Most people know that the Omega Speedmaster became the first watch worn on the Moon when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the lunar surface in 1969...
However, few know that several Rolex watches also made their way to the Moon. One of them is the Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675, worn by Edgar Mitchell during the Apollo 14 mission. The American astronaut spent nine hours walking on the Moon’s surface with this Rolex on his wrist. Now, this historically significant watch is up for auction, making it only the second Rolex worn on the Moon to be available to the public.
Mitchell’s Rolex, with its iconic red and blue “Pepsi” bezel, is truly special. It is the first automatic watch and the first Rolex ever worn on the Moon. Many photos and videos from the Apollo 14 mission show Mitchell with this watch on his wrist. The most famous photo shows the astronaut winding his Rolex before the flight. The back of the case is engraved with: “Worn by Cdr. E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971, To Karlin—My Daughter.”
Omega Speedmaster Pro watches were officially given to all Apollo astronauts, but Mitchell decided to wear his GMT-Master alongside the Omega on the Moon, which is confirmed by photos and footage from the pre-flight preparations. The only other Rolex worn on the Moon sold at auction belonged to astronaut Ron Evans from the Apollo 17 mission and was sold for $131,450 in 2009.
Mitchell’s Rolex is in perfect condition, with a beautiful patina and its original Rolex Steelinox bracelet with a fliplock clasp. Auction house RR Auctions is currently handling the sale, with the highest bid currently at $45,000, but the watch is expected to reach around $400,000, potentially setting a new record for the most expensive GMT-Master ever sold.
