Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner, 1959
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner, 1959
Sold for: £17,100 + fees
Estimate: £8,000 - £10,000 + fees
Rolex, an Oyster Perpetual Submariner, 100m – 330ft, gentleman’s stainless steel wristwatch, circa 1959 with tropic dial and hands, fitted with steel and early jubilee bracelet, model number 6536-1, case number 399410, bezel believed to have been replaced 30 years ago.
History: this watch was used in a Rolex advertising portfolio c1960. It is one of two submariner wristwatches given to Stanley Sayer by Rolex and has been in the family ever since. Stanley Sayer was a film cameraman working for Technicolour, he set up a special effects company and also worked on several film sets, including Superman and Star Wars. He was a keen diver and inventor of the minisub.
Around 1959, Rolex were interested in using Stanley and his machine in their advertising portfolio and took a number of photos of him in action wearing one of their watches for publication. In payment for his services, he was invited to keep the watch that he wore in a press shoot (this watch, lot 212) and also given a second submariner, which he gave to his son in 1961.
He wore the watch daily until he passed away in April 2000. The watches have been consigned by his son.