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The most stand-out watches from Michael Schumacher’s auction at Christie’s: from his Rolex ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona to a custom AP Royal Oak Chronograph – but which piece may fetch over US$2 million?

Michael Schumacher wears his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher limited edition in 2013. Photo: SCMP
Michael Schumacher wears his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher limited edition in 2013. Photo: SCMP
Timepieces

  • German driver Michael Schumacher is a living legend of the motorsports world, having won 7 Formula One championships – including a record-breaking 5 with Scuderia Ferrari between 2000-04
  • He retired from public life after a ski accident in 2013, but his family is now auctioning some of his rare watches, including 2 custom pieces gifted by ex Ferrari team principal Jean Todt

The luxury watch collection of German Formula One legend Michael Schumacher will hit the auction block in Geneva today, on May 13, with the event fast becoming one of this year’s most buzzed-about happenings in the world of haute horlogerie.
A man attends a preview of former F1 driver Michael Schumacher’s watches ahead of auction at Christie’s in New York, on May 3. Photo: Reuters
A man attends a preview of former F1 driver Michael Schumacher’s watches ahead of auction at Christie’s in New York, on May 3. Photo: Reuters

Schumacher, a savvy watch collector and former collaborator with major brands like Audemars Piguet and Omega, is known for having an eye for highly rare and exotic timepieces that are reportedly worth millions.

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Eight of Schumacher’s highly unique timepieces are going under the hammer at Christie’s Rare Watches auction at the Four Seasons Hotel de Bergues, offering the public a coveted glimpse into specimens of the world’s finest watchmaking. According to Christie’s, two of these rare watches are custom timepieces that were given to the driver as Christmas presents by his mentor and former Ferrari team principal, Jean Todt.
A man looks at the F.P. Journe Ruthenium Collection owned by F1 legend Michael Schumacher ahead of Christie’s auction. Photo: Reuters
A man looks at the F.P. Journe Ruthenium Collection owned by F1 legend Michael Schumacher ahead of Christie’s auction. Photo: Reuters
Schumacher’s family has made these watches available to serve as a bridge between the former driver, and his fans and fellow watch-lovers, allowing them to connect with the racing icon who hasn’t been seen in public in well over a decade.

In 2013, Schumacher was in a life-threatening accident while skiing off-piste on the slopes at the prestigious Méribel resort in the French Alps. He suffered a traumatic head injury and was placed in a medically induced coma for 250 days. Though he survived, the damage caused by the incident is believed to have caused enduring impairments for the German driver, and he has maintained a private life ever since.

German weekly magazine Die Aktuelle with Michael Schumacher on the cover, in Berlin, Germany, in April 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE
German weekly magazine Die Aktuelle with Michael Schumacher on the cover, in Berlin, Germany, in April 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE

Featuring pieces with inscriptions dedicated to him and commemorating milestones in his racing career, Schumacher’s watch auction will offer fans and collectors alike an opportunity to own a tangible piece of motorsport history from the seven-time Formula One Champion. The highly anticipated bidding sale, held by Christie’s, is expected to raise well over US$4 million, per CNN.

Here’s a closer look at some of the breathtaking timepieces that are up for sale.

1. F.P. Journe Vagabondage I