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The Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster Could Sell For $1.3 Million at Sotheby’s Geneva Auction October 13, 2025 (0 comments)
GENEVA, Switzerland--The Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster is credited with reshaping the cultural reference of the wristwatch and propelling Rolex into its status as one of the world’s most prestigious brands, according to a story on Forbes.
The Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster will appear at auction for the first time in 25 years as part of Sotheby’s Important Watches sale at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva on November 9. Its estimate is more than $1 million Swiss francs ($1.3 million).
[The Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster. Photo credit: Sotheby's]
The Rolex Oyster, the first practical solution to a waterproof wristwatch, was made famous by British endurance swimmer Mercedes Gleitze (1900-1981) when she wore one of the first models ever created during her second attempt to successfully swim across the English Channel. The October 1927 feat became known as her “vindication swim.”
Gleitze wore the Rolex watch around her neck attached by a ribbon. This meant the watch was submerged during her entire swim in the English Channel.
Read more on Forbes.com