True watch fans and watch collectors know the name John Goldberger, a mega-famous collector in the luxury watch collection. But hardcore fans know the name Auro Montanari as well. These two men? The same man. But Montanari is somewhat less a man and more of a legend. The Italian native, whose deep love of watches came about in the 70’s when he was visiting the States, wasn’t seeking global fame but found it back in 2018 when a watch from his incredible collection – a vintage Rolex – sold for over eight million dollars. Not just any vintage Rolex, Montanari’s watch was the only white-gold Daytona known in existence, hence the hefty price tag and the accompanying notoriety. The watch is so rare that it is known as the “Unicorn.” It should be stated that Montanari donated the sum of the sale to a Swiss-based charity, Children Action. Backing up our belief that this man is a legend, he once told RobbReport.com that he dedicates eight hours per day to his high-tech business started by his father and four hours a day to his ultimate passion – watches. Montanari has written many books about watches and watch-collecting and amidst the luxury watch-collecting circle, he is known as the “watch scholar.”
Montanari, who visits NYC on a regular basis, has famously stated that he decided to choose an alias to help protect his privacy but also to have a little bit of fun. He chose John Goldberger because Auro sounds similar to “oro” which is the Italian word for “gold” and “berger” is a shepherd or mountain worker which is similar to his last name. For the sake of Mr. Montanari’s wishes as well as for simplicity’s sake, we’ll be using his alias, John Goldberger for the rest of this article. Let’s dive in and find out what the creme de la creme is at the top of Goldberger’s astonishing collection.
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5 White-Gold Rolex Daytona aka “The Unicorn” – $8.8 Million (Ref. 6265)
As mentioned earlier, the vintage white-gold Rolex Daytona dubbed “The Unicorn” fetched a cool $8.8 million at an auction in 2018 thanks to its beautiful white-gold bracelet but mostly for the fact that there isn’t knowledge that another exists. This is the watch that caused such a stir in the auction, rare finds, and luxury watch communities that it launched a private man into fame. That’s quite a task for a watch!
4 Rolex Paul Newman Daytona (Ref. 6265) – $500,000
The yellow-gold Rolex Paul Newman Daytona is a real treat. It’s a one-of-a-kind, sort of. According to Hodinkee, this particular watch comes with a rare Patek Philippe reference 530. It also has Breguet numerals and is retailed by Tiffany & Co. with the absolute original bracelet – a huge win for luxury watch collectors. If that’s not enough, it also boasts diamonds from the late Vietnam Emperor. And to top things off – just look at that gorgeous moonphase included at the bottom of the piece. The moonphase features a golden moon face that we dare find downright adorable.
3 Stainless Steel And Pink Gold Chronograph Rolex Oyster – $471,000 (Ref. 3525)
According to an interview with CorradoMatarelli.com, this watch is “the one that got away” according to Goldberger. It’s the watch that he regrets not bidding on and/or winning at an auction. The pink gold Chronograph Rolex is certainly a beauty. According to the famous auction house, Christies, a watch just like this was sold at an auction in May of 2019. It’s not clear when the interview was conducted with Corrado Matarelli but in 2019, the watch was listed as being previously owned by the estate of the late Andy Warhol and more recently, “The Property of an Important Private Italian Collector” so could it be that Goldberger finally got his hands on the one that got away? If so, it got away again! But this is par of the course when it comes to collectors as prolific as Goldberger. They buy and sell, and it’s a constant looping process.
2 1940s Antimagnetic Rolex Oyster – Around $60,000 (Ref. 3835)
While this watch is stunning with its yellow-gold casing and beige dial, it doesn’t weigh as heavy on the bank account as other luxury watches do. In fact, it costs around $60,000 and can be purchased somewhat easily at auction. However, when it comes to John Goldberger, this watch’s sentimental value is steep. This watch style was the very first Rolex that he purchased in the 1970s when he was just 20 years old for $600.
1 Neptune Polychrome Cloisonné Dial (Ref. 4645) – $10,000
Finally, the most reasonably attainable watch on this list! The Neptune polychrome cloisonné dial is a classic watch. But more than that, Goldberger called it a “unique and stunning example of the art of watchmaking in Geneva during the 1950s” during his interview with Corrado Matarelli. It’s self-winding, historic, and as timeless as luxury watches get.
We hope that it goes without saying that while some of these watches prices may not be jaw-dropping, it’s really the watch that counts. Goldberger is the kind of person who harbors a true passion – he doesn’t just care about cost, he cares about the heart and history of the item. A true collector.
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Sources: Robbreport.com, bosshunting.au, collectorsquare.com, corradomatarelli.com, christies.com, hodinkee.com
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