It’s no secret that Elvis Presley, the undisputed King of Rock and Roll, loved bling. Everything from gold rings and necklaces to fine wristwatches; if it was innovative, glamorous, or extravagant, chances were good that it would end up in Elvis’ vast jewelry collection.
As we celebrate what would have been the King’s 89th birthday this month, we wanted to take a look back at some of the megastar’s more beloved timepieces. Elvis’ favorites ranged from the conservative to the extraordinarily glitzy, but he wasn’t a collector in the traditional sense. He valued the artistry of his watches more than their functionality.
Also, unlike many of today’s enthusiasts, the King didn’t have trouble parting with his favorites when he crossed paths with a fellow watch lover. “He was so generous,” said Linda Thompson in a 2015 interview with the Hollywood Reporter. “If someone said, ‘Hey, I love that watch,’ Elvis would likely take it off and give it to the person.” He was also well-known for giving watches away as gifts to close friends and associates.
Thompson was Presley’s girlfriend from 1972 to 1976. In fact, it was one of Presley’s watches that facilitated their initial encounter. “The first time I met him, at the Memphian theater,” Thompson said, “he used the diamond-encrusted watch he was wearing to start a conversation with me. It was a great icebreaker!”
Elvis’ Eclectic Collection
Our Swiss-trained watch repair team enjoys every opportunity to work on high-quality vintage timepieces, especially those with larger-than-life historical figures like Elvis Presley attached to them. So, in 2020, when a vintage watch with the inscription “King” on the back came into our repair shop, we were thrilled and honored to take care of it. As it turned out, the ca. 1974 10K gold Bulova Accuquartz was originally a Christmas present from Elvis to his former bodyguard and wardrobe manager Richard Davis.
Davis was a member of the rock star’s “Memphis Mafia,” his trusted group of friends who protected and served him. The Accuquartz wasn’t the only watch Elvis would gift to his long-time friend, but more about that later.
While this is the only Elvis-owned watch we’ve ever had the pleasure of working on, we imagine there are others out there. Elvis’ propensity for gifting and trading his timepieces was legendary.
Now, let’s dive into the brands that he admired the most:
1. Hamilton Ventura
Also known as the “Elvis Watch,” the triangle-shaped Ventura captivated the King after returning home from his Army service in 1960. It was the world’s first electric, battery-powered watch, setting the stage for the Quartz revolution that would begin a short time later in the 1970s. It’s easy to see how Elvis, himself an innovator, quickly fell in love with the cutting-edge timepiece.
Elvis wore his Hamilton while filming the movie “Blue Hawaii” in 1961 as a product placement, and, as a result, its popularity soared. It soon became impossible to separate the Hamilton Ventura from its biggest fan. Hence the moniker “Elvis Watch.”
Hamilton continues to produce the Ventura in several colors and designs, specifically releasing the Elvis80 Automatic for the King’s 80th birthday in 2015 and the commemorative Ventura S Quartz in 2022 for his 87th birthday.
2. Omega Constellation
Elvis began his rise to fame sporting a pink-gold capped Omega Constellation with a black dial. At the time, capping represented an oft-used industry technique of covering a stainless steel case with a solid gold shell. It was significantly cheaper than producing an entire watch made of the precious material but still created the luxurious look and feel of a solid gold timepiece.
In addition to being incredibly stylish, the Constellation was well-regarded for its precise chrono-certified 504 calibre automatic movement. This watch was Presley’s constant companion during his service in Germany as a soldier for the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960. Later, Elvis gifted the Omega to Charlie Hodge, his best friend and Army buddy, who lived with him at Graceland until Presley passed away in 1977. Hodge kept the watch until he died in 2006, after which his family sold it through auction for $52,500 in 2012.
3. Tiffany x Omega
In 1961, RCA (Radio Corporation of America) Records gave Elvis an iconic timepiece – a collaborative Omega and Tiffany mechanical in an 18-karat white gold case and a white face with a running seconds sub-dial at the six o’clock position. To top it off, the face is surrounded by a bezel of 44 brilliant-cut diamonds.
The gift celebrated Elvis’ unprecedented feat of selling 75 million records and carried a custom inscription of the date he reached that milestone, Dec. 25, 1960. Several photos show him wearing the watch up until he traded it. A man reportedly came up to Elvis and said he admired his Omega. The gentleman in question happened to be wearing a diamond-studded Hamilton, so Elvis asked to trade watches right then and there.
In 2018, long after the King had passed into history, the Omega owner’s nephew put the extraordinary timepiece up for auction. After an intense bidding war, the Swiss Watchmaker Omega walked away with the winning bid of $1.5 million. Today, you’ll find the watch displayed at the Omega Museum in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
4. Rolex King Midas ref 9630
Nothing says rock star royalty quite like the 18-karat gold Rolex King Midas. Its asymmetrical watch case integrated into the bracelet doesn’t look like any Rolex you have ever seen. The luxury watch titan tapped renowned Swiss watchmaker and artist Gerald Genta to design the unique timepiece and only produced one thousand. Elvis owned No. 343.
Officers of the Houston Astrodome Livestock Show & Rodeo gifted the watch to Elvis in 1970 as a token of their appreciation for performing six sold-out concerts in six days. This bold watch perfectly matched Elvis’ flamboyant outfits on stage and also catered to his luxurious taste in jewelry. The watch remains at the Graceland Mansion for all to see.
5. Corum Buckingham
Elvis liked things that pushed the envelope and broke through conventional wisdom. That’s what his music was all about. Like the King, the Corum Buckingham was a revolutionary timepiece with oversized proportions and a solid gold square face. This watch was elegant, opulent, and singular in every way.
Presley loved wearing it, but historians say Presley took it off one day and handed it to his aforementioned bodyguard, Richard Davis. He indicated something was wrong with the back and asked Davis to take a look. His friend was surprised and touched to find the inscription, “To Richard from E.P.” The timepiece stayed with Davis’ family until it was auctioned off in 2016, after which its whereabouts are unknown.
Other notable timepieces worn by Presley include the battery-powered Bulova Accutron-521 and Accutron Astronaut, an extravagant hammered gold and diamond-encrusted Swiss Ebel, and the adventurous Rolex Submariner “Big Crown” ref 6538. There was no doubt about it – Elvis adored his watches as much as his music and was always excited to share both with the world.
A rock and roll legend may not have previously worn your watch, but we know it still means a lot to you that it’s taken care of in the right way. Our technicians have years of experience dealing with everything from Accutron battery replacements to Zenith watch repairs. Contact us here to see how we can help you.
Infographic
The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, loved wearing flashy accessories. He cherished the artistry of wristwatches over their function and was fond of various brands. Check out this infographic to know the watch brands he admired the most.
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