'Holy grail' of vintage Rolex watches once owned by Mansfield miner could sell for £200k - Nottinghamshire Live

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A rare Rolex watch once owned by a Mansfield miner could fetch more than £200,000 when it goes up for sale at an auction.

The Rolex Submariner 5512, with an "exceptionally rare" 3-6-9 dial, was bought by its original owner - a medical attendant at Shirebrook Colliery - for just £70 in 1964.

The mineworker bought the watch to celebrate his 40th birthday and now, more than 55 years on, it is being sold by his daughter and son-in-law.

The anonymous couple, who also live in Mansfield, are auctioning off the rare jewellery at the Gardiner Houlgate auction in Wiltshire next month and it is expected to raise a fortune.

The watch, with the 'Explorer 3-6-9' dial, was only produced for a short period in the early 1960s.

Very few survive with their original dial because when they were returned to Rolex for servicing, the dial was regularly replaced with a new one.

David Hare, director and auctioneer at Gardiner Houlgate, said: “This is the holy grail of vintage watches.

"There are so few of these left in their original condition that they command very high prices and are sought after by collectors all over the world.

"This particular watch has a version of the dial that experts call a ‘Crown-62’ variation, which makes it even rarer.

"When we sold a similar Rolex in 2016 it went for £192,000."

A close-up of the Rolex watch once owned by a Mansfield mineworker which could be worth more than £200,000. (Image: Gardiner Houlgate)

The original owner’s son-in-law said: "We’re still in a state of disbelief about the potential value of this watch.

"Things like this just don’t happen to us. Having worked all our lives to be able to enjoy retirement, this will give my wife and I the added financial security we’ve dreamt of.

"I imagine you’d feel like this if you had a big win on the premium bonds."

The original owner was born in London but moved to Mansfield during the Second World War to work in the mines as part of the then government’s ‘Bevin Boys’ conscription programme.

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After a spell as a driver for East Midlands buses, he returned to the mines as a medical attendant. He died in 1995.

The Rolex was bought from Watches of Switzerland in London. It retains its original boxes, guarantee and service booklet.

The Rolex Submariner 5512 will be auctioned on Wednesday, October 21 at Gardiner Houlgate.

It will be available for public viewing from between Monday, October 19 and Wednesday, October 21.

The Link Lonk


September 29, 2020 at 06:18PM
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'Holy grail' of vintage Rolex watches once owned by Mansfield miner could sell for £200k - Nottinghamshire Live

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