GENEVA: Christie’s is set to auction off eight luxury watches from the collection of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher on Tuesday.
Organized by Schumacher’s family, the sale includes a special timepiece gifted to him by former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt in 2004, adorned with 18-carat white gold, a red watch face, and iconic images of Ferrari logos, Schumacher’s helmet, and the number 7 to commemorate his seven World Championship victories.
Expected to fetch up to 2 million Swiss francs, this custom-made watch is the highlight of the auction. Additionally, five Schumacher watches, housed in a single box set, will be sold individually. The timing of the auction coincides with the 30th anniversary of Schumacher’s first Formula One Drivers Championship win in 1994.
Eli Fayon, a specialist at Christie’s watches, mentioned, that we’re approached by the family to put these pieces up for auction, and the reason is unknown to us. The luxury watches have been showcased in New York and Taipei prior to the auction in Geneva. In a concurrent event, Sotheby’s is holding a jewelry auction featuring a 100-carat yellow diamond estimated to sell for up to 6.5 million francs. Schumacher, who retired from F1 in 2012, shares the record for most F1 titles with Lewis Hamilton. Since his skiing accident in 2013, which resulted in a severe brain injury, Schumacher has been receiving private care at his family home in Switzerland.
