Sotheby’s Auction of Sylvester Stallone’s Watches Was a Knockout
The auction house sold all 11 watches from the “Rocky” star’s collection, with his Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime setting a new record.

The collection of 11 watches garnered a total of $6.7 million, exceeding its high estimate of $6 million, at the sale held Wednesday in New York.
Six out of the 11 timepieces were sold online, and all but one lot topped pre-sale estimates.
Notably, Stallone’s Patek Philippe Ref. 6300G-010 Grandmaster Chime sold for $5.4 million (est. $2.5 million to $5 million) after a four-minute bidding war among a total of five bidders in a “buzzing” saleroom of more than 100 attendees, Sotheby’s said.
In the end, the watch sold to a private collector from Asia.
A slew of accessories accompany the watch including product literature in a large leather portfolio; a collection book; travel case; cufflinks; USB drive; sealed setting pin; hang tag; an Apple iPad with a Patek Philippe leather case with adapter and charger; and Apple EarPods with a Patek Philippe case.
Widely considered a “holy grail” in the watch community, the Grandmaster Chime is the result of a project initiated by Philippe Stern in 2007 to create the most intricate wristwatch in the brand’s history.
The development, production, and assembly spanned 100,000 hours, said Sotheby’s.
Patek Philippe unveiled the Grandmaster Chime in 2014 to commemorate its 175th anniversary, originally launching it as a limited edition.
The watch features a hand-engraved, reversible white gold case adorned with the brand’s signature hobnail pattern. It has 20 complications, including five chiming modes, two independent dials, and six patented innovations.
It’s the third most valuable wristwatch sold in Sotheby’s history, the auction house said.
It set a new record for a modern watch sold by Sotheby’s, topping the $4.5 million sale of a Richard Mille Reference RM53-02 last October.
Stallone’s Grandmaster Chime is the first example of the model to appear at auction, aside from one specifically created for, and sold at, a Christie’s charity auction in November 2019 for CHF 31 million ($35 million).
The timepiece joined Patek Philippe’s permanent collection in 2016 as the Ref. 6300, the company’s most complex watch and the first grande-sonnerie wristwatch added to its current collection.
“The sale of the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime was an unrepeatable celebration, not only of a masterpiece by the most revered Swiss watchmakers of technical excellence, but also of the legendary icon that is Sylvester Stallone, who has been a deeply influential and admired collector for many decades,” said Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s head of watches in the Americas.
“To feel the pulse of collectors racing with excitement in pursuit of absolute top caliber material was tremendous, and an homage to the art of collecting at the highest level.”
Hess himself went home with one of Stallone’s watches, the winner of a five-minute bidding battle for the actor’s Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1300A001, pictured below.

The 2021 stainless steel watch featuring an olive-green dial and diamond-set bezel sold for $492,000. It was estimated to go for up to $400,000.
Stallone’s collection, assembled over the course of more than 20 years, also included timepieces from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Piaget, as well as unique and screen-worn watches from Panerai.
One highlight was the actor’s Audemars Piguet Reference 26730OR.OO.1320OR.01 Royal Oak Tourbillon. It sold for $228,000, exceeding its pre-sale high estimate of $200,000.
The piece, created for the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2022, was “chased by clients over the phone, in the room and online,” Sotheby’s said.

It features a pink gold case and smoked blue dial with a grande tapisserie pattern, as well as a special gold rotor with a “50 Years” mark.
Also a standout of the sale, a Panerai reference PAM00382 Luminor Submersible 1950 timepiece worn by Stallone in “The Expendables 2” was sold to an online buyer for $96,000, topping its pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$60,000.
The “Bronzo” is the first instance of a Panerai sports watch crafted entirely from bronze.

While the PAM 382 model was limited to 1,000 pieces, Stallone’s piece was numbered N0000/1000, which suggests it could be a prototype or the first of the series ever produced, Sotheby’s said.
Sotheby’s sale of Stallone’s watch collection attracted more than 200 bidders.
Coming up, the auction house will host its “Magnificent Jewels” sale in New York on Friday, offering a 3.36-carat oval-shaped fancy intense pinkish purple diamond dubbed the “Lavender Dream.”
The Latest

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.

GemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.

The 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.

Aging and with myriad health issues, none will serve time for their roles in robbing the billionaire celebrity at gunpoint in 2016.

The WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.