The estate of music legend Quincy Jones is bringing timepieces and fine jewelry to Christie’s Rare Watches auction next month in Geneva, led by a Patek Philippe Nautilus (pictured) that was on Jones’ wrist during the era that he produced Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Jones, who died in 2024, purchased the steel and 18k gold “Jumbo” Nautilus in 1981 and owned it the rest of his life. For the trade, this single-owner status is a major value-add.
While Christie’s estimate on the timepiece sits between $130,000 and $250,000 (110,000–210,000 Swiss francs), the cultural significance of a watch that witnessed the creation of the best selling album in history is expected to push the final price significantly higher. This ref. 3700/1JA represents horological engineering, yes, but also serves as an artifact from the peak of the analog recording era, potentially attracting bidders from outside the traditional watch-collecting community.
Jones’ property in the May 11 sale also include a Girard-Perregaux World Time Control Shadow watch, gifted to the composer-producer by singer Andrea Bocelli in 2011. On the jewelry side, Christie’s will feature a 22k gold pendant from U2 frontman Bono, engraved B4Q80 for Jones’ 80th birthday. Both lots highlight the personal relationships that defined Jones’ career and further cement the superstar-to-superstar nature of the collection.
As the secondary watch market increasingly favors pieces with documented long-term ownership, the Jones offerings demonstrate how a storied life can elevate a wristwatch’s value far beyond its technical reference. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Quincy Jones Foundation.
(Photo courtesy of Christie’s Ltd. 2026)
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