The Watch of Apollo 14 Astronaut Who Visited the Moon in 1971, Sold at Auction for Record $2.2 Million
The watch of NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who visited the Moon in 1971, was sold at an online auction. It fetched $2.2 million. This was reported by Space.com.
This accessory is the most expensive astronaut watch that has ever been auctioned, Space.com reports.
During missions to the moon, NASA issued Omega Speedmaster Professional watches to crew members, which were attached to the sticky parts of their spacesuits to be used in outer space.
In return, some Apollo astronauts took their personal watches on board the spacecraft, mostly covertly. Avid collectors have been able to spot these accessories in historical photographs and videos.
Edgar Mitchell became the sixth person in the history of mankind to walk on the surface of the Moon. However, it is not known whether the astronaut wore his Rolex when he took his historic steps on the Earth's satellite.
The company that organised the auction described Edgar Mitchell's Rolex GMT-Master as being in ‘excellent cosmetic condition, with light scratches and scuffs from use’.
An inscription is engraved on the case back: ‘Worn by Commander E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971. To Carleen, my daughter’.
The watch was sold together with a certificate of authenticity signed by the astronaut.
Before the sale, the auction organiser estimated that the final price of the watch would exceed $400,000.
The bidding started on 26 September and ended on 24 October - during this period, the organisers received more than 30 bids from people wishing to purchase the accessory.
In the end, the Apollo 14 astronaut's watch went under the hammer for almost $2.2 million. The accessory became the most expensive item the company has sold since its founding in 1976.
‘There is a huge appeal for watch collectors who don't necessarily collect things that have been in space.
Watch collectors appreciate the importance of reliable watches that were used in historic lunar missions,’ said Bobby Livingston, RR Auction's executive vice president of public relations.
As The Gaze previously reported, the famous Banana with a Ribbon will be sold at Sotheby's for $1.5 million after a European tour.