The personal watch collection of Sir Michael Caine and Lady Shakira Caine will be offered for sale at Bonhams in London on March 2, 2022 as part of the Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection Sale. Along with the watches a collection of three black and white photographs of them from the 1970s will be also offered as part of the sale. Among the watches in the collection four pieces stand out including Sir Michael’s 18K gold Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date reference 19018 which he has owned since 1979 and which appears in several films, most famously in ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.’
This watch comes with an estimate of £8,000–12,000 British Pounds. This Oysterquartz offered represents Sir Michael’s third notable foray into the world of Rolex, superseding his earlier Oyster Perpetual Day-Dates seen in ‘Get Carter and Sleuth.’ Ever the trailblazer, Sir Michael acquired the Sunburst champagne dial Oysterquartz shortly after the watch was first launched in the late 1970s. Sir Michael has confirmed that he wore this watch during numerous roles but, perhaps, most famously as Lawrence Jamieson in the 1988 motion picture ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.’
The gold bracelet can be seen nestled within Sir Michael’s crisp white suit as he toasts with Steve Martin upon the promotional posters for the film. It was also his go-to off-duty timepiece as depicted in a portrait by celebrated American Steve Schapiro where Sir Michael can be seen sitting at home in LA, with cigar in one hand, wine in the other, wearing his iconic glasses and this wristwatch.
Then comes a 1990 Breitling Navitimer reference 80360/E56059 with an estimate of £700–900 British Pounds. Originally launched in 1985, Sir Michael Caine was an early fan of the Breitling Aerospace titanium analogue and LCD digital display bracelet watch, which was a common sight upon his wrist in the 1990s and early 2000s as one of the most worn watches within his collection. The Breitling Aerospace was on Sir Michael’s wrist in 2008 when he was, quite literally, cemented into history signing his name and placing his hand and footprints into the 'Forecourt of the Stars' outside the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Also among his watches, there is a 2000 Traser H3 Black Storm Pro —very similar to a Luminox— with an estimate of £100–150 British Pounds. The Traser brand, introduced in 1989, supplied timepieces primarily to the U.S. Army. This carbon fiber military style carbon calendar wristwatch appeared on Sir Michael’s wrist circa 2005 and was worn by him at that year’s London premiere for the ‘Batman Begins’ film in which he played Alfred Pennyworth —Bruce Wayne/Batman’s butler.
Lastly, Lady Shakira Caine’s Patek Philippe La Flamme is an early example of the model reference 4816/3 featuring a cream sigma dial with diamond set hour makers and a diamond set bezel. Demonstrating the high level of watchmaking that Patek is renowned for, attention to detail runs throughout the design of this piece, down to the unusually engraved hands. No wonder that this watch attracted the discerning eye of Lady Caine, renowned for her elegance and effortless style, and has been the perfect adornment on her wrist on many occasions. This watch comes with an estimate of £5,000–7,000 British Pounds.
The Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection Sale will take place as a live auction in Bonhams flagship London saleroom in New Bond Street on Wednesday March2, 2022 at 17.00 GMT time. The sale includes the watches, furniture, portraits, art, collectibles, movie posters in which Sir Michael Caine starred and many more items property of Sir Michael Caine and his wife Lady Shakira Caine.
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