Clapton’s Rolex, Wiesenthal’s Patek Going Up for Auction
The timepieces, once belonging to men with very different public images, are part of Phillips’ upcoming watch auction in Geneva.

“The Geneva Watch Auction: XV” is scheduled to take place in May, led by a “Crazy Doc” Rolex once owned by Eric Clapton, a Patek Philippe originally owned by Simon Wiesenthal, and an “outstanding example” of a pink gold Patek Ref. 1518 with a pink dial.
The “Crazy Doc” Rolex is a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 with a pulsations scale, the only known yellow gold Ref. 6239 with the pulsations scale on the dial.
The watch is estimated to sell for more than CHF 1.5 million ($1.6 million).
Regarded as a music legend and one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Clapton’s image has taken a hit recently after he spoke out against lockdowns imposed to curb COVID-19 and publicly expressed skepticism about vaccines, befuddling and alienating longtime friends and fans.
Clapton’s stance on vaccines had some recalling another controversial incident from the musician’s past—a racist rant he went on at a 1976 concert in Birmingham, England, that he later apologized for, blaming it on the severe drinking problem he had at the time.
The watch going up for auction in May is not being sold by Clapton personally. Phillips said Clapton bought the watch in Italy in the 1990s and sold it at auction in 2003, the first time the musician, a noted watch collector, ever publicly sold watches under his name.
It is being marketed as a Rolex “Crazy Doc” that was “formerly part of the collection of Eric Clapton.”
The Patek Philippe once owned by Wiesenthal is a Ref. 1503 in stainless steel with a black glossy dial and Breguet numerals that was made in 1941. It is one of only two known examples of this configuration.
Born on Dec. 31, 1908, Wiesenthal was a Jewish-Austrian Holocaust survivor who dedicated his life to championing justice and human rights, bringing Nazi criminals to justice and making sure the Holocaust and its victims were never forgotten.
Wiesenthal died in 2005, but his name and work lives on in the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a global Jewish human rights organization.
Phillips said Wiesenthal’s Patek Philippe Ref. 1503 first appeared in the market in 2007, consigned by his family. It has not been seen on the market since.
The watch is expected to sell for CHF 250,000-500,000 ($268,000-$536,000).
The final watch rounding out the auction’s top three is a Patek Philippe pink gold Ref. 1518 with a pink dial.
Phillips said the pink gold/pink dial is one of the most wanted versions of the Ref. 1518, a reference that has generated a “market increase” in interest among collectors recently.
The estimated sale price on the Patek pink gold Ref. 1518 is CHF 1.2 million-2.4 million ($1.3 million-$2.6 million).
All three watches are pictured above.
The Geneva Watch Auction: XV is a live sale scheduled for May 7 and 8 at Hôtel La Réserve.
It follows another Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo auction, “The Royal Oak 50th,” a sale of 88 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, on May 6.
Like most of the fine jewelry and watch markets, Phillips is coming off a strong year, with sales for its Watches department totaling $209.3 million in 2021 and selling 100 percent of lots across all sale locations.
Alexandre Ghotbi, head of watches for Phillips in continental Europe and the Middle East, and Tiffany To, Geneva’s head of sale, said the Geneva sale is a “tightly curated” selection of timepieces that demonstrate the savoir-faire, and technical and design prowess of the watch industry.
“These are watches that will attract the budding enthusiast and speak to the seasoned collector. However, what they all have in common is their rarity, state of preservation, and relevance.”
For more on the upcoming Geneva auction, visit the Phillips website.
The Latest

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Parent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.


The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.

The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

The family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.

Alex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.

The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.

The ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.

The two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.