Luxury Watches of Sir Michael Parkinson Fetch £66,560 at Auction

Six luxury watches once owned by the renowned broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson achieved an impressive total of £66,560 at Ewbank’s auction house in Surrey on September 24, 2023. This amount nearly doubled their high estimate of £36,900, reflecting the lasting legacy of the beloved television host.

Among the watches, a standout was a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day Date, which Parkinson famously wore while interviewing cricket icon Shane Warne in 2007. Parkinson’s family shared that the Yorkshire-born host aimed to be “as well accoutred as the legendary Australian player – ‘the greatest spin bowler of them all,’” during that memorable interview. The watch, initially estimated at £7,500 to 8,500, sold for a remarkable £17,550.

Notable Sales and Family Insights

Another highlight from the auction was the Patek Philippe Gondolo gold wristwatch, which Parkinson wore during his 2004 interview with Tom Cruise and throughout much of his ITV run from 2004 to 2008. This timepiece, estimated at £5,800 to 6,800, fetched £11,050, demonstrating the strong connection between the watches and Parkinson’s illustrious career.

Parkinson’s family decided to consign the collection after contemplating how best to preserve these treasured items. His son, Mike Parkinson, stated, “They are lovely watches but no one in the family is going to wear them, and my father would have been the first person to say, don’t just leave them in a drawer, do something with them.” He expressed a desire for fans of his father to have the opportunity to own a piece of personal history.

Other notable pieces included a Patek Philippe Calatrava gold wristwatch, estimated at £7,100 to 8,100, which sold for £14,950; an A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia gold wristwatch, estimated at £5,000 to 6,000, which reached £11,700; a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, estimated at £4,500 to 5,500, which fetched £9,100; and an IWC Mark XVI Flieger Uhr stainless steel wristwatch, estimated at £1,000 to 2,000, which sold for £2,210.

A Lasting Legacy

According to Nick Orringe, a consultant specialist at Ewbank’s who previously collaborated with Parkinson on the TV antiques programme *Going For A Song*, the auction results highlight Parkinson’s status as a beloved cultural figure. “Whether in print, on radio or as host of Britain’s most iconic talk show, Sir Michael Parkinson was a household name for a generation,” Orringe noted. He emphasized that the watches offered a unique personal connection to a man who was as much a screen icon as those he interviewed.

As for the proceeds from the sale, Mike Parkinson shared, “We haven’t decided what we will do with the proceeds from the sale yet, but we will ensure that it is used in a way that he would have approved of.”

Ewbank’s, located in Send, near Woking, continues to provide opportunities for collectors and admirers. More information about future auctions can be found at their website, www.ewbankauctions.co.uk.