Michael Caine’s Rolex Sells for $133K at Auction
The actor’s personal collection, including jewelry designed by his wife, Lady Shakira Caine, went up for auction at Bonhams.
Caine’s acting career has spanned six decades, starring in films like “Alfie,” “Get Carter,” “The Cider House Rules,” for which he won an Oscar, and several Batman movies, playing beloved butler Alfred.
Caine and his wife, Lady Shakira Caine, are downsizing and said they were ready to part with several mementos from his career.
“It’s going to be quite a wrench to part with so many treasured parts of my life and career, but it’s the right time to be moving on. I hope these mementoes will give their new owners as much pleasure as they have given us,” Caine said in a press release about the auction.
SEE: Michael and Lady Caine’s Watch Collection
The 183-lot sale was 100 percent sold, bringing in £847,000 ($1.1 million), against a presale estimate of £314,000 ($419,900).
His 18-karat gold Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date (Ref.19018/19000) sold for £100,000 ($133,500), not including the premium, far exceeding the estimate of £8,000-£12,000 ($10,680-$16,000).
The top lot set an auction world record for that particular model, said Bonhams.
Caine has owned the watch since 1979, and it’s appeared in several films, including “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.”
A Breitling Navitimer (Ref.80360/E56059) was also up for auction, selling for £8,500 ($11,350), far exceeding the estimate of £700-£900 ($935-$2,100).
Launched in 1985, Caine was an early fan of the Breitling Aerospace titanium analogue and LCD digital display bracelet watch, said Bonhams, and wore it often in the 1990s and early 200s, making it one of the most worn watches in his collection.
“The Breitling Aerospace was on Sir Michael’s wrist in 2008 when he was quite literally cemented into history, signing his name and placing his hand and footprints into the ‘Forecourt of the Stars’ outside the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood,” said Bonhams.
A Traser H3 Black Storm Pro, circa 2000, was also up for sale. It sold for £3,200 ($4,270), flying past the estimate of £100-£150 ($133-$200).
Caine first began wearing the carbon fiber military-style calendar wristwatch in 2005, and he wore it to the London premiere of “Batman Begins.”
Lady Caine’s Patek Philippe La Flamme (Ref.4816/3), circa 1990, featuring a cream sigma dial with diamond-set hour markers and a diamond-set bezel, was also up for auction.
It sold for £15,000 ($33,400), more than double the high-end of the £5,000-£7,000 ($6,680-$9,350) estimate.
A selection of jewels designed and worn by Lady Caine were also on the auction block.
SEE: Lady Caine’s Jewelry Collection
She said she was inspired to create jewelry after visiting “The Costumes of Royal India” exhibition, curated by the late Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, which ran from Dec. 20, 1985, to Aug. 31, 1986, according to Bonhams.
“Being Indian, I was inspired by all of the Mogul jewelry. Indian jewelry will always live on. It’s alive, vibrant, and always worn with pride. It gives you a spark, a lift,” she said at the time.
She brought her designs to Harrods in London, later launching a line of accessories.
During the late 1980s, her jewels were sold at Harrods and Harvey Nichols in London, Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, alongside other accessories.
Her line consisted of 30 necklaces, 40 pairs of earrings, and 20 bracelets.
“The bracelet and necklaces offered in this sale are from Shakira Caine’s personal collection, and they clearly reflect her taste and individual style during a very creative period in her life as a designer,” said Charlie Thomas, head of sale at Bonhams.
Seven of her eight jewelry lots were sold, with one being withdrawn.
Meanwhile, a portrait of actor Caine by artist Lincoln Townley sold for £19,000 ($25,370), well above the estimate of £10,000-£15,000 ($13,350-$20,000), with all proceeds going to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a U.K. charity which the Caines have long supported.
The Latest
A federal judge gave Benjamin Preacher 59 days in jail, plus 10 months of home confinement and two years of supervised release.
In a CNBC interview, CEO Tehmasp Printer discussed the IPO in India and what declining lab-grown diamond prices mean for the company.
The 13-piece “Stephanie Gottlieb x Studs” collection is the piercing studio’s first fine jewelry offering to feature the gemstone.
For over a century, Jewelers of America has been the voice of the industry and valuable resource to jewelers across the country.
The Brazilian jewelry brand made a home on New York City’s Madison Avenue with exclusive pieces only available at the location.
An Adobe Analytics report explored the rise in mobile shopping, the popularity of Buy Now Pay Later options, and peak shopping hours.
The inaugural Dick Greenwood Memorial Scholarship in Gems Science will cover the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
While no reputable jeweler would knowingly sell lab-grown stones as natural, it's a growing possibility.
A Piazza Italia pavilion will feature Italian designers and manufacturers while “MJSA Showcase” brings over a piece of the MJSA Expo.
“Ray Griffiths: The Works” tells the story of the master jeweler’s career, which started with an apprenticeship in Australia at age 15.
Davis is the director of business development at Select Jewelry Inc., and Mobley is the jewelry and watch editor at the Natural Diamond Council.
The retailer has been upping its marketing spend to drive revenue growth and brand awareness.
Mike Straub and John Treiber opened Treiber & Straub in 1980 with the goal of bringing Milwaukeeans the best jewelry brands.
The color for 2025, “Mocha Mousse,” embodies thoughtful indulgences and everyday pleasures.
The Yoruba word for ant, “Kokoro” embodies the strength of womanhood in ant society while highlighting responsible sourcing.
The retailer’s jewelry sales doubled, with branded jewelry performing especially well.
The jewelry retailer addressed the lab-grown diamond “disruption,” the price of gold, and its holiday weekend performance.
A more positive view of the current labor market boosted the Conference Board’s index last month.
The director of the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) will be honored for his impact on gemology and dedication to advancing the science.
Sponsored by 2025 AGTA GemFair Tucson
At the annual event, in its second year, the organization honored those making remarkable contributions to the jewelry industry.
Celebrate December babies with 20 pieces of jewelry featuring this month’s birthstones—turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon.
A total of 126 million consumers shopped in stores over the five-day period, about 5 million more than last year.
The FTC’s Jewelry Guides require “clear and conspicuous” disclosure when advertising lab-grown diamonds.
The fine jewelry designer, who came out of retirement in 2017, is putting down his sketchpad for good.
John Willard Craiger, 83, fatally shot jeweler Ghazi “Gus” Michel Osta following an argument in the store.
In his latest column, Smith provides a list of questions every business needs to be asking their next potential leader.