A collection of over 50 high end watches going under the hammer at Lloyds Auctions this Thursday night and is set to break records again as premium watches such as Rolex, Cartier Anglaise, Hublot, and Tag Heuer continue to rise in value with many expected to sell for multiple times their original retail price.
A limited edition 2007 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Shaquille O'Neal iced diamond watch that originally retailed for approximately $30,000 is going under the hammer in this Thursday nights auction and is predicted to reach a "six figure" amount which will break auction and retail records.
Audemars Piguet watches are a favourite among celebrities, royalty and the uber wealthy. This particular watch was dedicated and inspired by NBA Basketball super-star Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most successful athletes in the world today.
A very limited edition of only 960 of these watches made worldwide, this one featuring a brilliant diamond set dial and bezel. This watch is the only one believed to be in Australia with the unique feature of the numbers '2' and '3' have been swapped around on the series of watches to represent O'Neal's jersey number.
"These watches are extremely rare and extremely hard to come by you can't just go online and buy them, the current custodian took a long time to decide to part with this amazing timepiece" said Mr. Lee Hames, Chief Operations Officer for Lloyds Auctions.
Knight Frank reported in their 2021 Wealth report that watches were the 3rd most popular passion investments following classic cars and art and over the last 10 years the average investment has grown by 89%.
"Due to increased demand and steady increase in value, we have seen auction prices of all high-end watches including brands such as Rolex, Cartier and AP sky-rocket in value over recent years," continued Mr. Hames.
"One of the most iconic and recognisable wristwatches of all time, a stainless Rolex Daytona, sold in our February auction for over $50,000, with the original retail price for this watch being just over $13,000, showcasing the increase in demand for many high-end watches," said Mr. Hames.
You can view the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Shaquille O'Neal edition Diamond watch here.
