Revolution: The Evolution of the Role...

New York, Apr 17, 2008

LOT 245

The Rambo Daytona Rolex, "Oyster Cosmograph Daytona", Ref. 6263/6262. Made in the late 1970s. Very fine and very rare, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with black bezel, round-button chronograph, registers, tachometer and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet. Accompanied by a 3-page biography of Colonel ?Bo? Gritz.

USD 35,000 - 45,000

EUR 23,000 - 30,000

Sold: USD 57,600

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back, buttons and crown, Triplock winding crown, tachometer graduation on the bezel to 200 units per hour, case back engraved: COL BO GRITZ, OPN POW - MIA 1979 - 84. D. Bi-color matte silver and black with steel baton indexes and luminous dots, subsidiary black guilloché dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers. Luminous steel baton hands. M. Cal. 727, rhodium-plated, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 3 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3-10

Good

Patinated

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Atrue American hero, Colonel James ?Bo? Gritz was born on January 18, 1939 in Enid, Oklahoma and spent 22 years in the military, rising through the enlisted and officer ranks. He served as a Green Beret commander in Southeast Asia from 1964-1969 and was featured in General William Westmoreland?s memoir, ?A Soldier Reports?. During his tour of duty in Vietnam, Colonel Gritz was the Intelligence Officer and Reconnaissance Chief for Delta Force, and commanded the first guerrilla forces which expanded into a Mobile Strike Command of 3,000 mercenary and free world special operations forces. He was decorated 62 times for Valor; the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross are just two of the honors he received. After serving as a military attaché in China, and working in the Pentagon in various capacities, Colonel Gritz was asked by the Defense Intelligence Agency to go in search of U.S. POW?s in October, 1978, and became a Principal Agent for the NSC?s Intelligence Support Activity. As a result of his efforts to locate U.S. POW?s in Southeast Asia, Colonel Gritz is said to be the inspiration for the iconic character of John Rambo, a Vietnam veteran and soldier-offortune played by Sylvester Stallone, the latest film of which was released in January, 2008. Colonel Gritz?s adventures appear to have particularly informed the 1985 film ?Rambo: First Blood, Part II, recounting Rambo?s return to Vietnam to rescue a group of POW?s. The Rolex Daytona Ref. 6263 offered here is quite remarkable in that the case back is engraved: ?Colonel Bo Gritz, OPN POW-MIA (1979- 1984)?. It is conceivable that Colonel Gritz wore this watch while carrying out secret government missions. Even more remarkable is the fact that the watch has remained in such pristine condition. In conclusion, this Rolex Daytona is not simply a prized wristwatch, but indeed, a small piece of modern American history and a symbol of true heroism.