Editors note: While you might think these uncertain times would lead to a decline in luxury spending, auction houses are still raking in a great deal of money – with collectors assuaging their boredom under lockdown with incredible timepieces that come up for auction. The market for hot vintage luxury Swiss replica watches is still going strong, with even modern in-demand models commanding unexpected premiums. As my colleague Brendan would put it – high-value vintage watches have proven themselves”pandemic-proof“. This reminded me of an article we published some time ago, which explored the hammer prices of celebrity-owned high-end fake watches, and whether or not the “X factor” they carried translated into greater bids. Since this list was last published, we have seen some historic watches sold at auction. Let’s check in on just how much their celebrity status impacted their sales.
Marlon Brando – Black Dial Fake Rolex GMT-Master “Apocalypse Now”
RRP in 1980 — $950 USD
Sold at auction in 2019— $1,952,000 USD
Buy similar today — $18,691 USD
Celebrity premium — 10,343.53%
After her husband heard about the success of Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona at auction, Brando’s daughter Petra Fischer-Brando realized there was a great opportunity to raise money for their charity. The proceeds of the sale, as well as Phillips’s portion of the commission, was pledged and donated to the Brando Fischer Foundation, a non-profit aimed at reducing childhood poverty.
Jack Nicklaus – Gold Bracelet Replica Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803
RRP in 1970 — $1,850 USD
Sold at auction in 2019— $1,220,000 USD
Buy similar today — $13,495 USD
Celebrity premium — 8,940.39%
Another instance of a philanthropic effort, Jack Nicklaus offered his best quality copy Rolex Day-Date ref. 1803 – with the proceeds to be donated to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, a charitable organization that aids the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. A golfing legend, one thing that really added to the provenance of the watch was that Nicklaus actually wore the cheap fake watches online while and after golfing throughout his career. For fans of the sport, this was the ultimate form of memorabilia you could find.