Ultra-rare Rolex could fetch up to £120,000 at auction

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A Perthshire diving enthusiast, who wished to remain anonymous, took the government-issued Rolex 5513/5517 Military Submariner dive watch to Crieff-based antique dealer Nick Brewster, who said on “first sight of this exquisite watch, I felt that there was something about it”. The last original MilSub to reach the Bonhams London saleroom made £180,000, back in February.” It is thought between 1971 and 1979, only 1,200 of the watches were issued as standard basic equipment by the MoD, mainly for use by Navy submariners and their leading divers and mine-clearance personnel. “After a wee bit of research, I realised that it was an original Rolex MilSub, bar the missing bezel, one of the rarest and one of the most collectable watches today.” Auctioneers said the Rolex Military Submariner’s unique military-designated features of tritium “T” on the dial, sword hands, 60-minute bezel, fixed lug bars, nylon strap, non-reflective case and military engravings to its back set the MilSub apart from any other Rolex Submariner watch.