LUXURY WATCH: THE BAO DAI ROLEX
A watch owned by the last emperor of Vietnam, at one time the priciest Rolex ever sold at auction, is poised to repeat the trick.
IN 1954, BAO DAI, the last emperor of Vietnam, was in Geneva for peace talks when he excused himself to do a little watch shopping. The “Keeper of Greatness” selected a timepiece that lived up to his name—the most complicated Rolex made, a 6062 Oyster with a triple calendar and a moon phase. The most expensive watch for sale at the time—it cost more than $900, or $8,300 today—the Rolex was one of three that came with a black dial and diamond markers. (The other two feature six diamonds on odd numbers, but Bao Dai’s has five diamonds on even numbers, which meant the Rolex crown logo had to be shifted down.)
The timepiece has changed hands just once since then—in 2002, when it sold for $235,000, setting a thenrecord for the most expensive Rolex ever auctioned—and now Phillips will offer it for sale (along with some other rare Rolexes) in Geneva on May 13 and 14. Once again the watch is expected to set a record for a Rolex at auction, with a very conservative presale estimate of $1.5 million. This is “Rolex’s ultimate rarity in terms of complications,” says Paul Boutros, head of watches for the Americas at Phillips. “But it’s one of the most valuable timepieces ever produced, regardless of the brand.” Given its provenance, it will surely fetch an emperor’s ransom.