Root Beer Rolex

Please note when reading this article, the watch for auction is not the same item Clint Eastwood wore.

Fellows’ upcoming Watch Sale on Tuesday 31st October features an array of majestic timepieces.

Lot 279 in the sale is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date GMT Master II ‘Root Beer’ Bracelet Watch, estimated at £3,800-£4,800. The watch is the sought-after ‘Root Beer’ variation of the iconic GMT Master II watch, which received its nickname ‘Root Beer’ due to the colour of the bezel. The watch is a very much in-demand Rolex model, which has aged nicely, still holding its seventies/eighties vibe with its black dial and luminous hour markers.

The captivating timepiece was worn in three movies by Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood during the eighties and nineties. The Dirty Harry actor first wore the watch whilst starring as a pilot in his self-directed film, Firefox, which was released in 1982. It’s doubtful that the watch’s first appearance in an Eastwood film being Firefox was a coincidence, due to the history of GMT Master being a pilot watch.

In 1984, Eastwood again wore the watch in another self-directed film, whilst playing a detective tracking a serial killer in the American suspense thriller, Tightrope. Therein began the rumours that the Root Beer watch was indeed Eastwood’s own, and it is probable that he wore the GMT Master in other movies as well, but with it only being on show in the three mentioned.

Finally, in 1993’s In the Line of Fire, Eastwood wore the Root Beer timepiece whilst again starring as a member of the law enforcement tracking down John Malkovich’s villainous character. In more recent times, Bradley Cooper has been seen wearing a Root Beer watch during interviews, sparking rumours that Eastwood gave Cooper the timepiece during the filming of American Sniper (2014) – A film Eastwood directed, starring Cooper. Cooper’s admiration for the in-demand Rolex conveys its popularity and relevance, even in the present day.

Fellows’ Watch Sale is now available to view online and in person at the following times:

24th October 2017 12pm – 7pm (London)

28th October 2017 11am – 4pm (Birmingham)

30th October 2017 10am – 4pm (Birmingham)

31st October 2017 8.30am – 11.00am (Birmingham)

Photo ID required

The auction will take place on Tuesday 31st October, starting at 11am.