One million for a watch seems a bit absurd to me. But there’s plenty of rich people that won’t give the cost a second thought.
It’s an interesting historical artifact. They need to wind it up first and prove it still runs before I’d buy it. 
I’d buy the Eisenhower painting if I could choose one of those auction items. A painting reflects something he put time and energy into creating. Probably his way of relaxing.
If you’re into that sort of thing, owning DDE’s watch would be a great addition to your collection. Not my style though, and I’m told I already have too many watches.
I don’t think that watch is the “most important Rolex watch ever made” - not by a long shot.
While I consider myself a horologist - I am by know means an expert on Rolex, but at first glance it looks like the watch was just one in a series of watches given BY THE COMPANY to him. Granted it was the 150,000 - and while watch sellers try and make those thing seem important - they aren’t as big a deal as they make it out to be.
This Rolex sold for 1.2 million and is of course extremely rare.
This watch by Kennedy:
http://www.omegawatches.com/news/international-news/international-news-detail/575
Sold for $350,000 - was worn during his inauguration.
Maybe it will go for a million - some of those watch people are crazy - and there is a fairly big scandal of watch companies buying their own watches (sometimes without saying who the bidder was) to make the watches get good press.
Having a famous owner always helps, but in my mind a watch given to someone famous by the company for PR purposes is worth less than one naturally acquired.
Obama used to wear a Tag and then he was given a watch by his secret service detail. It used to be like $150, but last time I checked the company was getting close to $400 for copies of it (which weren’t the same as his was a white label version available for agents to purchase through secret service gift shop). I have probably seen him with that watch 20+ times - and haven’t seen him with any others so far (although sometimes I can’t tell for sure which watch he is wearing).
Clinton has some REALLY nice watches that will go for big bucks one day.
I’m going to guess $475,000 - but all it takes is two people with too much money.
DataX would running condition make it more valuable? Would the seller spend $30 to get the movement professionally cleaned and oiled before auctioning it? I bet it still would keep great time. 65 years is nothing for a quality watch. Hundred-twenty year old railroad pocket watches are still running and accurate.
I didn’t catch the part where it said it wasn’t running.
I would be shocked if they sold it not running. You wouldn’t send it to some local watch person - it would be sent to Rolex in Switzerland to be fixed - or they would do it in house.
Any real watch such at Omega, Rolex, Patek can be sent back to the factory for an overhaul. They take the watch apart and oil, clean, and replace any parts that need to be replaced. Again - I am no expert on Rolex, but my understanding is they keep most parts for at least 25 years .
Unless I am missing something - there is nothing complicated about that watch. It could be sent back and made to look like new. You’d get a new dial, new hands, they’d polish the gold and it would be sent back.
Of course since this has historical value - they would send instructions saying “don’t replace the dial” or stuff like that. All the details on how they handle the historical pieces - I am not sure, but if that was your grandfathers watch - it would end up costing you about 10% of the watch - and you’d get a bag back with all the parts in it that the replaced (except I think Rolex has a policy on not doing with that dials - not sure).
People that auction of Pateks and such often even leave it in the sort of sealed plastic container they get it container - that way the person buying it knows it is in tip top shape.
It doesn’t appear that they made much of an effort to improve the appearance of the outside - so I don’t really know what they are doing with it (of course it may have looked much worse before). Some people are real anal about having as many real original parts as possible. They seem to be less concerned about things inside the watch.
Usually - if you look at a watch auction catalog it will be graded on stuff like the case, dial, movement and such. And people would bid accordingly.
Minimum of $1000. for Rolex to recondition the watch. That’s before parts.
Thanks. They didn’t mention the condition of the watch. I know my old ones that have been in the drawer for 20 years probably needs cleaning and oil before using. The old oil gums up the works.
Hadn’t thought about fears of handing a historical watch to a local watch repairman. I can see why people would spend the money to let Rolex do it.
I’ve wondered how much longer watch repairman will be around. The digital watches took over 30 years ago. There’s not a lot of need for local watch repair anymore. Just older folks like me that still have watches from high school and college. I got my first digital in 91? or 92? late to the party.
When I had my GMT Master II overhauled, I think it cost $800 including parts. I don’t remember how much the overhaul on the non-date Submariner cost, but I think it it was between $500 and $700. In both cases the hands were replaced; the Sub got a new dial, and the GMT II gor a new bezel. Actually, it’s about time to get the Sub overhauled again.
I just recalled a Pawn Stars episode. This guy proudly brings in his blinged out Rolex.18k gold watch band. He had the dial face replaced with a jeweled dial. Pimped out to the max.
Should have seen the crestfallen look on the guy’s face when Rick told him he’d ruined the value. I can’t recall what Rick offered, but he did comment the guy had lost half the watch’s value.
President Dwight Eisenhower’s Rolex Watch up for auction. May get 1 million bucks.
The bucks have to stop somewhere…