The watch described as the last unsold Rolex Deepsea Jacques Piccard Edition went to auction at Christie’s in Geneva on 16 November 2009. It was example 60/86, and a post-sale report recorded a result of CHF 40,000, or USD 39,526 as reported at the time. “Last” referred to the final example then being offered from an edition said to have sold out—not to its availability today.
What “last” meant in 2009
In an October 2009 preview, Monochrome described the 86-watch Jacques Piccard Edition as sold out and identified number 60/86 as the final one being offered for sale. That is a historical description of the edition’s remaining sale stock at the time. The available records do not establish whether the watch is for sale now or whether it remains the last example available.
Christie’s catalogued it as lot 343 in its Important Watches sale at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva on 16 November 2009. Monochrome’s October 2009 preview
What the watch sold for
Fratello Watches reported that the lot realized CHF 40,000, giving USD 39,526 as its reported dollar equivalent. These are historical reported sale figures, not a current currency conversion or estimate of the watch’s value today. No current valuation or later sale is established by the available records. Fratello’s post-sale report
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What lot 343 included
Christie’s described the watch as a 2009 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Deepsea Sea-Dweller, reference 116600, case number V279664. It had an automatic movement, date display, helium escape valve and a 43 mm case. The black dial carried red “Deepsea” lettering; the bracelet’s stainless-steel parts were DLC-coated, and the titanium screw back was engraved with a depiction of the bathyscaph Trieste.
The lot was accompanied by substantially more than the watch itself. Christie’s listed:
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
- A certificate dated 17 November 2009, international warranty and chronometer attestation, brochure, fitted presentation box and outer edition packaging.
- A 1961 copy of Jacques Piccard and Robert S. Dietz’s Seven Miles Down: The Story of the Bathyscaph Trieste, and a 1954 copy of Auguste Piccard’s Au Fond des Mers en Bathyscape.
- An autographed color photograph and a signed U.S. Navy Bathyscaph Trieste commemorative envelope, stamped at Agana, Guam, on 1 February 1960.
- A custom dry box, spare textile straps and a changing tool.
These are the contents recorded for this particular auction lot; they should not be assumed to accompany other examples of the edition. Christie’s lot 343 catalogue entry
Why it was called the Jacques Piccard Edition
Christie’s said that 60/86 referred to 1960, the year of Jacques Piccard’s memorable dive, and his age of 86. The Trieste engraving and the accompanying Piccard-related books and material reinforced that connection.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe edition’s name does not mean it was an official Rolex limited edition. Christie’s lot essay states that the customized edition was not affiliated with the Rolex organization. It also reproduces a statement by Philipp Stahl describing the project and saying that its international warranty would go through the project’s watch ateliers. This attribution matters: the catalogue’s description supports identifying the watch as a customized Deepsea, not as a Rolex-authorized commemorative release.
The auction’s connection to the Piccard family archives
Christie’s reproduced a statement from Bertrand Piccard, Jacques Piccard’s son, about the sale’s purpose: “The proceeds of the auction will allow my brother, sister and I to gather and maintain the archives of our father and grandfather.” The signed commemorative envelope and related material gave the lot a direct connection to that family-history project.
Rank #4
How to read the historical record
The auction record answers what this specific watch was and what it realized in 2009. It does not establish its current owner, present availability, later transfers or present-day market value. The price is best treated as a result from one historical sale, while “last” should be read in the narrower context of the edition’s reported 2009 sellout.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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