With his famously luxe taste, it only makes sense that Al Capone would have a lavish timepiece to match his equally high-flying lifestyle. One such example of the infamous mobster’s penchant for the finer things in life can now be yours.
Capone’s platinum and diamond-set Patek Philippe pocket watch is headed to auction at Sotheby’s next month. And the timepiece is in fantastic company: The Important Watches Auction is offering up a treasure trove of ultra-rare, trophy Pateks on June 10.
The keyless wind watch dates back to circa 1919. According to the Capone family, it’s not known where he purchased the timepiece, but he did swap out its original case for a bespoke platinum case, Sotheby’s says. The dial, which has aged significantly, features Breguet numerals and a period-correct “long signature.” The minute hand has vanished.
But that might be made up for by the case back. That’s where Capone decided to add the watch’s signature bling, spelling out his initials with 90 single-cut diamonds. The pocket watch is expected to fetch from $80,000 to $160,000 on the block.
Sotheby’s
Other Pateks in Sotheby’s Important Watches Auction, meanwhile, have a much higher estimate attached. A Ref. 2499 Perpetual Calendar Chronograph will be up for grabs at the event. Only nine of the sought-after references were made annually during its 35-year production run; this iteration, however, is a one-of-a-kind creation in pink gold with a dial stamped by Italian jeweler Gobbi-Milano. It’s expected to fetch from $3 million to $5 million. Another coveted timepiece up for grabs is a Ref. 2524, of which fewer than 50 examples were made. This iteration also comes in pink gold, just one of two known to exist, and is estimated to hammer down for from $1.25 million to $2.5 million.
This Patek 2499 ‘Second Series’ Gobbi-Milano could fetch up to $5 million on the block.
Sotheby’s
Joining that duo is a Ref. 5531R World Time ‘Rare Hand Crafts’ that includes an image of Lake Geneva on the dial (estimate of $550,000 to $1,100,000), a Ref. 3448 Perpetual Calendar ‘Beyer,’ double signed by retailer Beyer ($500,000 to $1,000,000), and a Ref. 5711P ‘Sapphire,’ featuring a bezel with—you guessed it—32 baguette-cut sapphires and 12 sapphire baguette hour markers on its black dial ($300,000 to $600,000).
If you want to get a closer look at the rare timepieces, you can check them out for yourself ahead of the sale from June 6 to 9 at Sotheby’s New York galleries. Happy bidding, folks.
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Credit: robbreport.com
