\|alt=Rolex Prince Brancard 971 — Pink Zebra 18K pink and white gold\|Pink Zebra: 18K pink + white gold bicolor, Antiquorum 2023 lot 138, hammer CHF 16,250]]

	The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490, comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants)~~, and has a meaningfully different price ceiling — sterling examples clear at GBP 3,500–4,500, Tiger Stripe 18K examples at CHF 15,000–29,500, and platinum at CHF 35,000–75,000~~.		The 971 is the original Brancard. Rolex launched the Prince family in 1928 around an Aegler-patented shaped movement, and the 971 is the reference that opened the line: a flared "stretcher" rectangular case (the French word ''brancard'' means stretcher), a duo-dial with an oversized sub-seconds register at six, and a chronometer-grade movement built to compete with the best of Swiss observatory-tested calibers. The watch acquired the "doctor's watch" nickname because the large sub-seconds register made it usable for counting a patient's pulse off the dial. Production runs from a documented 1928 English hallmark through at least 1938, with the larger 1490 Brancard taking over as the headline reference of the line through the mid-1940s. The 971 is rarer than the 1490 and comes in more documented sub-references (971A, 971U, 971S, plus the Zebra and Tiger Stripe bicolor variants).

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==