The Historic Rolex “Gleitze” And Other Ultra-Rarities Are Destined to Fetch Staggering Bids Next Month

Up for bids at Sotheby’s Important Watches auction on November 9th 2025, Mercedes Gleitze’s Rolex Oyster played a pivotal role in establishing the Rolex legend.

The British long-distance swimmer wore the newly launched Rolex Oyster on a ribbon around her neck during her 1927 English Channel swim, becoming the first Englishwoman to achieve the feat and Rolex’s first official testimonee.

Housed in a 27mm gold octagonal case with a milled bezel and wire lugs, Gleitze’s watch features Arabic numerals and small seconds on a pink dial. Its caseback bears the engraving:
“Miss M. Gleitze. The Companion ‘Oyster’. Vindication Channel Swim. October 21st. 1927.”

Most significantly, this historic timepiece incorporated the newly patented screw-down crown system—Rolex’s founders Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis had just filed for the patents for a sealed waterproof case and screw-down crown system in 1926, which they incorporated into the Rolex Oyster that they unveiled in 1926. With an unprecedented 30m water resistance, the Gleitze swim became their ultimate “proof is in the pudding” moment.

However, this heavily publicized athletic triumph was not without controversy. It was called the “Vindication Swim” because Gleitze’s initial attempt, on October 7th 1927, was challenged by a rival’s false claim that Gleitze wasn’t the first. On her second attempt, on October 21st, hazardous conditions forced her to abandon the swim after ten and a half grueling hours. Nevertheless, the Channel Swimming Association voted to uphold her initial record, recognizing her as the first British woman to swim across the Channel.

At a time when the world was still transitioning from pocket watches to wristwatches, Gleitze’s headline-making feat played a crucial role in cementing Rolex’s reputation for reliability and innovation. Her Rolex is also a very rare early example of the Oyster case produced before its patent was officially granted in June 1927.

Less than a fortnight from now, Sotheby’s Important Watches auction in Geneva marks the first time in 25 years that Gleitze’s Rolex Oyster has surfaced on the market.

“Since this watch holds so much historical significance, and was the watch that pioneered Rolex’s waterproof technology, I expect that it will exceed its USD 1.3 million estimate,” shares Robertino Altieri, CEO of WatchGuys.com.

“When you’re purchasing a Rolex owned by a legend, you’re buying a piece of history—and, for wealthy watch collectors, this is priceless. Paul Newman’s Daytona (which sold at a 2017 auction for USD 17.8 million) popularized the Rolex Daytona, but Mercedes Gleitze is credited for popularizing the Rolex brand as a whole… The rich history behind this nearly century-old Rolex is precisely why this watch will sell in the 7-digits, and why I suspect that it will sell for over USD 2 million.”

Several other Rolexes up for bids at this auction are likely to surpass expectations too, because of their rare dials. These include a gold Day-Date 18039 with blood stone dial, a Day-Date ‘Arabic Calendar’ 18038 with champagne diamond-set dial, a Daytona 116589SACI with factory-set diamond and sapphire dial, a Daytona “Big Red” 6263 with the discontinued big red ‘Daytona’ logo, and a Milgauss 6541 with tropical honeycomb dial.

Among the auction’s 14 Cartier lots, Altieri expects the one-of-40 Cartier Crash 1994 from Hong Kong, the auction’s titular one-of-six enameled and diamond-set Cartier Shinto Shrine Gate Mystery Clock, and the diamond-set Cartier Tourbillon et Crocodile to shine the brightest. And among the Patek Philippe watches up for bids, Altieri notes that high complications like the ultra-thin 3940P Perpetual Calendar Moonphase have a track record of doing outstandingly well. However, he is skeptical about the Daniel Roth, Franck Muller, Montblanc, and Panerai watches going under the hammer, as these brands haven’t experienced high demand at recent auctions.