Auction Alert Rolex 6062 ‘The Sock’: Best star dial in the world
Fine WatchesCollector's InsightI think it is fair to say that I have written more about the 6062 Rolex, than any other watch publication on this planet.
Without exaggerating – I have held some of the best 6062 in my hand. I have studied them carefully over the years and I can safely say the following: This is the best star dial Rolex 6062 I have ever seen.
And it is coming back to auction market after 7 years.
I remember when this ‘sock’ Rolex 6062 star dial was sold, like yesterday.
The year was 2011, and I had just started following the vintage watch market. Aurel Bacs, who was heading the watch department at Christies, was explaining how the owner had stored this watch in a sock, and had completely forgotten about it. As a result this watch is in NOS condition, like new and unworn. The watch even carried the original Rolex strap (please remember we are talking about a watch that is from 1952!).
The watch then sold for a world record USD 542’000.
As the years passed by I always wondered when a truly remarkable watch like that would appear again on the market.
Every time a trophy Rolex watch would come to the auction market, I would compare it to the ‘sock’ Rolex that was like new condition. Sadly most watches I would study never lived up to that dream watch. I was always disappointed. No watch that ever came to the market seemed to live up to this exceptional 6062 Rolex that spent it’s entire life in a sock.
This past weekend while in Geneva, I was browsing the Christies watches to be sold in NY on display, when an odd color looking case Rolex watch caught my eye.
I knew it was a star dial – which is the most sought after version of the 6062 (for variation in dials see our post here), but the case seemed to be in steel and the stars were in gold. I thought this could not be a correct watch – as I had never seen a steel watch with star numerals before. I was so confused that I asked to take a closer look at this bizarre color cased 6062.
When I viewed the watch closer I realised that this watch was in fact gold not steel. The case was so heavily oxidised that it appeared to be in steel from far. I immediately knew that this could only be one particular and very rare watch.
The famous NOS Rolex 6062 star dial ‘sock’ example.
(Credit: Christies).
To say I was excited would be an understatement. I have been waiting seven long years for this watch to appear again. And now it was in front of me.
The watch department had clear instructions to leave the watch in the box, to carefully preserve its perfect and untouched condition. However given my passion for this reference, Christies (thank you Eliza) opened the box for me and I was allowed to admire the watch up close.
It is safe to say that the owner who bought it seven years ago put it in a vault and never wore it. The case was even more oxidised than back in 2011 (see picture below), and everything seemed the same as in 2011. The case now has turned almost black due to oxidation (which is why Christies names it ‘the dark star‘). To get an idea of just how much the case has oxidised look at the difference between the Rolex crown and the case in the picture below.
The only change between the watch now and back then was the new strap which was put on the watch (the old original one was probably removed due to restrictions on traveling with exotic leather but I assume it comes with the watch upon purchase).
Looking at the watch more closely – you can clearly see why it is the best star dial I have ever seen.
The case is untouched and dial is flawless. Look at the lume which is perfectly intact and the inky blue outer scale. In fact the dial is so flawless that you almost don’t even notice that this 6062 (like all 6062) is a two-tone watch with two different surface areas. Sharp lines for the calendar window of the day and month are further signs that this 6062 has never been touched or altered with.
The details on this 6062 match other examples I have studied. For example, as is often the case, when OCC is written below the moon (and not below the date window) you have the lume on the stars. When the OCC is written below the date you have it outside the stars like the in the original brochure below.
The movement like all 6062 was developed in house by Rolex called the Super balance cal 9.75 (655) and the dial was made Stern brothers (which made all star dials for Rolex).
This particular star dial 6062 is perhaps the most perfect example to study how a star dial must have looked when it left the Rolex factory over 65 years ago.
For more detailed info on the 6062 please study our owners guides and details of the 6062 here.
Putting the $1-2m estimate into context
For many years this ‘sock’ 6062 held the auction record – as it is simply the best example out there.
But in 2016 at the Phillips watches Milestone auction in HK, it was finally broken, not because of a better example (although it was an exceptional 6062 star dial as well), but rather an increase in Rolex values over the years. A 6062 star dial fetched slightly over $610k back in 2016. So the million dollar question on everybody’s mind is the following: What will this example – the best known 6062 star dial in the world fetch at auction?
Christies has put an official estimate of $1-2m on the watch, which might reflect the value, but I find the low estimate rather high. I have no doubt that this star dial can fetch over $1m including commission in the future – after all it is the best condition 6062 gold watch I have ever seen (the 6062 exists in steel and pink gold too both of which are rarer).
But as of right now, no 6062 stelline in gold has ever achieved more than $610k – so to put $1m as a low estimate is somewhat courageous (a better word might be audacious) from Christies in my opinion.
However, perhaps in the context of other 6062, the estimate for the sock 6062 star dial is not completely out of hand. Black dial 6062 fetch easily more than one million (but they infinitely more rare), and pink gold 6062 in perfect condition can fetch $1m-1.5m easily, several in the past have done so.
I am only left wondering if a slightly lower estimate of $800’000 -1.6m would have attracted more initial bidders, which would have then increased the probability perhaps of the best possible bid. At any rate, I have no doubt that this will easily break (by far!) world record for a gold star dial example which is set at, give or take, $610’000.
I repeat once more: It is THE BEST 6062 star dial to ever appear at auction in my view. This is my definition of a trophy Rolex watch.
Closing thoughts
Having seen this 6062 for the first time now in Geneva and holding it in my hands (see picture above), was a memorable and unforgettable experience. I literally have been dreaming about this example to reappear on the market for over seven years.
For me personally (because I love the 6062 so much), it is the most exciting Rolex to ever appear on the market in my collecting experience – next to the Bao dai 6062.
It will be test of just how strong the vintage market for Rolex is right now. A NOS Rolex star dial that is over 65 years old and spent most of its life in a sock and safe. What value does one put on this? We will find out soon at Christies watches auction in New York on December 6th, when this watch will be auctioned.
At that time it will become clear if this watch is able to join the other dozen or so Rolex trophy watches that have all fetched $1m or more.
For more information on the 6062 collectors can browse the following posts:
