Rolex Worn on Apollo 14 Mission Sells for More Than $2M
The GMT-Master “Pepsi” that belonged to astronaut Edgar Mitchell is one of two Apollo-flown Rolex watches ever sold at auction.

The sale featured a collection of space-related items, including five watches that were either worn in space or commemorate an astronaut’s trip there.
A highlight of the auction was the late Edgar Mitchell’s Rolex GMT-Master “Pepsi” watch, which was estimated to sell for over $400,000.
The rare timepiece sold for $2.2 million.
It is the second Apollo-flown Rolex watch to ever be sold publicly. The first was astronaut Ron Evans’ Apollo 17 Rolex GMT-Master, which went to auction in 2009.

Along with being a flown artifact that was documented in pre-flight and in-flight footage of Mitchell, the watch is a family heirloom.
The caseback is engraved with, “Worn by Cdr. E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971, To Karlin—My Daughter.”
Mitchell’s Rolex features a 26-jewel Oyster Perpetual Movement, a black dial, a blue and red “Pepsi” color scheme on its rotating bezel, and a “Cyclops” magnifier over the date indicator.
“This Rolex GMT-Master isn’t just a watch—it’s a piece of space history, flown on one of humanity’s greatest adventures,” said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction.
“It represents both the precision of Rolex craftsmanship and the daring spirit of Apollo astronauts.”
A second watch worn by Mitchell went up for auction as well. His Bulova Astronaut Mark I watch with a custom “Houston” dial sold for $10,981, well above its estimate of $1,000 or more.
French cosmonaut Jean-Loup Chrétien’s Omega Speedmaster Pro “Moonwatch” also did well in the sale.

It sold for $106,409, more than three times its estimated sale price of $30,000 or more.
The watch was worn aboard the Argatz expedition in 1988, and it features an engraving on its caseback that reads, “Flight-Qualified By NASA For All Manned Space Missions, The First Watch Worn On The Moon.”
Also in the sale, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 SpaceX commemorative watch (Ref. PJ5535) sold for $19,285. It was estimated at $8,000 or more.
Lot 6311, Dave Scott’s Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 commemorative watch, did not sell.
It did not reach the reserve price established by the consignor, the auction house said, and will be included in an upcoming auction.

Along with the watches, RR Auction sold other space artifacts in the auction, notably a Lunar Module Attitude controller that was used to pilot the spacecraft to the moon’s surface during Apollo 14.
It was estimated at $400,000 and sold for $425,184.
To view the full results of the “Space Auction,” visit the RR Auction website.
The Latest

Moti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.

Lichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.

The miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.


Associate Editor Lauren McLemore shares her favorite looks from a night of style inspired by Black dandyism.

Sponsored by Instappraise

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

CEO Beth Gerstein discussed the company’s bridal bestsellers, the potential impact of tariffs, and the rising price of gold.

The brand’s first independent location outside of Australia has opened in Beverly Hills, California.

Cathy Marsh will lead the jewelry company’s efforts in the upper Midwest and western United States.

The company has multiple strategies for dealing with tariffs, though its CEO said moving manufacturing to the U.S. is not one of them.

Connecting with your customers throughout the year is key to a successful holiday marketing push.

Its commercial-quality emerald sale held last month totaled more than $16 million, up from about $11 million in September 2024.

National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff joined Michael Burpoe to talk tariffs, consumer confidence, and the sky-high price of gold.

Expanded this year to include suppliers, JA’s 2025 list honors 40 up-and-coming professionals in the jewelry industry.

Located in Fort Smith, it’s the Mid-South jeweler’s first store in Northwest Arkansas.

The episode about the family-owned jeweler will premiere May 17.

The Houston-based jeweler’s new 11,000-square-foot showroom will include a Rolex boutique.

“The Duke Diamond” is the largest diamond registered at the Arkansas park so far this year.

The childhood craft of making dried pasta necklaces for Mother’s Day is all grown up as the 14-karat gold “Forever Macaroni” necklace.

Set with May’s birthstone and featuring an earthworm, this ring is a perfect celebration of spring.

“Bridal 2025–2026” includes popular styles and a dedicated section for quick pricing references of lab-grown diamond bridal jewelry.

Though currently paused, high tariffs threaten many countries where gemstones are mined. Dealers are taking measures now to prepare.

Located in Miami’s Design District, the 4,000-square-foot store is an homage to David and Sybil Yurman’s artistic roots.

May babies are lucky indeed, born in a month awash with fresh colors and celebrated with one of the most coveted colored gemstones.

The deadline to apply for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship is June 12.