Once owned by Al Capone, this platinum Patek Philippe pocket watch blends mob lore with high design.
The 42mm open-face timepiece features an aged dial, Breguet numerals, and a missing minute hand that adds to its mystique. The watch is originally from 1919.
But it’s the back that steals the show, with 90 diamonds forming “AC” in bold Art Deco style.
Verified by Capone’s granddaughter, this glittering artifact heads to Sotheby’s Important Watches auction in New York on June 10th.
Bidding estimate is $80,000-160,000 for those of you interested in an ultimate piece of timepiece lore.
The present Patek Philippe pocket watch is an exceptional embodiment of the extravagant style Capone was known for. According to his family, we do not know where he purchased the watch, but we do know that he discarded its original “plain” case and instead commissioned a new custom pocket watch case made from solid platinum. The dial side features an “open face” design with Breguet numerals and the period-correct ‘long signature.’ The dial has dramatically aged over the years, and the minute hand is no longer with the watch—we can only speculate as to how or why this happened, but suffice it to say, this watch has more than a few stories it could tell.
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