When it comes to watches, a celebrity connection can make a big difference to the price of an individual timepiece. This is especially true of watches that are linked to a well-respected celebrity watch collector (as opposed to a paid sponsor). Eric Clapton definitely fits the bill: The legendary British musician is renowned among watch collectors for his love of luxury timepieces, with a special interest in Patek Philippe and Rolex (both vintage and new). A quick Google search for “Eric Clapton watches” will tell you all you need to know.
It’s important to note that Mr. Clapton is a collector, not a flipper, meaning he rarely sells watches from his personal collection. That’s part of the reason why his platinum Patek Philippe ref. 2499 sold for $3.6 million back in 2012. With this in mind, you can understand why we are so excited to have one of his timepieces for sale on our marketplace. This particular watch is currently listed by one of our pre-owned dealers from the UK, Xupes. It’s a Patek Philippe 175th Anniversary 5975R-001 once owned by Eric Clapton. Read on to learn more about this stunning timepiece.
A Personal Invitation
If you’re an avid Patek Philippe fan, you’ll already know that the company celebrated its 175th anniversary back in 2014. I was fortunate enough to go to the party in New York, and let me tell you, it was awesome. However, attending a party is nowhere near as awesome as being personally invited by Patek Philippe to purchase a limited edition timepiece. Such invitations are restricted to very few elite Patek Philippe customers. As you can imagine, you have to be a pretty big deal to even be considered for this sort of honor.
It’s not clear whether Clapton received an invitation and purchased the watch directly from Patek Philippe or if he purchased the model at a later date from another collector. Given his standing in the watch community, we’re betting on the former. However, there’s no way of knowing for sure since Patek is typically very hush-hush about this sort of thing.
The Ref. 5975 Anniversary Series
To mark 175 years of Patek Philippe, the company crafted a series of one-off pieces, including the absolutely bonkers ref. 5175 Grandmaster Chime. The likelihood of such pieces ever resurfacing is very low, and even if they do, you can expect price tags in the six to seven-figure range. The ref. 5975 was a little different, in that it wasn’t a one-off. Instead, Patek Philippe created four different variations to mark the special occasion. The yellow, white, and rose gold editions were limited to 400 pieces each, and a further 100 pieces were made in platinum with a black dial. For a company that only produces around 70,000 watches a year, these numbers aren’t exactly all that exclusive.
However, that doesn’t mean the watches aren’t highly coveted. These are some of the most distinctive-looking watches Patek Philippe has produced in quite some time. The dial features a multi-scale chronograph, as well as tachymeter, telemeter, and pulsometer scales. There are no subdials, and, to be honest, this watch looks quite intimidating at first glance. That quickly shifts to intrigue once you know how this masterpiece works.
The 40-mm case – in this instance, rose gold – comes with attractive stepped-lugs that resemble Patek watches from the 1930s and 40s. The size and fit, however, are decidedly modern. Inside you’ll find the in-house caliber 28-520, an automatic chronograph movement. This in itself is unusual – although not necessarily more desirable – as most Patek chronographs have a manual movement. Regardless, the caliber 28-520 is hidden away behind a solid case back, complete with special anniversary engraving.
The 175th Anniversary ref. 5975R is an interesting and attractive watch in its own right. Considering this particular timepiece was once part of the personal collection of three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and respected collector Eric Clapton, we imagine it won’t be on the market for very long.
Commenting on this special listing, Joseph McKenzie, co-founder and director at Xupes said,
“It is an honor to be selling such a hard-to-find and exclusive Patek Philippe, and with such provenance having originally belonged to Eric Clapton. We are hoping that the watch will go to a new home, to maybe a fan or collector, and that its story will be continued, being passed down through the generations. Eric’s watches have historically raised excitement amongst Eric Clapton aficionados, sometimes pushing prices to more than 40% over RRP.”
Regardless of whether you’re a Clapton fan or not, this is a cool watch with a cool story, and one that’s not likely to come back on the market anytime soon.
Who Is Xupes?
Since its foundation by father-and-son team Frank and Joseph McKenzie back in 2009, Xupes has become a trusted seller of pre-owned luxury items. The company headquarters are in a restored 17th-century barn in Bishop’s Stortford, England. They’ve also recently expanded their operations into Europe, establishing a base in Amsterdam. Thanks to its reputation for quality and reliability, the Xupes team of watch buyers is now able to get their hands on an ever-increasing number of interesting pieces.
This particular ref. 5975R is one such example. According to Xupes, the watch was consigned by a personal friend of Eric Clapton’s (whose information cannot be disclosed due to client confidentiality). It was originally part of an extensive collection of timepieces that also includes others from Clapton. However, since it’s no longer getting the wrist time it deserves, the owner has decided to give someone else the opportunity to appreciate this beautiful timepiece.
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