13-6-2018
Phillips will auction a Rolex Submariner reference 5513(photo1) owned and worn by Hollywood star Steve McQueen in New York on 25 October which the wristwatch was once presumed dead.
McQueen gave the Submariner to his stunt double, Loren Janes who had worked with him from the production of TV Series Wanted: Dead or Alive in 1958 to 19 movies including Bullitt, The Getaway and The Thomas Crown Affair the next two decades. Janes performed some of McQueen's most memorable stunts(photo 2). The timepiece is a gift which engraved ‘Loren, the best damn stuntman in the world. Steve’(photo1) at the case back to show his gratitude for Janes' work and friendship. “With the case back engraving, it becomes that one-in-a-billion watch, and that makes it a trophy piece,” said Paul Boutros, head of Americas for watches at Phillips auction house.
Another Rolex watch owned by McQueen was hammered at US$234,000 at an Antiquorum auction in 2009. The 5133 is expected to do well at the October auction.
← Back