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Steve McQueen's Rolex sells for $234,000

June 15, 2009
Lot 416, Steve McQueen's Rolex Ref. 5512 "Oyster Perpetual Submariner" was one of the featured items in Antiquorum's summer auction held in New York City.

New York--Watches and memorabilia from the late Steve McQueen, the legendary actor who rose to fame during the 1960s in films such as Bullitt and The Great Escape, were among the pieces that inspired frantic bidding at Antiquorum's summer auction in New York City.

The June 11 auction brought in a total of $5,706,324, with McQueen's own vintage Rolex, Ref. 5512, fetching an impressive $234,000--twenty times its estimate and a world record for that reference.

A total of 81 percent of the 416 timepieces in the summer auction were sold by lot and 122 percent were sold by value. Bids came in from across the globe, including from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Italy, Germany, France and Romania. In addition to the telephone, room and commission bidders, 478 bidders competed via the Internet.

Among the additional McQueen pieces featured in the sale were the actor's Scott Super Squirrel motorcycle painted by Von Dutch, which sold for $276,000, double its estimate, and the Heuer "Monaco" he wore in the 1971 racing film Le Mans, which sold for a world record $87,600.

"Today's auction is clear confirmation that in the current market, collectors are looking for horological rarities with noteworthy provenance, such as Steve McQueen's Rolex and Heuer," Antiquorum President and Chief Executive Officer Evan Zimmermann said in a media release. "The excitement that we saw in the auction room was reflective of the desire collectors have for exceptional watches that truly stand the test of time and offer sound investment opportunities."

Other watches that fared well in the sale included Patek Philippe's rose gold Ref. 5004 and pink gold Ref. 5970, which sold for $252,000 and $132,000, respectively, as well as Patek's "Limited Edition Annual Calendar with Silicon Escape Wheel," Ref. 5250G, which fetched a record $138,000.

Rolex's "Double Red Sea Dweller," retailed by Cartier, sold for $91,200, and Ref. 6239, a stainless steel "Paul Newman Daytona" attained $84,000, while the "Pro-Hunter Black-Carbon Daytona" sold for $42,000.

Other high-grade luxury watches that did well included A. Lange and Sohne's "Pour Le Merite," which sold for $156,000, and Jaeger-LeCoulte's "Platinum Master Minute Repeater," which sold for $126,000.
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