From SwissWatchExpo… Spotlight on: Famous Watches, that made a
killing in the auction scene.
Aside from being rare and exotic, very few factors can cause a watch’s value to sky
rocket, other than being previously owned by a famous personality.
Celebrity watches, or those owned by iconic stars or leadership figures, are not only
popular because of their provenance.
They’re also considered a piece of history, and a reminder of a bygone era that its previous
owner represents.
Just how badly do collectors want these kinds of watches?
We checked out some celebrity owned timepieces and how much they made in the auction block.
Let’s start with James Bond’s Omega Planet Ocean. Since 1995, British spy James Bond
has been wearing an Omega watch.
For the 2006 film ”Casino Royale”, Daniel Craig wore an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
reference 2907.50.91 (two nine o seven fifty ninety one).
The watch is a special edition Planet Ocean, and was especially made for the film, in which
it helps extricate Bond from underwater.
The watch was auctioned off in 2007, at Antiquorum’s “Omegamania” event.
It fetched $255,000 dollars - the highest ever for any Bond watch that has been auctioned.
Up next is John F. Kennedy’s 18 karat gold Omega Ultrathin timepiece. The watch was a
present from then Florida senator Grant Stockdale.
The caseback was engraved with the words “President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, from
his friend Grant.”
JFK wore this watch when he was inaugurated as President of the United States. Interestingly,
Grant had given JFK the watch, months before he even won the election!
In December 2005, the watch was auctioned at Guernsey (Gern-see), New York.
It was sold to the Omega Museum in Bienne, Switzerland for $350,000 dollars.
There are Cartier Tanks, and then there are Cartier Tanks. The one owned by Jackie Kennedy is
one of the latter.
Given to her in 1963, this Tank was a gift from her brother-in-law Prince Stanislaw Radziwill.
(Stanis-lo Radzi-will)
At the back was an inscription that read “Stas to Jackie. 23rd February 1963.
Jackie’s old photos prove that she wore it often.
The 18 karat gold watch was sold in June 2017 at Christie’s New York’s auction of “Rare
Watches and American Icons”, selling for $379,000 dollars.
The Heuer Monaco watch of Steve McQueen, Hollywood’s King of Cool, also sold for an astounding
$799,000 dollars.
In 1970, racer and actor Steve McQueen was to star in the racing movie, Le Mans.McQueen
asked to be outfitted just like legendary racer, Jo Siffert (Sih-ffert). Jack Heuer
himself sent their newest timepiece at the time: the Heuer Monaco Calibre 11.
There are at least four Monaco watches known to have been used on the set of the movie,
which could have driven down its value.
But, collectors apparently can’t resist the allure of a watch, once worn by The King
of Cool.
The stakes get higher and higher. Here’s a watch that has sold for millions – music
legend Eric Clapton’s Patek Philippe Platinum.
Eric Clapton is a known watch connoisseur and collector of rare Rolex and Patek Philippe
watches.
One of the watches he owned was a rare Patek Philippe reference 2499 100 (two four nine
nine one hundred) in platinum. It’s one of only 25 vintage platinum Pateks known to
exist, half of them in the hands of Patek Philippe themselves.
The rarest of Patek Philippes, owned by one of the greatest rock stars ever, sure rocked
the auction block.
It sold for $3.6 Million dollars in 2012, at a Christie’s auction in Geneva.
Last but definitely not the least, is the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction.
Racer and actor Paul Newman’s very own Rolex “Paul Newman” Cosmograph Daytona.
You probably already know the story, but just to review: Newman’s wife, actress Joanne
Woodward, gifted him with a 1968 Rolex Daytona reference 6239.
Not a fan of race car driving, but supportive nonetheless, she had the watch engraved with
the words “DRIVE CAREFULLY, ME”.
The watch, which Newman had given to his daughter’s former boyfriend, James Cox, resurfaced in
2016.
It sold for $17.7 million dollars, after a 12-minute bidding war at Phillips, New York
in October 2017.
With such fascinating history, it’s no wonder these watches are worth some serious cash.