Keeping tabs on local upcoming auctions is always a joy, since finding real gems feels so uch more satisfying than, let’s say, browsing through the next Antiquorum event. Not only that, but you can also make some damn good deals if you’re persistent enough. As when you find rarities on Craigslist, there’s this fuzzy feeling of achievement that you went out of your way. A friend of mine recently notified us about one such find at a local firm just around the corner from JamesList HQ. It’s a fantastic Rolex Submariner ref 5512 from 1959, on what looks like a Hirsch Liberty strap that ended up selling for almost €17,000. So what’s the fuzz? It’s a well-known fact that fans of tool watches will pony up a lot more of their grail has actually been used a famous mission or by a celebrity – just remember the Comex divers or the obscene amount of money Steve McQueen’s Submariner sold for. While this Submariner’s wearer wasn’t quite as renowned as McQueen, it still has a fascinating story if you’re a fan of marine life in general.
It was owned by Per Edvin Fälting, head diver at the Vasa salvation in 1961 (pictured below). Vasa had lay on the ocean floor for over three centuries after its less-than-successful maiden voyage in 1628 (it made it not even a nautical mile before tipping over). After the valuable bronze cannons had been salvaged during the same century, the world stopped caring before she was rediscovered in the 1950s by amateur archaeologist Anders Franzén. To history nerds like me, there’s something spooky with this massive warship being untouched just nearby my country’s capital for centuries. Today, you can take a look at the restored wreckage at a local museum nearby which has grown to become one of Sweden’s most popular tourist spots.
But, thanks to our awful disease, we’re more interested in the watch than the ship anyway. Even compared to most 1950s era Submariners, it’s in great condition, and according to us, could’ve sold for a higher price if the story had been publicized more widely. Regardless, a great find that deserves to be locked away in a safe somewhere.
