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Al Capone’s Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Back Up for Auction
The platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.
Al Capone’s pocket watch is heading to the auction block at Sotheby’s Important Watches sale on June 10 in New York.
New York—A pocket watch formerly owned by Al Capone is a highlight of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches auction.
The custom watch, circa 1919, features his initials, “AC,” on the reverse side of the case, spelled out in an Art Deco style with 90 single-cut diamonds.
The dial side features an “open face” design with Breguet numerals and a period-correct “long signature,” said the auction house.
“The dial has dramatically aged over the years, and the minute hand is no longer with the watch—we can only speculate as to how or why this happened, but suffice it to say, this watch has more than a few stories it could tell,” said Sotheby’s.
Al Capone’s pocket watch sits atop a paper with his granddaughter Barbara Capone’s signature. His widow, Mae Capone, left his heirlooms to their only child, Sonny, and their son’s daughters Barbara, Diane, and Ronnie.
His family told the auction house that they don’t know where he purchased the watch, but they do know that he got rid of its original plain case and commissioned a new one in solid platinum.
Capone, one of the most notorious figures in American pop culture, was also known for his fashion choices.
The American businessman-turned-gangster had a flamboyant style and lavish tastes, said Sotheby’s, and this watch was “befitting for a man known for his inimitable style, who single-handedly came to define the look of the American gangster.”
The watch has a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 to $160,000.
The timepiece was up for auction in 2021 as part of a sale at Witherell’s in Sacramento, California, titled “A Century of Notoriety: The Estate of Al Capone.”
Mae Capone, the widow of Al Capone, passed her husband’s heirlooms down to their only child, Sonny Capone, and to their son’s daughters, Barbara, Diane, and Ronnie.
Al Capone’s granddaughters helped orchestrate the auction at Witherell’s.
At the time, the pocket watch sold for $229,900, exceeding its $25,000 to $50,000 estimate.
The previous buyer is the person selling the pocket watch, said a Sotheby’s spokesperson.
It is one of several Patek Philippe timepieces for sale on June 10 in New York.
The auction lineup also includes six minute repeaters, an “unprecedented” number in a single sale, said Sotheby’s, and a sapphire-set Nautilus.
There are also three double-signed vintage timepieces, including a pink gold 2nd series Ref. 2499 retailed by Gobbi Milano, which Sotheby’s said is the only one known to exist.
“These aren’t just rare watches—they're the best examples of the rarest Patek watches,” said Sotheby’s.
The Important Watches auction will be on view, free and open to the public, from June 6-9 at Sotheby’s New York galleries.
For more information on the auction, visit the Sotheby’s website.
The American businessman-turned-gangster had a flamboyant style and lavish tastes, said Sotheby’s, and this watch was “befitting for a man known for his inimitable style, who single-handedly came to define the look of the American gangster.”
The watch has a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 to $160,000.
The timepiece was up for auction in 2021 as part of a sale at Witherell’s in Sacramento, California, titled “A Century of Notoriety: The Estate of Al Capone.”
Mae Capone, the widow of Al Capone, passed her husband’s heirlooms down to their only child, Sonny Capone, and to their son’s daughters, Barbara, Diane, and Ronnie.
Al Capone’s granddaughters helped orchestrate the auction at Witherell’s.
At the time, the pocket watch sold for $229,900, exceeding its $25,000 to $50,000 estimate.
The previous buyer is the person selling the pocket watch, said a Sotheby’s spokesperson.
It is one of several Patek Philippe timepieces for sale on June 10 in New York.
The auction lineup also includes six minute repeaters, an “unprecedented” number in a single sale, said Sotheby’s, and a sapphire-set Nautilus.
There are also three double-signed vintage timepieces, including a pink gold 2nd series Ref. 2499 retailed by Gobbi Milano, which Sotheby’s said is the only one known to exist.
“These aren’t just rare watches—they're the best examples of the rarest Patek watches,” said Sotheby’s.
The Important Watches auction will be on view, free and open to the public, from June 6-9 at Sotheby’s New York galleries.
For more information on the auction, visit the Sotheby’s website.
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