We’ve been reporting a great deal on the depreciation of Rolex sports watches in the vintage, neo-vintage, and pre-owned market, with marked declines in the value of the GMT Master, the Submariner, and many other models. But if there’s one Rolex that will definitely not be dropping in price, it’s the GMT-Master (Ref. 1675) that American astronaut Edgar Mitchell wore on the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. The watch, which is currently up for grabs with RR Auctions, happens to be steadily increasing in price.

Mitchell became the sixth person to walk on the moon on the nine-day mission, spending nine hours exploring the lunar surface. There is film footage of the astronaut wearing the GMT-Master before the flight and inside the command module, according to the auction house. He may have worn it on the moon, too, but he also took an Omega Speedmaster Pro on the mission, so we can’t say for certain. It is one of only two space-worn Rollies to ever appear at auction, though.

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The steel watch features a black dial with the signature Cyclops lens, a classic Oyster bracelet with a folded-link clasp, and an iconic red-and-blue bezel. Rolex originally devised this color scheme for Pan American World Airways to help pilots keep track of both local time and GMT. (The rotatable bicolor bezel and 24-hour hand mean that two time zones can be shown.) Rolex enthusiasts have nicknamed it a “Pepsi” colorway, as the hues are synonymous with a certain soda brand.

More importantly, the watch showcases a message from the astronaut himself. The caseback is engraved with the words: “Worn by Cdr. E. Mitchell on Apollo 14, 1971, To Karlin—My Daughter.” It will also be sold with a certificate of authenticity signed by Mitchell. The vintage rarity shows a few light scratches, but those surely add to the historic charm.

The GMT-Master has attracted 13 bids since it was listed on September 26. Bidding is currently sitting at $32,211, with 23 days left on the sale. (The online auction wraps up on October 24.) That figure could very well skyrocket, though. GMT-Masters with a cool backstory or notable provenance usually attract a pretty penny at auction. The other Apollo-flown GMT-Master, which belonged to American astronaut Ron Evans, was snapped up by the Crown for $131,450 at an auction in 2009. Conversely, newer models without such storied histories are decreasing in value. Fingers crossed Rolex doesn’t get wind of the auction and drive the price of this particular piece up.

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