Vacheron Constantin

Antiquorum has an auction tomorrow and one of the Vacheron Constantin watches for sale appears to be (or have been) Marlon Brando's watch, a gift from Zsa Zsa Gabor. Its condition makes it look like it worn on the waterfront and lots of other places too:

 

 

The estimate range is $3000-$5000. The low end of that seems about right for this vintage in this condition. Assuming the provenance is good, would you pay a premium for this timepiece? If not this one, then for some other celebrity owned watch? ( I would pay up for the watch that VC engraved with Eisenhower's name on the case back)

Tune in tomorrow to see at what price this lot sold..

Bill

 

This message has been edited by WHL on 2009-09-16 13:12:40

This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-09-16 13:56:27

agree...

Depends on the previous owner-- eg I would not pay for a watch owned by Brando but for Einstain yes

Cheers

Not sure if just an engraving is enough .

I suspect it will not soar like the 5512 from the previous AQ auction

 

Julian

and I would want it were I buying it for reasons other than appreciation of the object in and of itself.

One of my favorite VC's (that I owned) was actually engraved on the back by a guy who had put in 25 years at Swingline and was given a gold watch. I can't use a stapler without thinking about that watch!

Bill

 

PS-Can you fill me in on the Patek you mentioned?

...there's a joke about how hard it must have been to  "keep it together" for all those 25 years at Swingline!

Best,

Jed

     . It had a newer dial put on which is usually the kiss of death for vintage rolex but this particular watch which sells for $5-10K sold for $235K !!!

 

So some people pay a lot for provenance I guess

 

Julian

But for others I might.  I would want more than an engraving as provenance, though.

Best,

Jed

Hi Bill,

I'd pay a premium for a watch with its original papers, but no more than the cost of getting a Certificate of Authenticity from VC.  This would be enough for me to believe a watch is original.

Unless I had some other interest in famous people that have previously owned the watch, I would not pay extra for it.  That would be something else as I would not be paying for the value of "just the watch".

I have a pocket watch with somebody else's initials on it and have looked at another one that is inscribed from a wife to her husband.  Since these 2 pocket watches are over 100 years old now, nobody would believe I was the original owner to begin with and I would never try to portray them as family heirlooms passed on down the family tree when they weren't.   

While I would probably like it better if there was no personalization, I do find it interesting and think about who the original owners were and what they were like - though I wouldn't pay a premium for it.

Best Regards, Dan

I'm with you
I too have a few pieces with engraved initials or dedication. And I too wonder about the original owners and what they were like. I especially like the ones given to a son by his parents. That really stirs some thoughts
I have a Gruen Curvex inscribed "From Helen to Jack, 1937" My mother-in'law's name is in fact helen and her father's name was jack.
How about that for coincidence!
Regards,
Joseph

vc

Isn't provenance everything in our world? And in this price range, for that level of Romance, wow.

I don't doubt the authenticity, but its in awful condition and I would nit pay a premium for it or even offer the minimum.
Thee are other Hollywood stars from the past however, that I would definitely think about paying a premium.
Best,
Joseph

I would not pay a premium for that watch's provenance.  First I'd want more evidence than an engraving to corroborate the watch's history.  In addition, I could not think of any movie or tv personalities meant enought to me that I would consider paying a preimum to obtain their watch or other property.  Maybe I would consider it if it was the property of George Washington or other historic figures, but maybe not.

Best regards,

Dino

I can hardly believe it, but this watch sold for $18,000, including buyer's premium.Though the consensus of those who posted here seems to be that this watch woldn't be worth more than a similar watch without the engraved case back, there were at least two people who really wanted it and were willing to pay for the special provenance.

 

Bill

but keep in mind that the Antiquorum rating was AAA. The discoloration was oxidation which indicated that it had never been polished. The dial was clean, and much of what is seen in those pics are on the crystal. It was one of those that you had to see in the metal. It brought more that the Vacheron chronograph, which was surprising.

One odd thing about celebrity watches, Einstein's watch was a $100 Longines that was beat to death. McQueens Rolex was pretty worn with a replacement dial. This Vacheron cost more new than those two combined. Yet it goes for a fraction of the price today.

I have a English cased watch from 1942 with an inscription on the back "To Alec, with love from Dulcie, 1-9-44". That carries as much meaning as the Marlon watch.