First Rolex Worn on the Moon Set to Break Records at Heritage Auction

The first Rolex ever worn on the moon is heading to auction, marking only the second time a lunar Rolex has come up for public sale. This particular timepiece, a Rolex GMT-Master 1675 “Pepsi” model, was worn by astronaut Edgar Mitchell during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. It is considered historically significant not only for being a Rolex worn during a moon landing mission but also for its status as the first automatic watch to be on the lunar surface.

Mitchell’s Rolex was worn as a backup to the Omega Speedmaster, which was NASA’s officially sanctioned chronometer for space missions at the time. The GMT-Master was used by Mitchell as he spent over nine hours walking on the moon’s surface, contributing to the mission’s objective of collecting lunar samples and conducting experiments on the moon’s surface. This makes it an artifact with unique provenance and extraordinary appeal for collectors and enthusiasts of both horology and space exploration.

The auction, conducted by Heritage Auctions, is expected to draw significant interest and achieve a record price, given the historical relevance and rarity of the piece. In a previous Heritage auction, another lunar Rolex—belonging to Apollo 17 Command Module Pilot Ron Evans—sold for $131,450. This watch’s inclusion in the auction catalog is part of a broader trend that sees space-flown artifacts, like lunar maps and mission patches, fetching double or triple their estimated prices, highlighting the persistent allure of space exploration memorabilia.

In addition to its lunar heritage, this Rolex GMT-Master is accompanied by a variety of associated items that make the offering even more compelling. These include Mitchell’s flight jacket, his aviator’s flight logbook, and a schedule outlining his specific role in the mission. The collection also includes a piece of gold foil from the “Kitty Hawk” spacecraft, making it a comprehensive package that extends beyond the timepiece itself and into the broader context of the Apollo program’s legacy.

Given its unique history and the collector frenzy surrounding space memorabilia, this auction is expected to be a landmark event. For those fascinated by both watches and space history, owning such a timepiece represents a rare opportunity to acquire a tangible connection to one of humanity’s greatest achievements—landing on the moon.