Gone but not forgotten is the perfect adage for this rare 1954 Rolex Submariner watch. This vintage Rolex watch was found at the bottom of a dusty old box and now has gone on to break auction records with a winning bid of over £200,000. This watch is steeped in history as the Submariner 6200 is a vintage Rolex collector’s dream and features the A296 automatic movement with both gilt dial and gilt Mercedes hands finished in original radium luminous material. The dial and the hands are also in wonderful condition. The thick case and prominent 8mm ‘Big Crown’ allow a deeper depth rating of 200m – a prominent sign of a professional tool diving watch. It is also regarded as the first watch of such a kind.
Listed through Watch Collecting, the iconic Rolex went on to break records with a winning final bid of £205,500, making it the most expensive timepiece ever sold on the website. The 1954 Rolex Submariner 6200, believed to be one of only 300 ever produced, was discovered by the seller in a box of forgotten possessions passed down to her as inheritance upon the death of her uncle. Thought to be worthless until the Rolex name was spotted on the dial, the anonymous new owner took the item to a local jeweler who advised her on the incredible rarity of the wristwatch.
Being in an un-restored state and showing patina thanks to the 67 years that have passed, there is little doubt as to why this watch has fetched such a high price since very few timepieces of this kind have survived over the years.
