IndependentsJun 29, 2026
Look Inside Lee Michaels’ Revamped Mississippi FlagshipLee Michaels Fine Jewelry is celebrating 30 years in the Ridgeland, Mississippi community.
AuctionsMar 06, 2019
Oskar Schindler’s Longines Wristwatch Offered at Auction
The subject of the book “Schindler’s Ark” and film “Schindler’s List,” he is credited with saving the lives of more than a thousand Jewish people during World War II.
This Longines watch originally belonging to Oskar Schindler, the European industrialist and Nazi party member who saved over 1,000 Jews during World War II, is up for auction along with other personal effects.
Boston—RR Auction is currently offering a timepiece with fantastic historical provenance at auction.
The Boston auction house’s March sale features a single lot of personal possessions once belonging to Oskar Schindler (1908-1974), the industrialist born in Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic) who is credited with saving the lives of nearly 1,200 Jewish people during World War II.
A European collector and longtime RR Auction client consigned the lot, the auction house said, and it has a solid chain of custody that can be traced back to the estate of Oskar’s wife, Emilie, who outlived her husband by nearly 30 years.
Schindler was a member of the Nazi party, and through wartime connections, obtained an enamelware and munitions factory in Poland that had been seized from its original Jewish owner.
Despite his Nazi party standing, Schindler became a secret advocate for the local Jews who were being forced into ghettos and concentration camps by employing them at this factory and repeatedly bribing Nazi officials to keep them from being deported.
Schindler’s efforts were made known first by the 1982 Booker Prize-winning historical fiction novel “Schindler’s Ark,” and later, the Steven Spielberg-directed “Schindler’s List.”
Among the items selling in the Schindler lot is a stainless steel Longines watch with a white face and gold-tone hands and time markers with a black leather strap. The timepiece features a manual-wind mechanical movement (caliber 12.68Z).
Longines told National Jeweler that the watch was invoiced in December 1956 to Pérusset, which was the company’s agent in Argentina at that time. (Schindler and his wife lived in Argentina for a period following the war.)
Also featured in the lot is a compass by Bezard/Gotthilf Lufft with a built-in folding metal cover. RR Auction said that it is purported to have been used by Schindler and his wife Emilie in 1945 when they fled Russian troops for U.S.-occupied territory.
Another interesting piece is a Sudetenland Medal from 1938, commemorating Austria joining the Nazi Third Reich. It was given to German officials, including members of the Wehrmacht and SS who marched into Sudetenland, an area that had once belonged to Germany but been given to Czechoslovakia after World War I.
The medal was also given to German military
who occupied Czechoslovakia during World War II. Schindler received the medal because he had participated in the annexation of Sudetenland as a spy for the German government.
The 32 mm medal depicts a man standing on a German podium, as another man, breaking free from shackles, joins him. The medal is suspended from a black and red ribbon.
Rounding out the lot are two fountain pens that belonged to Schindler and a circa 1957 wooden business card with Schindler’s German address.
Schindler and his wife fled to Argentina after World War II, though Schindler eventually returned to Europe in 1957, living between Germany and Israel—largely with the support of the people whom he had helped during the war—until his death in 1974. Emilie remained in Argentina.
The sale estimate for the items was listed at $25,000, though, as of press time, bids had reached over $30,000.
The sale, which is being held online, concludes today.
More on Auctions
The Latest
GradingJun 29, 2026
National Rarities Announces New Gemology ManagerSean Milliner has joined the company.
GradingJun 29, 2026
GIA to Open New London CampusClasses will begin in August at GIA’s new Canary Wharf location.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
CollectionsJun 26, 2026
Strength Is Sharpened Into Beauty in Kris Averi’s ‘Prism Thorn’ RingThe rainbow version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, features angel-cut, octahedral lab-grown sapphires designed to be worn as armor.
Weekly QuizJun 25, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsJun 26, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Debuts ‘Charms That Give Back’The new initiative donates a portion of the proceeds from select charms to charitable causes.
TrendsJun 26, 2026
Bernard James Celebrates Knicks’ Win with RingThe Brooklyn-based jeweler created a limited-edition version of its “Aura” eternity band, set with gemstones in the team’s colors.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
SourcingJun 25, 2026
ICA Names Brandee Dallow as CEODallow will lead the International Colored Gemstone Association, effective July 6.
EditorsJun 25, 2026
Out & About: How Jewelers Mutual, SCAD Are Tackling the Bench Jeweler ShortageSenior Editor Lenore Fedow headed to Savannah to learn more about the 10-year, $10 million partnership between JM and the art school.
CollectionsJun 25, 2026
Mejuri Experiments With SteelIts new capsule jewelry collection features gold-finished stainless steel pieces designed for a maximalist look without a luxury price tag.
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2026
Watches & Wonders Announces 2027 DatesThe week-long event in Geneva is slated for April 2027.
SourcingJun 25, 2026
Annie Doresca, Mark Smelzer, Sara Yood Join Gem Legacy BoardThe three industry leaders bring financial, communications, and legal expertise to the nonprofit’s board of directors.
ColumnistsJun 24, 2026
The Revenue Hiding Between Your Counter and Your Online CartJewelers are missing out by not offering this one key add-on at the online point of sale, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsJun 24, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers, Jewel Boxing’s Latest Drop Is On-TrendThe fourth collaborative collection from the retailer and jewelry content creator focuses on gemstone charms and strands of colorful beads.
Events & AwardsJun 24, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026This year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards will feature two new categories.
SourcingJun 24, 2026
Columbia Gem House To Offer Alexandrite Melee OnlineThe collection features traceable alexandrite from Brazil in calibrated sizes that is sorted by grade.
MajorsJun 24, 2026
CaratLane Names New Chief Sales OfficerDhaval Raja has been appointed to the role.
CollectionsJun 23, 2026
Francesca Villa Goes ‘On the Road’The capsule collection looks to vintage trunk pins that echo the spirit of speed, freedom, and the mythology of the American road trip.
SourcingJun 23, 2026
New Paraíba Tourmaline Source Reportedly Discovered in EthiopiaSSEF issued a notice about the potential new source of the sought-after gemstone, citing “credible reports” from trade sources.
MajorsJun 23, 2026
Etsy Says ‘Shop Other Jeffs’ This Prime DayAs Amazon Prime Day kicks off, Etsy is encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2026
AGA Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnerCole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.
EditorsJun 22, 2026
15 Pieces of Jewelry That Brought Us Joy in Vegas Whether they evoked nostalgia, wonder, or laughter, these jewels put a smile on our faces.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Plans Announced for New Trade Show in BaselScheduled for April 2027, Basilia will be the first watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel since the collapse of Baselworld in 2020.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
WatchesJun 22, 2026
Snoopy Inspires New ‘Flying Ace’ Ball WatchThe beloved beagle dons his aviator outfit for the new Engineer Master II Snoopy Flying Ace timepiece.
CollectionsJun 18, 2026
Michelle Obama Wears Almasika Earrings Symbolizing Feminine PowerShe wore the “Le Cauri Endiamanté” earrings, our Piece of the Week, in the Obamas’ first dual portrait for the Obama Presidential Center.
