Auction Record is Broken by Elton John’s Leopard-Print Rolex Daytona
Naturally, Elton John is well-known for his ostentatious attire. It follows that his matching collection of eye-catching wrist goodies would not be surprising.
The singer’s private collection, which was kept in his former Atlanta condo, no less, included the Rocket Man’s leopard Rolex Daytona, which brought in an astounding $8 million on the first night of Christie’s Collection of Sir Elton John Goodbye Peachtree Road sale. On its inaugural evening, the festival put just 49 things up for auction, including Versace ceramics, Richard Avedon pictures, and more, but John’s stunning animal-print watch broke all previous world records for the model.
The signed reference 116598 is accompanied by an 18-karat gold 40 mm casing. According to Christie’s, the watch was manufactured around 2001, but it didn’t make its public premiere until 2004 at Basel Fair, where its unusual design caused a stir. In addition to its leopard-print dial, the watch features hoods set with 48 brilliant-cut diamonds and a bezel adorned with 36 square-cut yellow sapphires. The model hammered down for $176,400, or $116,000 more than its high-sales estimate of $60,000. It also features eight numerals encrusted with diamonds.
The crazy watch is really interesting, but it wasn’t the best of the bunch. The “Candle in the Wind” singer purchased Banksy’s Flower Thrower Triptych straight from the artist, and it was awarded that designation. The 2017 piece, which was created on canvas using spray paint, shows a man getting ready to toss a bouquet of flowers between three frames of varying sizes. It was ultimately sold for a cool $1,925,500, more than its estimated $1 million to $1.5 million selling price.
Beyond their initial projections also shot up were a pair of tall platform boots made of silver leather and prescription sunglasses by Sir Winston Eyeware. The previous one, which had red leather “E” and “J” lettering on it, sold for $94,500, which is 19 times its low sales forecast of $5,000. The cool sunglasses, from around 1975, went for $22,680, which was eleven times the low estimate. In another instance, the musician’s 1990 Bentley Continental—which he took from Atlanta to the South of France—bought an incredible $441,000. The amount was more than the $25,000 low estimate.
Two additional timepieces also had exceptional sales outcomes. John sold his limited-edition Cartier Crash for $277,200, over four times its estimated $70,000 in sales. A signed Cartier Tank Normale also set a record for the style when it sold for $176,400, over nine times its low estimate of $20,000. The sale included vintage Gianni Versace silk garments, porcelain dishes, and a Yamaha grand piano.
Ethan John’s inspirational collection was an honor to auction, according to Tash Perrin, deputy chairman of Christie’s Americas, in a statement. The Day Sale of the Sir Elton John Collection: Farewell Peachtree Road auction took place on Thursday. There will be a second session on Friday, and from February 27 to 28, online sales will be up for bidding.
