Is Tom Brady about to be in horological hot water with Audemars Piguet?
Zach BlassYesterday, Sotheby’s dropped the big news that it would be holding a prominent single-owner auction: “The GOAT Collection: Watches & Treasures from Tom Brady.” With Tom Brady being arguably the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, there is, of course, a massive audience of hungry collectors who would be thrilled to take home something treasured, used, and worn by the man himself. More lots are yet to be announced, but it appears the auction will be a mix of game-worn artefacts (such as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet and a Super Bowl LI “The Comeback” game-worn championship-clinching quarterback wristband), and a selection of his timepieces as well. One of the revealed watches has already caused a stir amongst the watch community – Brady’s piece unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 41 ref. 26730BC.ZZ.1320BC.99, also known as “The Roast”.
Let’s take a step back. For those who are not aware, Brady has become an in-focus figure in the crossover between pop and watch culture – notably spotted aggressively expanding his collection in 2023, and often among the first to wear hard-to-get watches in the wild. This includes hot vintage such as the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 or Rolex Daytona John Player Special ref. 6264, or modern unobtanium like the Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans in white gold and Day-Date 36 Jigsaw in Everose gold. We are so used to seeing Tom Brady adding watches to his collection that it was a bit of a shock to see he plans on selling so many – perhaps nobody is exempt from one in, one out. But the biggest surprise is that he will part ways with his piece unique Audemars Piguet.
The news of its sale has led some to draw comparisons to Sylvester Stallone, who, amongst his personal timepieces offered at a Sotheby’s auction, caused a kerfuffle by offering a still-sealed Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime. This, rightly or wrongly, drew some heat because Patek Philippe is said to mandate that plastic seals are to be cut upon presentation to the client. Furthermore, some felt the still-sealed watch did not have as much appeal as it could have because it suggested Stallone never actually wore it, and therefore it was no different to purchasing any new Grandmaster Chime. That being said, unopened Patek Philippe watches will always fetch a higher price than opened ones – even if unworn. Despite the niche controversy, the watch would ultimately take home US$5.4M at auction.
Being allocated a Patek Philippe is a tiring endeavour – at least for most. Therefore, for Stallone to part with an unopened application piece as rare as the Grandmaster Chime was a move most believed could have the legendary actor under threat of being blacklisted by Patek from future purchases. WatchPro spoke with Patek Philippe CEO Thierry Stern in the wake of the news it would be sold. Mr Stern expressed his frustration by explaining, “Of course, we do not like it, but it can happen. I cannot control everybody. It is not fair for a client that may have been waiting for this piece for many years and then sees it being sold.” Whether Stallone’s standing with Patek Philippe has truly changed, or if he has since purchased other watches from the brand is unknown.
Similarly, Audemars Piguet is also known not to appreciate flippers, especially when it comes to rare or bespoke creations, the supply of which exceeds the demand of just its most loyal VIP clients. Therefore, it remains to be seen how Audemars Piguet will react to the news a piece unique the brand made for Tom Brady is hitting the auction block – and after just five months, no less.
The invoice for the purchase of the white gold Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon watch is dated April 29, 2024. What makes it unique is its omission of traditional applied hour indices. Instead, the salmon-coloured tapisserie dial is adorned with diamonds that spell out Tom Brady’s name, and blue gemstones that spell out ‘VII’ to denote his seven Super Bowl victories. Also, the oscillating mass has been customised to incorporate Brady’s signature. The watch first came into the spotlight when Brady debuted the piece unique on his wrist in Netflix’s The Greatest Roast of All Time – thus getting the nickname The Roast. The first-ever live roast was filmed and streamed on May 2nd, just days after Brady purchased the watch.
The estimate for Brady’s AP has been set at US$400,000 – US$800,000. If watch collectors stand to be deterred by the relatively short time frame Brady owned and wore the watch, it will be interesting to see where the final hammer price lands. As such a mainstream icon, however, I suspect it’s less likely that a horology aficionado or mega-collector will secure the watch. The winner will most likely simply be a huge Tom Brady fan.
Honestly, what I am more interested in is whether or not Brady’s sale of his piece unique will cause him to lose standing with Audemars Piguet – or perhaps even ripple beyond and cause him to lose standing with other brands too. As I mentioned earlier, with Tom Brady often among the first to be spotted wearing hot new releases, this sale could land him in hot water with brands/boutiques that are concerned about allocating to clients who will keep their watches. Could Brady’s privileged early access stand to come to an end? My guess is that, if at all, it would only deter brands from allocating him very limited or bespoke creations – but not watches like a standard Daytona or Submariner.
View this post on Instagram
I would also love to know why, of all his watches, his most unique and most personalised timepiece has made it to the chopping block. Could it be that the watch is so integrally tied to the roast, which he may not have such fond memories of? Or, could it simply be that the honeymoon phase is over, and he has buyer’s remorse? Some on social media have jested, perhaps crudely, that his divorce from Gisele Bündchen and his FTX investment (which ESPN reported lost him US$30M) are catching up to him. I highly doubt either is the case.
Enough speculation. What I do know for sure is Sotheby’s has once again landed itself a premiere headlining lot, and that despite the potential bitter taste left in enthusiasts’ and retailers’ mouths, there will be plenty of bidders excited to get their hands on Tom Brady’s watch.