Unlike the infamous gangster who owned it, Al Capone’s pocket watch is still ticking—and up for grabs at an upcoming Sotheby’s auction. The cigar-smoking, fedora-sporting Chicago mob legend was as well known for his ruthless acts of violence (most notoriously for orchestrating the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre) as he was for his exquisite tastes and style.
Enter Capone’s opulent platinum and diamond-emblazoned Patek Philippe. While the time and place of Capone’s purchase isn’t know, Sotheby’s can confidently state that he discarded the original subdued case in favor of a custom one made from solid platinum. The dial side features an “open face” design with Breguet numerals and the period-correct “long signature,” though the minute hand is no longer with the watch. But the most eye-catching element comes on the reverse side, which features 90 single-cut diamonds spelling out his initials “AC” in Art Deco form.
Tax evasion is what ultimately landed Capone in the federal prison system, where he was transferred to the legendary Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary before he received an early parole due to deteriorating health—he spent his final days in and out of hospitals until his death in 1947. After his imprisonment, much of his property was seized—one tale even claims that his armored car became the first one used by a President of the United States—but this Patek Philippe stayed with the family until very recently and is now read to headline a vintage watch collection. Expect it to fetch $80,000 to $160,000 at auction.
