A rare Rolex GMT-Master worn by Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14.
Photo: Courtesy of RR auction
Auction of the Week: Ultra-Rare Rolex Worn on Moon by Apollo 14 Astronaut Smashes Record
Originally belonging to the late astronaut Edgar Mitchell, the watch sold for a whopping $2.2 million this week
A rare Rolex GMT-Master worn by Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14. Photo: RR Auctions
The personal GMT-Master chronometer worn by NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell on the 1971 Apollo 14 mission sold for $2,163,199 on Thursday October 24 at RR Auctions. There were more than 30 bids for the iconic timepiece across the Boston auction house’s space-themed sale, which ran online from September 26.
The moon-flown Rolex had an estimate of $400,000 before the sale, which had generated excitement in the weeks leading up. The sale serves as testament to the high demand for not only Rolex sportswatches, particularly the GMT versions, but also the allure of provenance and history when it comes to collectible items.
The handsome piece can be seen in the film footage of Mitchell suiting up prior to flight and in the onboard footage taken inside. It features a 26-jewel Oyster Perpetual Movement and a vibrant black dial, blue-and-red bezel, which is nicknamed the ‘Pepsi’ color scheme. The caseback is engraved, “Worn by Cdr. E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971, To Karlin—My Daughter.”
A rare Rolex GMT-Master worn by Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14. Photo: Courtesy of RR Auctions
Although all Apollo astronauts were issues Omega Speedmaster Pro watches during their voyages to the Moon, it is said that some preferred their Rolex chronometers. Mitchell was documented wearing both his GMT-Master and his Omega, as documented in the pre-flight images. As the NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster Pro chronographs remain property of the United States government, any other watch flown on an Apollo mission is incredibly rare, explaining the staggering price.
The bezel rotates so that the local time zone and Greenwich Mean Time can be simultaneously represented—Rolex collaborated with Pan American World Airways to create a system that allowed long-haul pilots could keep track of both local time and GMT, which was used for all aviation flight planning. The piece came with a certificate of authenticity signed by Mitchell, certifying that “the accompanying Rolex watch was worn by me during the Apollo 14 mission.”
A rare Rolex GMT-Master worn by Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14. Photo: Courtesy of RR Auctions
Cover: A rare Rolex GMT-Master worn by Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14.
Photo: Courtesy of RR auction
