Sylvester Stallone’s US$6.7 million watch auction at Sotheby’s: from the Panerai watches he put on the map to his Rolex Day-Date and the holy grail – the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime

Jun 8 , 2024

Rocky star Sylvester Stallone’s 11-piece collection just fetched millions at Sotheby’s “The Important Watches” auction in New York, on June 5. Photo: EPA-EFE

The holy grail of the auction was the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, considered the most complicated timepiece ever made – and Stallone’s version is still factory-sealed

Other watches from his 11-piece collection sold at Sotheby’s include the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 50th anniversary, an engraved Cartier, and the Panerai ‘Bronzo’ that he wore in The Expendables 2

On June 5, Sylvester Stallone auctioned off a significant portion of his watch collection, including one of the rarest and most highly sought-after holy grail watches – ultimately fetching a total of US$6.7 million in sales.

A Piaget Polo Grande watch owned by Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone. Photo: EPA-EFE

The 11-piece collection, managed by Sotheby’s, provides fascinating insight into the tastes of one of the most respected celebrity watch collectors of recent decades. Stallone, who had his break 50 years ago with the 1976 film Rocky, became a genre-defining action star, amassing hundreds of millions, per Celebrity Net Worth, and acquiring rare, enviable watches along the way.

So why did he decide to sell? Speaking to Sotheby’s, Stallone shared an anecdote about a fan encounter that put his love of horology into perspective.

“It’s not about the time, it’s about the sense of accomplishment. I’m gonna reward myself for doing something right in my life,” he explained. “And that’s what watch collecting is to me. It’s not about keeping time, it’s about keeping in step with where you are in life.”

Sylvester Stallone’s Panerai watches were on auction on June 5. Photo: EPA-EFE

Stallone, like his fellow action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a known fan of Panerais, so Paneristas likely benefited from the auction. However, the undisputed highlight was his Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime – considered the most complicated watch ever made by the Genevan brand with 20 complications – and Stallone’s version is still factory-sealed.

Here are our seven top timepieces from his collection that just went to auction:

Sylvester Stallone’s US$6.7 million watch auction at Sotheby’s: from the Panerai watches he put on the map to his Rolex Day-Date and the holy grail – the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime

1. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime