A 1953 stainless steel and diamond-set automatic triple calendar Rolex reference 8171 “Padellone” with moon phases and two-toned silvered dial sold for the record-breaking $1.14 million at Christie's few days ago. Here is a portion of the press release:
Image via Hodinkee
Christie’s New York saw a successful finale to the 2013 Watches auction season on December 17, with a 365-lot auction of Important Watches, which achieved a total of $12,926,175 and selling 91% by lot and 95% by value. The top lot of the sale was an exceptional Rolex, Stainless Steel Reference 8171 “Padellone,” which sold for $1,145,000, quadrupling its pre-sale estimate of $250,000 – 350,000 after a fierce bidding war that spanned across four countries and establishing a new world auction record for a Rolex Reference 8171.