251 Rolex A historically important, rare and fascinating, Viceroy manual wristwatch in yellow gold, with bracelet, from the Andy Warhol collection.

Estimate: € 20.000 –⁠ 40.000

A towering figure of 20th-century art, Andy Warhol remains an enigma, a man whose artistic vision permeated every aspect of his life, including his remarkable and often-overlooked passion for collecting. Beyond the canvas and the camera, Warhol was an obsessive accumulator of objects, a habit that blurred the lines between art, lifestyle, and personal narrative. Unlike the horological purists of his time, Warhol’s eye for watches was not governed by technical rigor or mechanical mastery alone. Instead, he approached them with the same sensibility he brought to soup cans and celebrities: a fascination with beauty, cultural resonance, and the dialogue between luxury and everyday life. Warhol’s collection was deeply eclectic, ranging from the restrained simplicity of discreet dress watches to the dazzling extravagance of gem-set creations. What united them was not uniformity but storytelling—each piece spoke to an era, an emotion, or a fleeting obsession. He famously declared that he didn’t wear a watch to tell the time but to look at it, a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates his aesthetic philosophy: objects existed to be seen, appreciated, and re-contextualized. When Sotheby’s unveiled Warhol’s personal collection in its landmark two-series auction, the world glimpsed not only a remarkable assemblage of horology but also a portrait of Warhol himself. It revealed a collector unbound by hierarchy, who valued a modest wristwatch as much as a prestigious complication, provided it carried visual intrigue or cultural relevance. This mirrored his broader collecting habits—his vast trove of cookie jars, Native American artifacts, Hollywood memorabilia, and photographs—that spoke to his insatiable curiosity and democratic approach to culture. Ultimately, Warhol’s collecting was an extension of his art: a way of framing the world, capturing moments, and celebrating the tension between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Just as his work immortalized soup cans and superstars with equal reverence, his watch collection revealed an artist who found meaning not in the price of an object but in its story, its surface, and its style. It is in this unique context that we encounter this truly exceptional and excellently preserved Rolex Viceroy. A model cherished for its distinct, geometric elegance, the Viceroy was produced by Rolex during a fascinating period in the 1940s. The "Viceroy" was not a singular reference number but rather a model designation applied to a series of elegant watches with a distinctive tonneau-shaped case, with references such as the 3359 being a prime example of this celebrated line. This particular example, executed in warm yellow gold, presents a captivating case, an elegant departure from the brand's more conventional forms. The dial is a study in classicism, featuring a clean, silvery-white surface with charming blued steel hands and applied Roman numerals, all complemented by a discreet sub-seconds register at 6 o'clock. This understated beauty is perfectly matched by the elegant, period-correct yellow gold link bracelet, which completes the watch’s refined and timeless profile. What truly elevates this timepiece to a level of singular importance, however, is its incredible provenance. As evidenced by the accompanying original Sotheby's New York tag and catalog, with the present timepiece being lot 180 in the legendary 1988 "The Andy Warhol Collection" auction. This direct link to one of the most significant artists of the modern era transforms a beautiful vintage watch into a tangible piece of cultural history, making it far more than a simple timekeeper—it is a cherished object that once sat within the orbit of a legend.