Rare Watch Once Owned By Pablo Picasso Auctioned In Paris By Bonhams

By Richard Fox

In ten short minutes a wristwatch with an auction estimate between €12,000 – 18,000 went from an opening bid of €12,000 to a final auction sale price of €219,050 including buyer’s premium. Approximately £ 189,259.

This was not however a vintage Patek Philippe or Rolex, as you might expect, but instead a watch made by a less well-known Swiss watch producer, Michael Z. Berger, in the 1960’s. The clue to the value of this watch is stated on its dial. The silvered dial features hour makers formed by the letters of Pablo Picasso’s name. Interestingly, this is made possible by the fact that there are only twelve letters in the name Pablo Picasso. Of course, more particularly the reason the watch was sought after was that Picasso once owned this watch.

Perhaps fittingly the watch was auctioned in Paris – given the artists long standing association with the city. The watch was brought to auction by Bonhams at their Paris Luxury Watch Sale held on Thursday 20 May 2021. Bonhams noted that only two other such Picasso watches are thought to exist, with an awareness of a third. The auctioned watch being the third watch having now been recently discovered. These Picasso watches were worn by the artist as documented in photos taken of Picasso at his studio by Cecil Beaton in the 1960s. Picasso also owned other watches including a Rolex GMT-Master and a Jaeger-LeCoultre triple calendar moon phase.

“This is an extraordinary find and we are thrilled to be offering this very special timepiece in our Paris Luxury sale. Just occasionally I have had a chance to hold history and intrigue in my hands in the form of a watch and this has to been one of the most befitting to make a lasting impression – the like of which I will not see again”.
Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams Global Head of Watches

The watch itself is stainless steel, with a 17-jewel manual wind movement. The movement signed Michael Z. Berger Co, and the inside case back is stamped M.T. Co. The case is brushed and polished with a stepped bezel and screw down back. The dial is silvered with black ‘Pablo Picasso’ letters forming the hour markers and it has gilt lance hands with luminous inserts. The watch is fitted with an expandable bracelet. From circa 1960. Size: 32mm. (Lot 244).

Finally, the story of this watch does not just involve Picasso, as the artist personally gifted the watch to his friend the late Greek sculptor Lela Kanellopoulou. Accordingly, she met Picasso at the Cahiers d’Art publishing house, having collaborated with Christian Zervos, who published the important Cahiers d’Art magazine and the catalogue raisoné of the works of Picasso.