Editor’s pick — Accessory quick take: key highlight (movement/specs for watches, materials/finish, limited run, pricing tier) in 1–2 lines.
For the first time in twenty-five years, the Rolex Oyster worn by Mercedes Gleitze on her 1927 “Vindication Swim” will resurface this November, coming up for auction at Sotheby’s Important Watches Live Sale. The tale of that crossing has become a watchmaking legend, but the watch itself—the very Oyster she wore on a ribbon around her neck—has been rarely seen.
Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Earlier that month, on October 7, 1927, Gleitze became the first British woman to swim the English Channel, completing the feat in fifteen hours and fifteen minutes. Just days later, another swimmer falsely claimed the same achievement, raising doubts about Gleitze’s success.
Even after the rival admitted it was a hoax, Gleitze had already agreed to defend her record with a second attempt. On October 21, she set off again in deteriorating conditions, on what became known as the “Vindication Swim,” and was forced to abandon the effort after more than ten hours in the icy Channel. What endured was the watch—and the legacy.
Mercedes Gleitze was photographed on October 11, 1927, four days after she became the first woman to swim the English Channel. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
The Oyster kept ticking and kept the water out, offering Rolex the ultimate proof that its waterproof case worked exactly as promised. I’ve always believed that the best form of marketing is the product itself, and that remains as true today as it was a century ago. Rolex needed no gimmick as they ran an ad in the Daily Mail just weeks later, declaring “the watch that defied the Channel.”
Mercedes Gleitze in the middle of the Vindication Swim. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Mercedes Gleitze in the middle of the Vindication Swim. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Gleitze went on to become Rolex’s first testimonee, decades before the idea of a “brand ambassador” existed. She continued to wear her Oyster for the rest of her life, and the brand never forgot the role she played in establishing its reputation. Nearly a century later, the swimmer and the watch are remembered together—synonymous with the very idea of the Rolex Oyster. And now, with one of the most storied watches in Rolex history set to appear, it will be fascinating to see where the hammer falls.
Mercedes Gleitze ends her Vindication Swim in the Channel on 21 October 1927 after 10h24mins. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
This historic Oyster will return to public view on November 9, when it is offered in Geneva at Sotheby’s Important Watches Live Sale. For more information, click here.
Source: www.hodinkee.com — original article published 2025-10-03 08:01:00.
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