London – Bonhams New Bond Street Fine Watches sale yesterday 21 June 2023, saw a rare and highly sought-after Rolex Military Submariner, reference 5513, stainless steel automatic wristwatch, circa 1975 lead the sale to achieve double its pre-sale estimate. The rare timepiece was issued to the Royal Navy and featured a black dial with luminous dot hour markers and Sword hands with Tritium luminosity. The Rolex 5513 was a direct order for the British military through the Ministry of Defence and made with specific enhancements, setting it apart from the civilian equivalent. The exceptional watch achieved £190,900.

Another standout lot was the rare Patek Philippe platinum perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phase, reference 5951P, circa 2012, featuring a platinum cushion case, black dial, silvered subsidiary dials, and red chronograph hands complimented by the red stitching of the leather strap. This model was launched at Baselworld in 2010 and was in production for just 7 years. It is believed that as few as 10 were made with this dial variation. The timepiece achieved £279,800.

The 105-lot sale made a total of £2,132,638 with 91% sold by value.

Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams Global Head of Watches, commented: "We are thrilled to see the outcome of the Bonhams New Bond Street Fine Watches sale which delivered strong results across the multi-faceted selection of lots from the Rolex Submariner reference 5513 'Blow Up' watch, to the exceptional Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch. The sale indicates a buoyant and selective market with buyers continuing to demand quality and rare items."

Other notable sale lots included:

• A watch that has been sought over the years with many regarding it as one of the most coveted watches seen on the silver screen – the Rolex Reference 5513 Submariner, circa 1966, worn by Vanessa Redgrave in the cult 1960s film 'Blow Up' achieved £25,600, surpassing its pre-sale estimate.

• A Patek Philippe, 18K white gold automatic wristwatch with world time indication and polychrome cloisonné enamel, circa 2010 achieved £89,300.

• A Richard Mille fine and rare limited edition 18K white gold, Monsoon Cup, reference RM005 AF WG, automatic calendar wristwatch, circa 2010. The timepiece achieved £82,950, above its pre-sale estimate.

• A Rolex Day-Date, reference 1803, 18K gold automatic calendar bracelet watch with stella dial, circa 1977 achieved £70,250, above its pre-sale estimate.