Creations of visionary watchmakers or icons of pop culture, they have belonged to queens, dictators or rock stars, made headlines and panicked at auctions… Five watches in the maelstrom of history.
Geneva, May 2018: In the sober but luxurious halls of the Hôtel La Réserve on the shores of Lake Geneva, the Phillips auction house sells an Omega watch in minutes for €1.8 million. At first glance, however, there is nothing particularly unusual about it. White gold case, black leather strap, hand punched caliber… Bezel with diamonds, maybe. You actually have to flip a coin to understand this record price. The inscription that changes everything is engraved on the bottom of the case. “Elvis, 75 Million Records, RCA Victor, 12-25-60” (“Elvis, 75 Million Records, RCA Victor, December 25, 1960”).
Therefore, it is the watch of the immortal king of rock, Elvis Aaron Presley. A gift from his record label…
Source: Le Figaro
