I mpressionist and Modern Art
Paris, France
2-3 July 2008, Sotheby’s Paris
www.sothebys.com
Art Moderne
Monaco
3 July 2008, Tajan – Café de Paris, Monaco
www.tajan.com
Vintage sports cars and race cars
Salzburg, Austria
26 July 2008, Dorotheum
Gröbming/Styria
www.dorotheum.com
Old Master & British Pictures
London, England
9 July 2008, Christie’s King
Street
www.christies.com
Rare and Fine Wine
London, England
9 July 2008, Bonhams New
Bond Street
www.bonhams.com
Rock & Pop Memorabilia
London, England
10 July 2008, Christie’s South Kensington
www.christies.com
F1 Memorabilia, Automobilia and Models
Chichester, England
Goodwood Festival of Speed
11 July 2008, Bonhams, Chichester
www.bonhams.com
Chinese Ceramics
and Works of Art
London, England
16 July 2008, Bonhams, The Signet Library
www.bonhams.com
The James Brown Sale
New York, USA
17 July 2008, Christie’s Rockefeller
Center
www.christies.com
Scottish Contemporary Art
Edinburgh, Scotland
20 August 2008, Lyon &
Turnbull, Edinburgh
www.lyonandturnbull.com
THE ROLEX SEA-DWELLER DEEPSEA
As a business model, Rolex can’t be beaten:
it makes more than 100,000 watches a year,
but most folks consider it to be the epitome
of exclusivity; it has a reputation for high-end
watchmaking but produces nothing more
complex than a chronograph; and pre-owned
rare models often cost more than new ones.
No wonder all eyes are on the Sea-Dweller
Deepsea, the latest incarnation of a watch that
first appeared in 1967 with an unprecedented
2,000ft depth rating. Essentially a beefed-up
version of the Submariner introduced in 1953,
the Sea-Dweller was further upgraded in 1978.
The 1978 model could survive 4,000ft depths,
thanks to a stronger case, thicker crystal and a
helium gas escape valve.
The new Deepsea version, however, blows
all predecessors out of the water: measuring
1.7cm from top to caseback, the massive case
has a patented ‘Ringlock’ system, the famous
gas escape valve and crystal that enables
the watch to withstand the pressure found at
an astonishing 12,800ft. That’s almost 4km
– or, more than five times the record for the
deepest-ever dive.
If the new DeepSea model holds any
appeal for you, there are some very good
reasons for buying one. Firstly, it is sure to be
a superbly tough, superbly reliable wristwatch
that, with the occasional service, will probably
out-last its wearer. Secondly, if you can get
hold of one there’s a good chance that you’ll
be able to turn a profit on the €6,000 price,
because some retailers are already reporting a
five-year waiting list. Thirdly, if you do buy one,
wear it every day for 10 years and then find
yourself short of cash, it’s historically likely that
your Deepsea will get you out of trouble.
The reason for this latter assumption is that,
in recent years, demand for pre-owned Rolex
sports models has sky-rocketed, to the extent
that a 1983 Submariner bearing the logo of
the COMEX dive company sold at Bonhams
auction house last year for £72,000. The
original price? £500.
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