Rolex

Steve McQueen

Jimmy Brucker (by gift from the above)

Antiquorum New York, 11 June 2009, Lot 416 (consigned by the above)

Acquired from the above by the present owner

As much as Rolex Professional models have become emblematic watches on their own, collectors and watch lovers alike can close their eyes and picture one or two great men of history wearing each. For the Daytona, that association is with Paul Newman. For the Day-Date we often think of US Presidents or Jack Nicklaus. For the GMT-Master, we can remember Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now (1979). And in the cultural consciousness, the Rolex Submariner, arguably the Crown’s most lauded watch, is associated with two men, Sean Connery as James Bond and, of course, the “King of Cool,” Steve McQueen.

A quintessential emblem of twentieth-century cool, the present Rolex Submariner reference 5512 is accompanied by extraordinary documentation attesting to prior ownership by none other than Steve McQueen. As much as this is among the most culturally important Submariners in the world, the watch embodies a personal story rooted in trust and shared passion, its provenance preserved through a firsthand letter by Jimmy Brucker.

According to Brucker, he first met McQueen in 1975 through the legendary stuntman and motorcycle racer Bud Ekins, and the two quickly developed a close friendship. During this period, McQueen had stepped back from Hollywood following the success of The Towering Inferno (1974), devoting much of his time to collecting cars, motorcycles, and other objects. Brucker became an integral part of this world, advising McQueen on acquisitions and eventually being entrusted with full responsibility for his automobile collection, even receiving power of attorney over vehicle titles. Their relationship was characterized by frequent exchanges and mutual generosity, with both men regularly trading and gifting items to one another.

It was within this context that the present Submariner entered Brucker’s collection. In 1977, McQueen visited Brucker at Movie World in Buena Park and, in a gesture of appreciation for Brucker’s assistance in sourcing desirable pieces, removed Rolex Submariner Reference 5512 from his wrist as a gift.

Brucker further recounts that shortly thereafter, during a trip to Idaho, McQueen asked for the return of the watch, explaining that he required it again. In a testament to the fluid and informal nature of their exchanges, Brucker agreed without hesitation, confident that their ongoing dealings would balance in time. The Submariner remained with McQueen during this later period of his life, a time when he increasingly withdrew from public life and focused on personal pursuits.

In 1980, during the final year of McQueen’s life, the watch was returned once again to Brucker. By this time, McQueen was gravely ill, spending his time between treatments and moments of quiet reflection among his loved ones. The return of the Submariner – identified in Brucker’s letter by its case number – marks the conclusion of its direct journey between the two men.

Unlike many celebrity-owned watches, whose associations are often indirect or loosely documented, the present Submariner is accompanied by a detailed firsthand account that traces its passage directly between Steve McQueen and Jimmy Brucker over several years. Upon McQueen’s death on 7 November 1980, his will bequeathed a hangar at Santa Paula Airport to Jimmy Brucker – a testament to the connection between the two men.

Steve McQueen and The Rolex Submariner

Famously rarely pictured for a celebrity of his caliber, Steve Mcqueen was photographed on at least five occasions between 1970 and 1980 wearing a Rolex Submariner, underscoring his long-standing association with the model. On 21 March 1970, McQueen is documented wearing a Submariner for the first time, a Ref. 5512 on his wrist while driving at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Later that year, in June 1970, he was again photographed with a Ref. 5512 during the filming of Le Mans (1971), notably between scenes when not wearing his now-legendary Heuer Monaco.

In subsequent years, McQueen appears to have transitioned to a Reference 5513. He is photographed wearing a 5513 on the set of Papillon (1973) in April 1973, again in 1977 at a motorcycle meet in Modesto, California, and finally on December 31, 1979, during the filming of The Hunter (1980).