— A Rolex watch that was flown to the moon is now the costliest astronaut timepiece to promote at public sale.
The private GMT-Grasp chronometer worn by NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell as lunar module pilot on the 1971 Apollo 14 mission bought for $2.2 million (or to be exact, $2,163,199) on Thursday (Oct. 24). The watch attracted greater than 30 bids in the course of the course of RR Public sale’s newest space-themed sale, which ran from Sept. 26 on the New Hampshire agency’s web site.
The hammer worth (previous to the client’s premium) that clinched the moon-flown Rolex — one in all solely two which might be identified to have been bought — was $1,730,559. Earlier than the sale started, RR Public sale estimated the watch would exceed $400,000.
“We’re thrilled with the consequence as a result of Ed Mitchell’s Apollo Rolex is the costliest merchandise we have ever bought,” Bobby Livingston, RR Public sale’s govt vice chairman for public relations, advised collectSPACE quickly after the public sale ended. RR beforehand auctioned the primary seat on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for $28 million, however Mitchell’s Rolex was the costliest bodily merchandise the corporate has bought since its founding in 1976.
“There’s a enormous crossover attraction to look at collectors who do not essentially accumulate house materials,” mentioned Livingston. “Watch collectors respect the significance of dependable timepieces that have been used on historic lunar missions.”
NASA issued every of its Apollo crew members with an Omega Speedmaster Skilled chronograph for use in house. The “Speedys” have been authorities property and at present are within the care of the Smithsonian.
Some Apollo astronauts selected to convey a second watch. Largely hidden from view, as solely the Omega watches have been licensed to be worn on Velcro straps atop the astronauts’ spacesuits, these private timepieces have been largely unknown of by the general public.
Eagle-eyed collectors and fanatics “found” the existence of those secondary watches by scouring the pre-launch, in-flight and post-landing imagery that was taken of the astronauts. Mitchell’s Rolex will be seen in photographs and movie stills of him suiting up for his Jan. 31, 1971 launch and whereas aboard the Apollo 14 command module. Equally, Apollo 13 crew member Jack Swigert and Apollo 17 astronaut Ron Evans are additionally identified to have flown private Rolex GMT-Masters.
Evans’ Rolex, which remained with him in lunar orbit whereas his crewmates Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt landed on the moon, was bought by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions in 2009 for $131,450 (together with the client’s premium). Evans additionally got here again from the moon with a Speedmaster he retained from a science experiment as a memento. Forty-three years later, Christie’s auctioned Evans’ Omega souvenir for $245,000. The Swiss watchmaker obtained the uncommon flown look ahead to its personal museum in Bienne.
That very same yr (2015), RR Public sale bought the one non-Omega watch to be worn over an Apollo astronaut’s spacesuit out onto the floor of the moon for $1.6 million (together with the premium). Apollo 15 commander David Scott wore a Bulova chronograph he personally introduced with him to house in the course of the third of his three moonwalks after the crystal protecting his Speedmaster was misplaced. NASA thought of the Bulova to be an “unauthorized timepiece.”
RR Public sale additionally bought an 18-karat gold commemorative Speedmaster that belonged to astronaut Wally Schirra for $1.9 million in 2022. It stays the most-ever paid for one of many 36 gold watches that Omega gifted the Apollo-era astronauts, together with Scott’s, which bought for $160,365 in Thursday’s public sale.
RR Public sale described Mitchell’s Rolex GMT-Grasp as being “in fantastic beauty situation, with gentle scratches and put on from use.” The 40mm watch has a black dial and blue-and-red bezel with a 24-hour scale (nicknamed the “Pepsi” shade scheme).
“That is most likely a very powerful Rolex ‘Pepsi’ watch that is on the market,” mentioned Livingston, whereas noting he isn’t a watch skilled.
The caseback was engraved, “Worn by Cdr. E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971, To Karlin [sic] — My Daughter.” The lot included a certificates of authenticity signed by Mitchell, certifying that “the accompanying Rolex watch was worn by me in the course of the Apollo 14 mission.”
It’s unknown if Mitchell wore or introduced the Rolex on the lunar module when he and Alan Shepard landed on the moon or if he was wore it underneath his spacesuit when he turned the sixth human to stroll on the lunar floor. Mitchell died in 2016 on the age of 85.
Essentially the most ever paid for a Rolex GMT-Grasp was the $5.1 million ($5,124,783) spent at Christie’s in 2023 for the watch worn by Marlon Brando whereas filming the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now.”
