Back in September 2017, we ran a very special episode of Talking replica watches with golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Besides Nicklaus being a special guy, the episode was unique because it focused on just one watch: a yellow gold Replica Rolex Day-Date that Nicklaus was given by Replica Rolex back in 1967. It had been on his wrist nearly every day since then and was his prized possession. Tonight it sold at Phillips in New York for $1.22 million, 100% of which will be going to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. There's not much to say here but "wow."
Amongst fake watch people, the idea of a "one fake watch guy" or "one fake watch girl" is almost mythology. There's something so alluring about the idea of having one totemic fake watch to those of us who are timepiece-obsessed. Nicklaus was very much that person though, and this fake watch is a part of his personal life, his professional life, and an incredible sports story. I think that's part of why this fake watch generated so much excitement. This wasn't one of Jack Nicklaus's replica watches ?it was his watch. While Phillips listed it with an estimate of $100,000-200,000, I think most people took that with a large grain of salt, knowing it would bring in much more than that (especially with the charity component in mind).
Jack Nicklaus with the fake watch in question, back in 2017.
The opening bid was for $500,000, and it came before auctioneer Aurel Bacs had even finished introducing the watch. Someone countered with $550,000 and the original bidder countered with $700,000. From there, the bidding was a bit slow, but steady. It reached the $1,000,000 mark in just another minute or two, eventually hammering at that price, going to a bidder with an advance bid in the books.
ADVERTISEMENTOne additional facet to this story is that this fake watch is now the most expensive Day-Date ever sold at auction ?and it's not even that close, really. I can't find anything over $500,000 in the records of any major auction house. It's also hard to imagine a Day-Date that could beat this, other than maybe a mythological stainless steel prototype, but that's a story for another time.
There's another big-time fake watch on the block tonight too - the Replica Rolex GMT-Master worn by Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now. It's lot number 30, so it should be selling within the hour. It has no estimate associated with it, so the final price is truly anyone's guess. Check back right here for a full report after the hammer falls.
You can follow along with the rest of the results from tonight's Game Changers sale at Phillips.com.
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