THE KEEPER OF GREATNESS
He was believed to have single-handedly bagged a large percentage of his country’s tigers.
Last May, Phillips auctioneers announced that it had set a world record for the highest price achieved at auction for a Rolex wristwatch. Naturally, the timepiece it sold — for $5,060,427, and after an eight-minute bidding war between 10 enthusiasts at the Hotel La Réserve in Geneva — was extraordinary even by the standards of the storied Swiss watchmaker. It was a Reference 6062, a triple calendar with moonphase indication, crafted in 18-carat yellow-gold, and is one of only three black-dial models known to exist. Furthermore, it was the only one featuring diamond markers at the even hours, making it a unique piece. One other fact elevated it to holy grail status for horologists: it was known as the Bao Dai Rolex.
There can be few provenances more prestigious than having once adorned the wrist of a bona-fide emperor — albeit the last of his line — whose honorific, granted to
