11 Watches From Sylvester Stallone’s Personal Collection Are Headed to Auction
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Well known as an astute and prolific collector of watches, Sylvester Stallone offers 11 elite watches to lead Sotheby’s Important Watches Auction on June 5th. Among the watches is a Patek Philippe Grand Master Chime still sealed in its original packaging and estimated to sell for as much as $5 million. The Luminor Submersible Stallone wore in The Expendables 2 is also available. Panerai features strongly here, as one might expect from the man who helped put the Italian brand back on the map during the 1990s.
Stallone has long been sentimental about collecting watches, stating ahead of this auction, “I enjoy the collecting process like so many others in this passionate community, who don’t just see watches as an accessory, but admire them for their history, craftsmanship, artistry – but most importantly – how they make them feel.” Geoff Hess, head of Watches for Sotheby’s in the Americas, extends the sentimentality, stating, “It’s particularly thrilling to bring the astonishing Patek Grandmaster Chime, one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world, to the rostrum at Sotheby’s.”
Interestingly, Stallone has moved from Phillips, where he has sold in the past, to Sotheby’s for this sale, perhaps following Hess to the auction house. This connection is suggested in Hess’s statements to us: “Having known Sly for a number of years, I feel a personal connection with him that means a tremendous amount to me. Most people don’t know this, but his very first manager back in the 1970s was the late Jane Oliver—whose name is credited at the end of every Rocky film—who also happened to be my cousin.”
When we asked Hess about the challenges of handling a celebrity auction, Hess said that, “There are two primary challenges when organizing a celebrity watch auction like this: First and foremost, keeping it a secret! Not easy! The second challenge revolves around respect. In the case of Sly…it’s imperative to be sensitive of his time, and recognize the demands that he’s otherwise under.”
The Important Watch Auction in New York has become a staple of the annual sales calendar, and should be highly anticipated by collectors internationally. Stallone’s timepieces are listed below with details and estimates.
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