If you have $4 million burning a hole in your pocket, now might be the time to strike.
Watch collectors around the world are currently marveling at a unique opportunity to acquire a collection of rare watches.
Michael Schumacher’s family has decided to auction several of the German Formula 1 legend’s watches, and according to Aftonbladet, it could bring in up to $4 million for the family.
One of the watches is a Vagabondage 1 in platinum, a personal gift from Ferrari’s legendary team manager Jean Todt, and has been uniquely designed by French watchmaker Francois-Paul Journe.
The watch, expected to fetch up to $2 million, features several symbols representing Schumacher’s seven World Championship titles, as well as his helmet and the Ferrari logo on the watch face.
Schumacher received the watch from Jean Todt for Christmas in 2004 – the same year he secured his seventh and final World Championship title.
Another of Todt’s Christmas gifts to the German is also part of the auction at Christie’s in Geneva.
This includes an Audemars Piguet, which Schumacher received after his sixth World Championship title in 2003. It is expected to bring in around $285.000.
A third of the eight watches at the auction is a Rolex Daytona Paul Newman, which could go for more than $350.000.
“Christie’s thanks the Schumacher family for their trust and their desire to share these masterpieces of watchmaking with other passionate collectors around the world,” says Remi Guillemin, head of the watch department at Christie’s in Europe and the USA.
“Very precious works”, “fantastic specimens”, and “wow, that FPJ” are just some of the reactions on social media.
Since the skiing accident on December 29, 2013, which put the German into a coma, there has been great mystery about Schumacher’s condition. The family has ensured that nothing leaks from their home in Switzerland, where the seven-time world champion is reportedly receiving care.
