Los Angeles—Kruse GWS Auctions set a world record this weekend when it sold a Rolex once owned by actor Marlon Brando for nearly $50,000.
The “Archives of Hollywood & Music Auction” featured a 31 mm stainless steel Rolex Datejust given to Brando after he won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973 for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in “The Godfather.”
It’s fitted with a black leather strap and the name “Vito” is engraved on the back, a nod to the iconic character.
The watch sold for $49,200, more than four times the original estimate of $10,000 to $12,000. It set the record for the most expensive stainless steel Rolex Datejust watch ever sold at auction, Kruse GWS Auctions said.
Brando held onto the watch for a few years before giving it his friend, Academy Award-nominated costume designer Patricia Norris.
The auction featured other Hollywood highlights, including the signed Elvis Presley Graceland purchase contract, which sold for $27,060, and the Catwoman costume worn by Michelle Pfeiffer in “Batman Returns,” which sold for $11,080.
The Brando-owned Rolex is the latest in a line of watches from the brand to exceed expectations and set records at auction. In fact, the title of most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction currently is held by a Rolex.
The Rolex Daytona that once belonged to Paul Newman (before the “Paul Newman Daytona” was a thing) sold for $17.8 million at Phillips in October 2017.