Watchismo Times

Amongst the items being auctioned are:

Of interest for the Frank Sinatra fan is the legendary crooner’s Gruen watch and gold chain necklace. This timepiece is a fine and very thin14K pink gold wristwatch with a pink gold-plated brick link bracelet and is accompanied by a 49 cm gold-plated necklace with 12 letter-links spelling “Frank Sinatra.”

The watch was sold by the estate of Al Silvani who received it as a gift from Frank Sinatra, his close personal friend. Silvani spent a lot of time with Sinatra's Rat Pack and appeared in a number of his movies.Estimate: $ 10,000 - $ 15,000

Sammy Davis Jr.’s Cartier Pasha in the June sale. It was given to him by his best friend Frank Sinatra in the late 1980’s, and is inscribed, “Sammy I Luv Ya F.A.S.” The Cartier, "Pasha Quartz - Two-Time-Zone," Ref. 0321 will be offered along with a 1990 People magazine celebrating the life of Sammy Davis and featuring him on the cover wearing the watch and a scrap book of Sammy Davis related news clippings from 1970 to 1973. The timepiece is a fine and rare, two-time-zone, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold quartz wristwatch with moon phases, day and date, produced in 1987.

Estimate: $10,000 - $ 20,000

President Roosevelt, known as FDR, was the celebrated 32nd President of the US and the only President in US history to serve four terms (1933-1945). Recognized as one of the greatest American Presidents of all time, his Presidency spanned the Depression of the 1930’s and World War II. The watch was worn by FDR during the last two months of his life, including perhaps to the Yalta Conference in February, 1945 and he may have been wearing this watch when he died on April 12, 1945 at Warm Springs, Georgia. In 2008, the Movado-Tiffany watch was part of a Presidential display for the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors timepiece collection. Antiquorum experts estimate this fine and historically important timepiece at $ 50,000 - $ 60,000.

Fans of the legendary actor, Steve McQueen and race car enthusiasts will also be very interested in the upcoming June sale as it will include the iconic Heuer “Monaco” wristwatch previously owned by Steve McQueen and worn by him during the filming of the 1971 movie “Le Mans”. Steve presented the watch to his financial advisor upon his return home from filming in appreciation for financially restructuring both himself personally and his company, Solar Productions Inc.

View the entire Antiquorum Catalog for this auction.

Related Famous Watch Posts at The Watchismo Times;

• President Lincoln's Secret Message Watch
• Mohatma Gandhi Wristwatch Auction
• All Historical Watch Posts

By 1908, speedometer companies were producing and marketing clocks as after-market accessories. Over the next decade, the car clock grew in popularity and several companies began catering to the growing market, including the Phinney-Walker Keyless Clock Company, the Warner Instrument Company, the Seth Thomas Clock Company, the Stewart Speedometer Company, the Chelsea Clock Company, and the Boston Clock Company. In some cases, there was a clear crossover between marine clocks and automobile clocks. Waltham, a major supplier of car clocks, marketed identical timepieces for both automobiles and boats.

From the NAWCC Museum

1822 Carriage Clock by Breguet

1905 Leather Dashboard Clock Holder

In the early days of the "horseless carriage", automobiles were open vehicles with a dash or kick board in front of the driver's legs. The first car clocks were often large timepieces in heavy leather holders which were slung over the dashboard.

1911 Heuer "Time of Trip"

The "Time of Trip", the first dashboard chronograph patented by (TAG) Heuer in 1911, was designed for aircraft and automobiles. Its 11-cm diameter and its size are well suited for installation on all types of dashboards. The large hands at the centre of the dial indicate the time. The small pair of hands, at the 12 o'clock position, give the duration of the trip (not exceeding 12 hours). The same button is used to start, stop and reset the clock. A small window at the 3 o'clock position serves to monitor the proper operation of the device.

1912 Brown Clock-Speedometer

Speedometers were available as standard equipment in vehicles as early as 1908, though most drivers could not afford this luxury. Often speedometers were combined with odometers, trip meters and clocks.

1925 Phinney-Walker Rim-Wind Car Clock

The "Embassy" was one of the most popular car clocks produced by Phinney-Walker. The eight day clock was wound and set by rotating the outer rim.

1925 Limosine Clock

This car clock was made by Waltham for use in Cadillac limousines. The clock would have been mounted on the partition which separated the driver from the passenger compartment.

1929 Waltham 8 Day
Dial color matching car color

1932 Jaeger

Along with Sterling Electric, Jaeger was a major manufacturer of 1930s car clocks. Their clocks could be seen in Cadillacs, Packards and Lincolns in the thirties. This clock was made for the Packard Super 8.

1933 Heuer Autavia Dashboard Timer

In 1933, Heuer introduced the "Autavia", a dashboard timer used for Automobiles and Aviation (and thus the name "Autavia"). The companion "Hervue" was a clock that had an 8-day movement (meaning that it could run for eight days without being wound).

Heuer Collection at On The Dash

1941 Packard "Woody" 110 Station Sedan Dashboard Clock

"The Woody"

1950s Ford

1951 Ford

1952 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe Station Wagon

One of the most spectacular car clocks I've seen. The clock is by far the largest feature in the entire dashboard.

Chieftain Station Wagon

1955 Ford

1956 Oldsmobile
clock above, car below

1959 Mercedes Benz Ponton

1960 Oldsmobile
clock above, car below

1960 Buick Invicta

1965 Dodge Dart

1970s Cadillac

And of course, digital displays started to appear in the seventies. This one from a Cadillac featuring rolling drums of numbers like most alarm clocks of that era.

2006 Peugeot 908 RC concept car
by Bell & Ross

Watch brand, Bell & Ross was picked to appoint the dashboard clock in this concept car. Featuring a jumping digital hour and central minutes hand based upon their timepiece of similar design.

Watch brand, IWC with their clock
in a Mercedes S63 AMG

And if you have any unique dashboard clocks you'd like to share for a future follow-up to this posting, please email me.