The Rolex watch originally worn in 1927 by British long-distance swimmer, Mercedes Gleitze, went up for auction by Sotheby’s on November 9th, 2025.
The auction, aptly titled “Important Watches,” featured an array of historically significant pieces. But the watch hitting headlines is one that arguably made Rolex a household name.
In this blog, we will discuss the history of Mercedes Gleitze’s Rolex, and look at some other top-performers from the auction.
Mercedes Gletize’s Record-Breaking Rolex Precision
In 1927, Gleitze became the first British woman to complete a swim across the English Channel, wearing Rolex’s new Oyster Precision on a necklace around her neck.
After breaking the record in 15 hours and 15 minutes, the Rolex that Gleitze wore came out of the frigid water still keeping time perfectly. For a watch to remain under water for hours and come out running fine was virtually unheard of at the time, and drew major public attention.
But this publicity stunt was no accident, and was in fact a purposeful choice by Rolex’s founder, Hans Wilsdorf, who wanted to publicly test the waterproofness of his new Rolex.
This became a key moment in Rolex’s early marketing. It placed Rolex and their technology in headlines, popularized the brand for their reliability and cutting-edge technology.
Furthermore, this partnership solidified Mercedes Gleitze as Rolex's first ambassador, or “testimonee.
This watch took that plunge and was a success at auction, selling for $1.7 million.
Other Winners At Sotheby’s “Important Watches”
Alongside the headline-grabbing Mercedes Gleitze Rolex, Sotheby’s catalogue also included some heavy hitters from brands like Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Audemars Piguet.
Though the results of this lot are not publicly listed, the Cartier Shinto Shrine Gate Mystery Clock No. 6 undoubtedly sold for around $6 million dollars. It was part of famed photographer Gunter Sachs’s personal collection, and features an 8-day movement with a large rock crystal dial, diamond-set hands, and platinum and diamond-set roman numeral hour markers. The clock is all held up by stunning crystal and black enamel pillars, atop which sits a crystal Buddhist lion. This is the last of six produced in 1925, making it a part of a very limited production.
Another Cartier wildly outperformed expectations. The Rivière Panthère des Sables (ref. HPI00922) was a stunning piece, that at first glance does not look like a watch. The face of this piece features a stunning panther crafted from fossilized coral and diamonds, which opens up to reveal an actual watch dial hidden underneath a piece of art. The stunning nature of this piece is likely why it over quadrupled expectations, selling for just over $175,000!
An iconic limited edition pink gold Cartier Crash with burgundy hours performed extremely well at auction. This is an especially rare model from Hong Kong, with only 40 pieces produced in 1994. It is engraved with “1994 6,” marking it as the 6th of out of 40. The Cartier Crash is already a highly sought-after piece, and this watch's unique color-way makes it especially grail-worthy. It sold for $358,166, around $100,000 above expectations!
A vintage Rolex GMT Master II “Pegasus Overland Expedition” also over doubled its expected sale price, at $103,475. This vintage piece is from 1959, featuring a gilt black dial, chapter ring, and 'roulette' date. This model comes with papers, which also undoubtedly added to its value.
A Patek Philippe Calatrava (ref. 96) unexpectedly outperformed its highest estimated sale price by over 500%. This black dial stainless steel piece looks unassuming, but it is one of Patek’s most sought-after designs. It was passed down through a family within the Swiss watch industry, and is one of a few of the models that were produced in stainless steel at thetime, selling for $206,973.
A Vacheron Constantin (ref. 4072) also over quadrupled its expected sale price. Vacheron is a luxury watch brand loved by celebrities like Brad Pitt, who is often seen wearing different models of this watch. This vintage chronograph was produced in 1943, and is another rare stainless steel model. It sold for $175,117!
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