A prominent vintage watch dealer not usually known for hyperbole says he has a piece so important it probably belongs in the Rolex Museum. In a video published on Instagram on Sunday, Eric Wind said, “I am biased obviously because I'm offering it for sale, but I happen to think it's the best Rolex Explorer that exists on the planet today.” He is listing the watch for $350,000 on his website, and if one has ever sold for more, Coronet is not aware of it.
The watch is an early Rolex Explorer reference 6350 with its rare waffle dial. Its case appears to be unpolished, according to Mr. Wind. “This watch is arguably the greatest example of the reference 6350 in terms of its condition,” Mr. Wind said, also pointing to its unusually thick bezel, something often lost on vintage examples. Mr. Wind has run Wind Vintage for almost a decade and was previously a vice president and senior specialist at Christie’s.
The watch belonged to Hollywood actor Spencer Tracy, the first actor to win consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor. Mr. Tracy wore it in The Mountain (1956), playing a retired Alpine guide who agrees to climb a dangerous peak to stop his younger brother, played by Robert Wagner, from looting a plane crash. “It is possibly one of the earliest product placements of a Rolex in a film,” Mr. Wind said.
Mr. Tracy wore the watch for many years on a Rolex strap with a steel buckle. Mr. Wind has added a period-correct Rolex Oyster rivet bracelet dating to 1957, but said the original strap is included in the sale.