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$3.4m for star's watch

Date: November 14 2012

A PLATINUM wristwatch belonging to British guitarist Eric Clapton sold for 3.4 million Swiss francs ($3.43 million) in Geneva on Monday, auction house Christie's said.

The ''exceptionally rare'' watch made by Patek Philippe in 1987 was bought by an anonymous Asian buyer, Christie's spokesman Cristiano De Lorenzo said, adding the price was in the middle of the estimate.

The only other time the platinum perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases was auctioned in 1989, it sold for just $250,999.

Clapton, 67, known for his work with rock bands Cream and the Yardbirds and for songs including ''Crossroads", ''Layla'' and ''Tears in Heaven", had bought the luxury timepiece privately after that auction for an undisclosed price, De Lorenzo said.

The British guitarist's watch did not fetch the highest price at the Christie's ''Important Watches'' auction, where sales totalled 27.04 million Swiss francs.

That honour went to another Patek Philippe platinum wristwatch, made especially for American collector J.B. Champion in 1952, which raked in 3.78 million Swiss francs, setting ''a world auction record for a watch without complications,'' Christie's said.



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