5 most exciting timepieces from Elton John’s upcoming auction at Christie’s, from a leopard-print Rolex Daytona to Cartier Crash, Tank and dragon watches, and one-of-a-kind diamond-studded Chopard
- The auction, which opens on February 21 with an evening sale at Christie’s Rockefeller Center in NYC, features memorabilia from John’s Atlanta condo in Park Place on Peachtree Road
- The singer concluded his last tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, last summer – and his upcoming auction features a watch related to his Aids foundation, set up after Freddie Mercury’s death
In a nod to John’s final concert tour Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which ran for three years over 300 stops and concluded on July 8, 2023, the Goodbye Peachtree Road collection offers a selection of photographs, artworks, fashion and stage costumes hand-picked by John himself.
Per Christie’s, the singer only became a serious collector of lively and vibrant art and objects whilst living on Peachtree Road, where he settled in 1992 after becoming sober two years before. Among the nostalgic treasures John amassed during his Atlanta days is an eclectic but sophisticated collection of watches – 31 of which are to be sold at the auction.
Many of John’s pieces are characteristically theatrical, brimming with glitz and glam. But as witnesses to this storied era of the star’s life, they also chronicle John’s tours around the United States, his recovery from substance and alcohol abuse, and the warmth of communities like Atlanta’s Triangle Club.
In the same way, Christie’s invites the public to witness a new chapter in John’s world as he bids farewell to this historic home. A free exhibition at 20 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City will run from February 9 to February 21 before the auction, which includes live sales on February 22 and 23 and online sales from February 24 to 27.
In celebration of the singer’s tastes, both playful and refined, here are five of our favourite watches out of the 31 up for grabs in The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road that stand out as cultural artefacts and distinct timepieces in their own right.
1. Chopard, Elton John Aids Foundation Piece Unique Model, Ref. 1279
Two diamond-studded large white gold skulls at 12 and 6 o’clock frame this 18-carat white gold and diamond-set Chopard (circa 2010s). The singer established the Elton John Aids Foundation in 1992 after losing friends Ryan White and Freddie Mercury to the disease within the span of a year. This unique chronograph has an estimated sale price of US$10,000 to US$15,000, and commemorates the artist’s poignant experience with loss.