Property of an Important Collector
Rolex
'The Michael Schumacher' Daytona 'Zenith', Reference 16518 | A yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with mother-of-pearl dial offered by Michael Schumacher to Nigel Stepney | Circa 1999
Auction Closed
May 10, 02:36 PM GMT
Estimate
60,000 - 120,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: mother of pearl
Calibre: cal. 4030 automatic, 31 jewels
Movement number: 116'171
Case: 18k yellow gold, screw-down case back with engraving
Case number: A'857'724
Closure: 18k yellow gold Rolex folding clasp
Size: 40 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: yes
Papers: no
Accessories: Rolex presentation case with Michael Schumacher autograph, notarised document confirming Michael Schumacher's signature and document confirming the story of the watch
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
Considered among the greatest in F1 history, Michael Schumacher gave this watch to Nigel Stepney after the 2000 Spanish Grand Prix incident.
The story behind the present watch begins with Michael Schumacher at the centre of one of the most unforgettable moments of the 2000 Formula One season. During the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya, amid the roar of engines and the tension of an early championship battle, Ferrari’s race unfolded with devastating speed, until a single pit‑stop changed everything. A refuelling malfunction ignited a sudden burst of flames around the Ferrari pit crew, and in the chaos that followed, the accelerating car struck senior team member Nigel Stepney, running over his leg in full view of the world’s cameras. The incident, remains one of the most dramatic and replayed pit‑lane accidents of the era.
Nigel Stepney (1958–2014) was not an ordinary member of the team. A respected and influential Formula One mechanic who had contributed to multiple championship campaigns with Lotus, Benetton, and ultimately Ferrari, Stepney was part of the technical backbone that powered the team’s renaissance in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Calm under pressure, technically gifted, and deeply respected in the paddock, he was central to Ferrari’s operations during its most dominant period. His injury during that split second in Spain rocked the organisation and left a profound impact on those involved.
In the days following the incident, an unusually personal gesture unfolded within the Ferrari team. Michael Schumacher presented Nigel Stepney with his own Rolex Daytona Ref. 16518, an exceptional piece in remarkable condition and fitted with a rare Mother‑of‑Pearl dial, further personalized by Schumacher’s name engraved on the case back. He placed the watch inside a lacquered wooden Rolex box and inscribed the lid in sweeping metallic gold ink with a dedication: “To Nigel 2000!” accompanied by his signature. Offered directly as an apology and a gesture of goodwill after the accident, this gift stands as a rare and uniquely personal act from the legendary driver to a trusted team member.
More than a watch, it embodies a dramatic moment in racing history and the gesture that emerged from it.