More Info · COMEX 1665 · Mark I Dial
The Pisani Dial
The Most Desirable of the 1665 COMEX Dials
A Tribute
Marcello Pisani — The Man Who Made COMEX a Household Name
Marcello Pisani was a very well respected Italian collector and one of the most knowledgeable people on the planet about special delivery watches — above all, the COMEX watches. His vision and study of these watches advanced the knowledge base and understanding of COMEX references in ways that collectors still draw on today. The love cultivated by many in the hobby owes no small debt to his decades of research and generosity in sharing what he knew.
It is only fitting that the most desirable of the 1665 COMEX dials — and one of the most interesting dials in all of vintage Rolex — be named after the person who made COMEX a household name amongst collectors.
1956 – 2015
Collector, scholar, and the defining voice in COMEX watch research. His contributions to the field remain unmatched. Read the tribute on DRSD.com →
The Dial
The Pisani Dial — COMEX 1665 Mark I
The Pisani Dial is the Mark I of the 1665 COMEX dials. It carries a distinctive set of characteristics that set it apart from every subsequent COMEX dial variant — most notably its 600 meters depth rating and its unique coronet printing. These two features alone make it immediately identifiable and deeply sought after.
Reference
1665 COMEX
Dial Designation
Mark I · “Pisani Dial”
Depth Rating
600 metres
Defining Feature
Unique coronet printing
Status
Most desirable 1665 COMEX dial
The Pisani Dial — COMEX 1665 Mark I
photo by Shin-An, the original COMEX maniac
Dial Comparison
Original vs. COMEX Service Replacement
A critical distinction for collectors: the original Pisani Dial differs meaningfully from the COMEX service dial — the replacement issued directly by Rolex when a watch was returned for servicing. Pay close attention to the depth markings, which differ between the two variants and are one of the primary identifiers.
Original Production Dial
COMEX 1665 — Mark I
The Pisani Dial
The Pisani Dial
600 metres depth marking. Unique original coronet. The benchmark against which all subsequent COMEX 1665 dials are measured.
photo: Frank S.
Rolex Service Replacement
COMEX Service Dial
Rolex Replacement
Rolex Replacement
Issued by Rolex when the watch was returned for service. Note the different depth markings — a key point of differentiation from the original Pisani Dial.
photo: Frank S.
The depth marking difference is one of the most important authentication and identification points on COMEX 1665 dials. A service dial on an otherwise correct case and bracelet combination is not uncommon — knowing which dial you are looking at matters significantly for provenance and value.
Collector Notes
Why the Name Endures
Names in the collector world are rarely assigned officially — they emerge organically when a person’s association with a subject becomes inseparable from the subject itself. That is precisely what happened with Marcello Pisani and the COMEX 1665. His scholarship defined the reference. Naming the most coveted dial variant after him is the collector community’s permanent acknowledgment of that contribution.
The Pisani Dial is not merely a configuration of printing and depth markings. It carries with it the decades of study, correspondence, and passion of the man it was named for — and that provenance is part of what makes it irreplaceable.