Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Buy Mike's Paul Newman!

My father-in-law, Mike, about whom I wrote previously, died on June 20. This was expected but sad nonetheless. Mike was very much a participant, rather than an observer, in the game of life. As a result we are fortunate to have tons of "Mike stories" to remember him by.

And we're in the process of generating one more Mike story! TR threw a party for his son's first communion last month, where I wound up talking watches with a mutual friend as well as FOG:TB Juan Carlos. I mentioned Mike's watch, a Paul Newman Daytona, and our family's interest in selling it without getting ripped off. Turns out both guys know the head of Christie's watch group and he lives around the corner from zfamily. They put us in touch and the watch expert is a fantastic guy. I brought the watch to his house, he verified it isn't a fugazi, and it will be auctioned online starting June 28 through July 12. They even took some nifty glamour shots.


Remarkably, it appears to have the highest estimated value of any lot in the auction. Not too bad for a $295 purchase that was worn daily for 40-some-odd years.

You can follow Mike's watch here. Feel free to bid--you can use a credit card! The whole zfamily hopes the auction results in one more awesome Mike story.

41 comments:

rob said...

holy shit. that’s a serious amount of usd. that’s like danimal money.

TR said...

Love the post, but Mike is disappointed you didn't wait 9 minutes longer to post it.

Danimal said...

That. Ia. Awesome.

Squeaky said...

Went to link expecting 10-20K not 100-200K. That is an amazing watch from an amazing guy.

zman said...

I expressly didn't follow my usual habit of posting at 6:09 am because it didn't seem like the right post to make that reference. That said, Mike was a proud frat guy (ZBT) so maybe I should've.

Danimal said...

"Is"
Z - how was he able to acquire that for $295?

Danimal said...

Somewhat coincidentally, I am and have been situated in a hotel on Rodeo Drive. The hotel's immediate neighbors are Rolex and Patek Phillipe. Have yet to browse within either but will make a point of doing so today.

zman said...

D - he bought the watch new in 1969 (or thereabouts) and that was the price back then.

zwoman is most stunned by the fact that Mike's watch is estimated at three to eight times the value of the President of Honduras's watch.

https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/christies-watches-online-summer-watch-series-part-ii/rolex-datejust-president-honduras-ref-6105-103/58788

rob said...

germany, out!

Squeaky said...

First time not advancing since '54. That's crazy.

Donna said...

In awe...not only of the price but how cool a story—$295 original price and now will sell for this...WOW! And amazed by World Cup results...unreal. Btw—how cool is it that one can watch on their phone while grocery shopping?

zman said...

Justice Kennedy is stepping down. God help us all.

rob said...

justice zman!

rob said...

the winner of tomorrow's england/belgium match wins group h of the world cup and gets placed in a half of the bracket that includes brazil (quarters), france/argentina, portgual/uruguay (semi). the loser finds itself in a half with sweden/switzerland (quarter), denmark/croatia and russia/spain (semi). one of these is not like the other.

if the game ends in a tie, the group winner will be decided on fair play points (yellow/red cards accumulated), as both teams have identical 8 goals for/2 against records. that's going to be an epically weird game, as each team tries not to win. i predict a game that ends with 7 v 7 from red cards by second-stringers in a scoreless tie.

TR said...

We’re all pulling for Heimlich and Oregon State, right?

TR said...

The Razorbacks’ home unis are awesome. I don’t think I’ve liked anything about that school since the days that Todd Day was hooping for them.

TR said...

Dagger of a loss for Arkansas. OSU has a ton of momentum into the rubber match tmrw.

rob said...

africa, out

rob said...

i got 11 of 16 knockout round participants correct in my definitive gtb world cup preview. missed on egypt (russia went through instead), serbia (switzerland), germany (sweden), senegal (japan), and peru (denmark). that's...suboptimal.

Whitney said...

At least you put yourself out there, Rob. That matters.

Whitney said...

Opening bid on Mike’s watch: $80,000. That’s something.

zman said...

I think that's the "starting" bid and not the "current" bid, which means no one has bid yet but if anyone does they need to start with $80k. I'm not sure though, I leave accurate explanations to ballers like Danimal who better understand the nuances of high-end auctions.

Marls said...

Zed, is there a reserve on Mike’s bling to avoid cheap fucks from scooping it up too low?

Whitney said...

What Zman was just describing is the $80k reserve.

TR said...

I’ll admit it - I love the 1,2,1,2 song that Apple plays for its iPhone X commercial. Artist is George the Poet. We should get him to post on Gheorghe: the Blog.

With that said, it doesn’t make me want to upgrade from my iPhone VIII.

rob said...

why don’t you reach out to his people in the last few weeks of the summer of tr?

Marls said...

Sometimes the reserve is much higher than the starting bid. Usually the starting bid is intended to get rid of non serious bidders at the start.

Danimal said...

This "baller" is taking a red-eye home from LAX to Orlando (requires a 2-hour drive home) so I could save a few bucks. And I don't know shit about how auctions. But I do like looking at watches and talking to people that sell high-end pieces. If you have any affinity for watches and are ever on Rodeo Drive...go into a store and engage. Patek/Rolex/IWC/Panerai - the Beverly Hills locations are their respective flagships so those selling are I'm guessing, their best ambassadors. You'd think they'd be snooty like the Maitre D' in Ferris Bueller, but on the contrary. Wonderfully warm and welcoming, and by gosh do they know anything you want to know about a watch.


Danimal said...

In my 2nd bar of the eve, having arrived to 4.5 hours prior to departure. Corona Beach House. Sad.

Marls said...

You’re Danimal?!? The fine watch king of G:TB?

rob said...

marcus thornton led the u.s. in scoring last night in a fiba world cup qualifier against mexico. 'course, the u.s. lost, but we're not really focusing on that.

zman said...

We got a bid overnight.

TR said...

I preferred Bronson Pinchot’s character in Beverly Hills Cop over the maitre’d in Bueller.

Whitney said...

TR, they were very different characters. Serge was a nice guy while the maƮtre d' at Chez Quis was a major jerk. In terms of greeters/gatekeepers, I'd rank them:


Serge in BHC
Lasky, Security Guard at Walleyworld
Bridgekeeper in Monty Python & the Holy Grail
Guy in Chinese restaurant in Seinfeld
Maitre d' at Chez Quis

Whitney said...

Jon Stewart subbed in unannounced on Colbert last night. Miss that guy.

TR said...

What is the criterion of that ranking? Ludicrousness of accent?

zman said...

Don't forget about Bronson Pinchot in True Romance.

zman said...

Or the maitre'd in BHC.

Danimal said...

Keep us posted Z

Whitney said...

Danimal, you are too lazy to click the link? P'shaw

TR said...

Sea Island, GA does not suck at all. Looking forward to the free round of golf that Danimal set up for me.

So a big hat tip to that guy. I will try not to embarrass his reputation too much.