106th Auction
2022/5/21
Lot 534
RolexSingle Red Deep Sea - Jacques Piccard Edition
A diver's rare, attractive and heavy DLC-coated wristwatch with date, produced in a very small series of 86 pieces in total, this is no. 68 - with limited black dry box marked "Single Red Deepsea Jacques Piccard Edition No. 68/86", additional navy strap, limited edition certificate and screwdriver, original green Rolex box, Rolex leather card holder wallet, original guarantee card and operating instructions
Sold
In 1960, Swiss oceanographer and pioneer of deep-sea exploration Jacques Piccard (1922-2008) set a new world record with his deep-sea submarine Trieste. Piccard and Navy Lieutenant Donald Walsh descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench to 35,789 feet (10,908 metres). Attached to the outside of the submarine was a Rolex Deep Sea.
To mark this 50th anniversary, the "Rolex Deep Sea - Jacques Piccard Edition", also called the "Single Red Deep Sea", was created at the request of two passionate Rolex collectors. It was a special edition limited to 86 pieces, corresponding to Jacques Picard's attained age. It was sold out within a few weeks.
The project "Single Red Deep Sea" was realised by Philipp Stahl of Jeweller Steiner in Maastricht and Jerrel Manbodh of Manbodh Watches in The Hague. As passionate Rolex enthusiasts, they wanted to create a special, individual watch to honour the brand's tremendous legacy. As participants in the deepest dive in history, they considered the Rolex Deep Sea to be one of the most important developments in the history of the Submariner. The launch of the new Deep Sea edition in 2008 finally prompted the pair to create a unique customised timepiece: they provided the new Deep Sea Sea-Dweller, equipped with a revolutionary ringlock system, reference 116600, with a red dial print as a tribute to the history of the first red Submariner and Sea-Dweller models. Furthermore, they decorated the case back with an engraving of Jacques Piccard's deep sea bathyscaphe Trieste and the watch's limitation number. Finally, all stainless steel parts were coated with a scratch-resistant black DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating. The result is one of the most beautiful Rolex models, full of charisma and individuality.
This timepiece is also in almost mint condition and is being sold with extensive accessories - a unique opportunity to acquire one of the most attractive and rarest Rolex models.