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Apollo 14 Flown Rolex GMT From the Collection of Edgar Mitchell...What a stunner!!

M
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I suspect this particular watch is going to be very very expensive. Iam very interested to see how it ends. What you think around 100k or more?
 
Larry S
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Understandable that the family wants to maximize estate value. Sad that these storied tool watches wind up in some rich guy’s toy box.
 
M
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Larry S Larry S
Understandable that the family wants to maximize estate value. Sad that these storied tool watches wind up in some rich guy’s toy box.
Maybe it is better that way especially if the lucky one is a watche enthousiast.
 
SpeedyPhill
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Watch the prelaunch NASA footage, an interesting moment when the Apollo 14 back-up astronauts join the prime crew...
Ron Evans and Eugene Cernan wearing Rolex GMT-master 1675 and Stuart Roosa with Edgar Mitchell on the table idem dito.
NASA screenshot
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A14-moonwatchuniverse.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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Of course the wrong astronaut as the photo shows Apollo 14 commander Alan B Shepard... who funny enough had been wearing his personal Rolex GMT-master 1675 Pepsi bezel pilot watch all the time during 1970-1971 training !
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2024_ROLEX-Mitchell.webp
 
pdxleaf
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Currently at $551,406. Next bid is $606,547 with a week to go.
 
M
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Sorry to ask a silly question but what is the profile of the participants in that auction? Private investor? Companies ( the obvious one being Rolex)?
Iam just nb3ing curious.
 
gbesq
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You mean to say that Rolex is pulling funds from its charitable trust to bid on this watch at the expense of widows and orphans? ::facepalm1:: I'll concede that it's a damn attractive watch though.
 
pdxleaf
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M Mam
Sorry to ask a silly question but what is the profile of the participants in that auction? Private investor? Companies ( the obvious one being Rolex)?
Iam just nb3ing curious.

It obviously pulls a combination of space and watch collectors.

I was told there are a couple thousand regular, private space collectors.

Some space collectors aren't interested in watches at all. Hard to believe but not everyone is a watch person.

There is at least one billionaire space collector. Probably several deep pocket collectors amongst the common middle class collectors who regularly bid.

There are several companies who deal in space memorabilia. The auctions are a good source of material for them. Auctioned items pop up later on their sites.

Museums have been known to purchase items but they often don't have deep pockets.

IMHO, a watch like this will likely go to a deep pocket art and watch collector, as opposed to a space collector (or it could go to the billionaire space collector.) Someone who made a lot of money in tech or finance, or someone in an oil producing country. This watch is now a commodity. There are Rolex collectors who don't care about space except that it increases the value of the watch.

I doubt that Rolex is interested in the watch. They should be, it would be in their interest, but I suspect the company is not interested in such pedestrian activities like collecting. I also guess that in spite of their budget, a private investor would pay more than a company. (I have zero insight into what Rolex actually thinks.)

Sometimes items like this that come from the family sell for less than they would later in the market. It'll still go for big bucks, but this sets the baseline and it'll be a lot more expensive the next time it comes up for sale. So buy now when it's cheap.😁
 
M
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gbesq gbesq
You mean to say that Rolex is pulling funds from its charitable trust to bid on this watch at the expense of widows and orphans? ::facepalm1:: I'll concede that it's a damn attractive watch though.
If Rolex ( which they should but then who am I to give advice) is participating in this auction I just hope it is not at the expense of its charitable trust.
 
M
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pdxleaf pdxleaf
It obviously pulls a combination of space and watch collectors.

I was told there are a couple thousand regular, private space collectors.

Some space collectors aren't interested in watches at all. Hard to believe but not everyone is a watch person.

There is at least one billionaire space collector. Probably several deep pocket collectors amongst the common middle class collectors who regularly bid.

There are several companies who deal in space memorabilia. The auctions are a good source of material for them. Auctioned items pop up later on their sites.

Museums have been known to purchase items but they often don't have deep pockets.

IMHO, a watch like this will likely go to a deep pocket art and watch collector, as opposed to a space collector (or it could go to the billionaire space collector.) Someone who made a lot of money in tech or finance, or someone in an oil producing country. This watch is now a commodity. There are Rolex collectors who don't care about space except that it increases the value of the watch.

I doubt that Rolex is interested in the watch. They should be, it would be in their interest, but I suspect the company is not interested in such pedestrian activities like collecting. I also guess that in spite of their budget, a private investor would pay more than a company. (I have zero insight into what Rolex actually thinks.)

Sometimes items like this that come from the family sell for less than they would later in the market. It'll still go for big bucks, but this sets the baseline and it'll be a lot more expensive the next time it comes up for sale. So buy now when it's cheap.😁
Dear sir,

Thank you for the explanation.
 
gbesq
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M Mam
If Rolex ( which they should but then who am I to give advice) is participating in this auction I just hope it is not at the expense of its charitable trust.
I meant this in jest. A Swiss charitable trust has very little to do with charity and a lot more to do with tax planning.
 
M
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gbesq gbesq
I meant this in jest. A Swiss charitable trust has very little to do with charity and a lot more to do with tax planning.
Dear sir,

Thank you for the clarification.
 
SpeedyPhill
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Apollo 14 LMP Edgar Mitchell surely wore the extra watches for emotional reasons, besides a physical experience, an Apollo lunar mission was also a very spiritual experience. Just look at the testimonies of William Anders, Edgar Mitchell, James Irwin and Charles Duke...
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SpeedyPhill
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https://www.fratellowatches.com/spa...-and-dave-scotts-omega-speedmaster-apollo-11/

and the book " Under the spell of the Moon - 12 Moonwalkers after Apollo " (only in Dutch " In de ban van de Maan ")
Certainly the very best book about the feelings of the 12 Apollo program Moonwalkers. Note Edgar Mitchell on the cover...
There's a more recent equivalent English language book, but it doesn't cover all 12, as today only 4 are still alive: Aldrin, Scott, Duke and Schmitt !
(Photo: MoonwatchUniverse)
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1989_Moonwalkers_Ros-.webp
 
TLIGuy
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Does it break a million? It will be fun to see where this goes.
 
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