Besides being an Oscar-winning actor, writer and director, Sylvester Stallone is also one of the most avid and influential celebrity watch collectors in the horology world. But despite his well-known love of wristwatches, one of the rarest models in the Rocky star’s collection—a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime—has until now remained a secret.
The sought-after watch, which has never been worn by the actor, is expected to fetch between $2.5 million and $5 million next month when it heads to auction with Sotheby’s alongside ten other pieces from Stallone’s collection. The sale will mark only the second time a Grandmaster Chime has appeared at auction, following a $31 million sale at a charitable Christie’s auction in 2019 that made it the most expensive timepiece ever sold.
“It’s particularly thrilling to bring the astonishing Patek Grandmaster Chime, one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world, to the rostrum at Sotheby’s,” said Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s head of watches for the Americas, in a statement. The watch has its origins in 2007, when the company’s former president Philippe Stern launched a project to create the most intricate watch in Patek Philippe’s history. Originally unveiled in 2014 to commemorate the watchmaker’s 175th anniversary, the edition became part of the company’s permanent collection two years later.
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Its twenty complications include five chiming mechanisms, including a Grande Sonnerie and audible date repeater controlled by a perpetual calendar. The model’s development, production and assembly took over 100,000 hours, according to Sotheby’s. The magnificent timepiece will be offered with a presentation box engraved with Stallone’s name and coordinating items including cufflinks, a USB drive, and an Apple iPad and earpods in Patek Philippe cases.
It isn’t the only Patek Philippe wristwatch in Stallone’s collection. Sotheby’s is also set to auction off a Patek Philippe 5711 Nautilus with thirty-two baguette diamonds and a sunburst olive-green dial. The exclusive model, which was distributed only to VIP and “VVIP” Patek Philippe clients, is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $400,000.
Sylvester Stallone’s impact on the world of luxury watches
While Stallone has collected watches for decades, his affinity for Panerai inspired one of the actor’s contributions to the watch industry. Stallone claims to have become interested in the company during the filming of the 1996 movie Daylight, after which he requested Panerai create a model for him to wear in the film. His collaborations with the brand have since resulted in the creation of numerous limited-edition SLYTECH models that take their name from the actor’s “Sly” nickname.
Two Panerai models will be offered up from Stallone’s collection next month, including a bronze PAM00382 Luminor Submersible seen on the actor in the 2011 film The Expendables 2 and a PAM00269 Luminor Submersible with a yellow gold case and black dial created especially for Stallone in 2006. Both watches have estimates of $30,000 to $60,000.
Stallone will also sell timepieces from Audemars Piguet, Piaget and Cartier. His 2016 Rolex Day-Date is expected to fetch between $25,000 and $50,000. That engraved pink gold watch was created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the model, which was the first to display days and dates separately on a dial and is commonly referred to as “The President” due to Lyndon B. Johnson’s affinity for the style.
The actor has previously sold portions of his watch collection at Phillips, auctioning four Richard Mille models and a Panerai in 2020 for a total of $3.1 million. Sotheby’s will offer Stallone’s watches in its June 5 Important Watches sale in New York, which is expected to realize a total of $3 million to $6 million.
“I enjoy the collecting process like so many others in this passionate community, who don’t just see watches as an accessory, but admire them for their history, craftmanship, artistry—but most importantly—how they make them feel,” said Stallone in a statement. “While parting ways with this collection is bittersweet, I cherish that I’ve owned them with pride, and hope they will be appreciated and admired in their next homes.”
