Britain has a storied history of military watchmaking with names like Vertex and Timor at the helm. However, the British forces know when a timepiece is too good to pass up on and so in the 70s it issued the Rolex Military Submariner (aka MilSub) to some Royal Engineers. One of which has resurfaced ahead of the Fellows luxury watch auction on August 16th.
This specific MilSub, one of around 1,200 made, was owned by a diver called Peter Melhuish, who received the watch from the Royal Engineers in 1980. He wore the watch throughout the 80s, including on several notable dives such as the raising of the Mary Rose in 1982. As part of the provenance of the watch, Melhuish’s diving logbook is also included in the lot.
The watch is in good condition with the automatic movement still functional, having spent the last five years unworn and tucked away safely. It is presented on a dark green NATO style strap, although there is evidence that it was once on a bracelet.
It’s lot 148 and is expected to fetch between £18,000 and £26,000 when it’s sold by Fellows, but I’d take that with a pinch of salt considering that a MilSub sold for £174,800 in a similar Fellows auction in 2020.
More details at Fellows.
