Ruggedness is a feature which is becoming more and more desirable in watches these days. Casio recently demonstrated the toughness of their G-Shock series by launching one into space. Victorinox have also produced a wide range of demonstrations of the toughness of their I.N.O.X series on their Facebook page.
But just as most of the toughest people don’t spend too much time bragging about their toughness, many of the toughest watches are just as unassuming! A Rolex watch demonstrated that perfectly very recently by surviving a cement mixer and coming back to break records at auction!
The Toughest Rolex Watch on Earth!
Rolex watches are hardly known for their toughness. In fact, many owners treat their Rolex watch with the kind of care they’d give to a newborn baby! Unfortunately for one owner, their watch was involved in the kind of accident that most Rolex owners have nightmares about.
The unfortunate owner from East Anglia had the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner watch on his wrist when it somehow slipped off and ended up falling into a cement mixer. For most watch owners, the story would not have a happy ending – watches and cement mixers aren’t exactly the best of friends! However, this lucky owner managed to retrieve the watch which was still in fantastic condition.
The owner, who decided to remain anonymous, will have been feeling even more lucky when the watch went up for auction last week. The watch is considered to be a “great rarity” and was initially tipped to sell for somewhere in the region of £8,000. This Rolex watch ended up selling for a much larger value than could possibly be anticipated – thanks, in part, to the watch being in such great condition! Another reason it is so valuable is that the orange numerals it features make it an incredibly rare find.
This Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner ended up selling for a whopping £230,000 – breaking a UK record. People travelled from as far away as the United States to try and get their hands on this incredible Rolex watch. Lockdales auctioneer Chris Elmy described the level of interest this watch had on the day of the auction: “When the lot went under the hammer, over 100 bidders took part online. There were 10 telephone lines booked, and the room bidders included some who had flown over from Italy, America and Holland.”
In the end the auction was won by an Italian who attended in person but wished to stay anonymous. While the winner may have been seen as the luckiest person in attendance, they’ll certainly not be feeling as lucky as the previous owner. Had the watch not been as tough as it was they’d currently not be looking forward to a cheque worth £230,000 but they’d be the not-so-proud owners of a bunch of Rolex spare parts! Have your watches survived such incredible falls in the past? If so, tell us more in the comments!
Images: Lockdales
