Muhammad Ali's vintage Omega sold for how much?

It’s a commonly-repeated trope: Muhammad Ali wore a Cartier Tank. And if the Heavyweight Champion of the World can wear a dainty dress watch, so can you.

But apparently, Ali also owned at least one other smaller, dressy watch: this vintage time-only Omega. It’s a simple, stainless steel Omega with a subsidiary seconds and silver dial.

https___bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com_public_images_9503cfb4-9880-46df-8d92-83080d1c6d10_665x527.jpg

This watch came up for auction at GWS Auctions in November of last year, an auctioneer that specializes in celebrity, royal, and other generally famous-people assets. Honestly, had I seen it then, I would’ve personally bid it up way higher than the $5,000 it sold for.

The watch is engraved Ali 10/30/1974 on the caseback. This is the date that Ali knocked out George Foreman in the iconic Rumble in the Jungle to become the World Champion for the second time.

https___bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com_public_images_46a8bb2a-e760-4597-b21e-dd1e5c9eba14_900x625.jpg

According to GWS Auctions, the watch came from the estate of Louis "Booty" Beltrami. Booty Beltrami was a big sports fan and a longtime friend of Ali’s. Presumably, Beltrami gifted his friend Ali the Omega after he became World Champion for the second time. Here’s one anecdote on the pair’s friendship from Beltrami’s obituary (he died in 2016):

"His favorite quote was one that Muhammad Ali wrote for him on a picture," son Michael [Beltrami’s son] said. ‘Service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.' My Dad lived by that. That treasured photo was signed by Ali ‘To My Main Man,’ and dated Sept. 21, 1977.”

The watch came with a handwritten letter of provenance from Al Beltrami, Booty Beltrami’s nephew, who inherited the watch when his uncle died.

A watch with this kind of provenance — tied to one of the greatest figures (beyond just sports) of the 20th Century — is an important historical artifact, not just horological artifact.

With that, a huge congrats to whoever acquired Muhammad Ali’s Omega.

h/t to Charlie for the tip-off.

Results from Sotheby's Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary Auction

Auctions

Maybe you’ve heard, but July 20 marked the 50th anniversary of mankind first stepping foot on the moon. From NASA’s Instagram:

Today, at 10:56 p.m. EDT 50 years ago, Apollo 11 took that one giant leap – making history for all of mankind. 🌔👨‍🚀 On the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, we salute the heroes, visionaries and explorers who made the seemingly impossible, possible. ⁣

Pretty cool. People have been “celebrating” by posting wrist shots of their Speedmasters all week. After all, is there a more American way to celebrate one of the great achievements of this country than flaunting our blatant consumerism and a Swiss company’s opportunistic profiting off such an achievement?

Well, perhaps one: An auction where those who own the same watch the astronauts wore on that fateful day can resell their timepieces at heavily inflated prices because of a bubble fueled by the consumerist habit of buying and flaunting said watches mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the best Omega Speedmasters that sold at Sotheby’s “To the Moon and Back | Celebrating 50 years since Apollo 11” auction form July 19.

Read More

Watches of Knightsbridge Summer 2019 Auction Preview

Auctions

Sure, Watches of Knightsbridge has its monthly online auctions, which often have some nice watches in their own right. But a few times a year, they offer a larger platform, hosting a live auction in their native London. The next live auction is July 20’s Fine, Rare, and Collectible Timepieces, featuring 217 lots. There are three Rolex Submariners on the catalog cover, which might hint at the general theme of this auction. Let’s take a look at a few of the best watches up for auction.

Read More

The Best Everyday Watches in 2019

One Watch

It’s that time of year. Far and away, our most popular article of 2018 was The Best Everyday Watches of 2018. Turns out a lot of people are searching for the best everyday watch, the best go-anywhere-do-anything (GADA) watch, or the watch to make the perfect one-watch collection (yes, you can have a one-watch collection. That’s a hill I’ll die on).

With the 2019 trade shows (meh as they were) in the rearview mirror, it’s time to update the list for 2019. In 2018, I looked at the best watches that you could still buy new. For 2019, we’re changing the rules. I’m going to look at the best vintage, pre-owned, and new everyday watches out there.

A reminder: there are no real requirements for an everyday watch besides general durability and comfort. We’re talking about watches that can be dressed up or dressed down. Watches that look as good with a suit as they do alongside a t-shirt and jeans. Lume and water resistance are nice, but not necessary. An everyday wearer can come on a bracelet or strap, as long as it sits comfortably on the wrist. And while we’re willing to pay good money for a watch we’re going to be wearing every day, we can’t spend so much that we feel we have to baby it through every door jamb.

First, up, the best everyday watches you can buy new. I’ve broken them down into three categories: (1) the Under $2,000 Club, (2) the Microbrands, and (3) the Classics.

Read More