A watch worn by a British prisoner of war during the real “Great Escape” from the Stalag Luft III concentration camp sold at auction in New York yesterday for $189,000 (178,000 euros).
Thus the anonymous buyer remained below the price Christie’s expected. The value of the auction house ranged from 200 thousand to 400 thousand dollars (186,167 euros to 372,335 euros).
The Rolex 3525 Monoblocco was owned by RAF Lieutenant Gerald Imson when she was held at the German Stalag Luft III concentration camp in Zagan (Poland). He wore the watch on the night of March 24, 1944, when a group of Allied soldiers boldly fled. This escape was the inspiration for the 1963 John Sturges American film The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen.
Of the 200 prisoners who took part in the plan, 76 escaped for a short time. Emson was not there. Except for three soldiers, all the men were captured. Fifty men were later executed. Emson wore the watch until his death in 2003, when he was 85 years old.
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