SYLVESTER STALLONE TO AUCTION OFF $6M WATCH COLLECTION
Sylvester Stallone is set to part with some of his beloved watches, with the Rocky star auctioning 11 luxury timepieces from his collection at Sotheby's on June 5. Included in the sale is an extremely rare Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, seen by enthusiasts and collectors as one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world, that originally sold for $2.5 million.
Aside from Stallone's star power, what's sure to draw interest to the forthcoming sale is that this will be the first time a Grandmaster Chime has been put up for commercial auction. In 2019, at the Only Watch charitable auction, a one-off steel model Grandmaster Chime sold for a whopping $31 million, setting a record. Stallone's Grandmaster Chime has a price estimate between $2.5 million to $5 million, but is likely to climb well north of that, with a record price for a watch at a non-charity auction a real possibility.
Purchasing a run-of-the-mill Patek can be a rather onerous process, so being allowed to purchase a rare piece like the Grandmaster Chime is nigh on impossible, even for the super rich. A longtime Patek collector, Stallone reveals in a YouTube video linked to the Sotheby's auction that he was able to purchase his "never been touched" Grandmaster Chime after personally appealing and writing to the Patek board, who then deemed him worthy. Stallone says he originally bought the watch as a collector and considers it a "work of art" on a par with a Monet painting, adding that he had "a real sense of accomplishment owning it."
On the reasion why he is selling his Grandmaster Chime, Stallone says, "I was going to covet and keep it forever, that's just not my personality. I tend to enjoy things and then I like to share them."
Having never worn the watch, Stallone's Grandmaster Chime is still in its original packaging and comes with the papers and luxurious presentation box engraved with the actor's name. The white gold watch itself is a testimony to Patek Philippe's watchmaking mastery and features 20 complications on two sides. Among the features are a perpetual calendar, and five different chiming modes.
Stallone is also selling two other Patek Philippe watches from his collection. Up for grabs is a 2021 stainless steel Nautilus reference 5711/1300A-001. This model, which Stallone refers to as the "mack daddy," was Patek's first gem-set stainless steel 5711, and was the first time the sought-after sunburst olive-green dial featured with the Nautilus line. The price estimate for the 5711/1300A-001 is between $200,000 and $400,000. The other Nautilus for sale is the reference 5711 in stainless steel with a price estimate of $50,000 to $100,000.
Paneristis the world over will be on alert, as Stallone is also parting with four of his Panerai watches. The action icon is closely associated with the Italian luxury watchmaker, having worn Panerais on camera on several occasions, and arguably helped the brand reach a wider audience after becoming a collector.
Among the pieces up for auction is the limited edition Panerai Reference PAM00382 Luminor Submersible 1950 that featured in the 2011 movie The Expendables 2. The ‘Bronzo' watch, as it is known among collectors, has a price estimate of $30,000 to $60,000 and comes with a signed Expendables 2 movie poster. Stallone is also selling his Panerai Reference PAM00269 Luminor Submersible ‘Piece Unique' (price estimate $30,000 to $60,000) which features the words "Sly Tech" on the dial, a special nod to the actor's relationship to the brand.
The other two Panerais for sale are the Panerai Reference PAM00202 Luminor Submersible 1950 Chrono ‘Slytech' (price estimate $6,000 to $12,000) and the Panerai Reference PAM00332 Luminor 1950 Regatta ‘Classic Yachts Challenge (price estimate $20,000 to $40,000).
Rounding out the sale, Stallone is auctioning off four gold timepieces, including his 2016 pink gold Rolex Day-Date with dark green dial (reference 228235) with a price estimate of $25,000 to $50,000 and his 2022 Audemars Piguet reference 26730OR.OO.1320OR.01 Royal Oak Tourbillon 50th Anniversary (price estimate $100,000 to 200,000). He is also selling his gold Piaget Polo Grande (price estimate $6,000 to $12,000) and Cartier Pasha Seatimer (price estimate $15,000 to $30,000) that was gifted to Stallone at the Deauville Film Festival by the president of Cartier.