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TheBasis.Art

Lot 4 · Watches Online: The Driver's Collection

submariner, ref. 6538, a stainless steel wristwatch with 4-line “tropical” dial and bracelet, circa 1958

Rolex

Catalog image of rolex | submariner, ref. 6538, a stainless steel wristwatch with 4-line “tropic…
Catalog image, served from the auction house’s site — © the house.

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Estimate
$180,000–$280,000 hammer
Result
Performance
Sale
Sotheby's — Watches Online: The Driver's Collection, New York · 20 August 2019
Record ID
TB-2026-4760861
Record
first seen 28 Jul 2026 · updated 28 Jul 2026 · source ↗
Cite this record
TB-2026-4760861 — https://thebasis.art/cite/TB-2026-4760861

Rolex, rolex | submariner, ref. 6538, a stainless steel wristwatch with 4-line “tropical” dial and bracelet, circa 1958. Sotheby's, 20 Aug 2019, lot 4. bought in (did not sell). TheBasis.Art, TB-2026-4760861.

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Rolex, rolex | submariner, ref. 6538, a stainless steel wristwatch with 4-line “tropical” dial and bracelet, circa 1958. Sotheby's, 20 Aug 2019, lot 4. bought in (did not sell). TheBasis.Art, TB-2026-4760861.

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From the same sale Watches Online: The Driver's Collection · Aug 2019

LotArtistEstimateResult
omega | speedmaster, ref. 2998-1, a stainless steel chronograph wrist… Omega $35,000–$55,000
rolex | daytona, ref. 6263, a stainless steel chronograph wristwatch … Rolex $70,000–$90,000
rolex | submariner, ref. 1680, a stainless steel wristwatch with mk4 … Rolex $15,000–$25,000
patek philippe | nautilus, ref. 3710/1a, a stainless steel wristwatch… Patek Philippe $40,000–$60,000
rolex explorer, ref. 1016, a stainless steel wristwatch with bracelet… Rolex $13,000–$18,000
rolex | daytona, ref. 116500ln, a stainless steel chronograph wristwa… Rolex $20,000–$30,000

Comparable results nearest sold works, same medium & price band

ArtistLotvs. estimateResult USD, incl. premiumSale
Rolex Iconic 'Cosmograph Daytona Paul Newman' stainless steel wris $230,000 Rago, Oct 2021
Rolex Untitled Phillips, Dec 2021
Rolex a very fine and rare yellow gold, diamond and sapphire-set a Sotheby's, Apr 2018
Rolex Reference 228396TBR Day-Date | A platinum and diamond-set au Sotheby's, Dec 2024
Rolex Reference 18206 Day-Date | A platinum automatic wristwatch w Sotheby's, Dec 2023
Rolex a fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with Sotheby's, Apr 2018
Rolex Reference 6263 N.O.S. ‘Big Red’ Daytona | A stainless chrono Sotheby's, Dec 2025
Rolex Day-Date, Ref. 228206 Platinum wristwatch with bracelet and Sotheby's, May 2022

The closest sold results by price, artist, and medium — the appraiser's comp set, generated from the corpus. All figures converted to USD at current reference rates.

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