Auctions Australian Radio Legend John Laws' Spectacular Watch Collection Is Heading To Auction

However, what surprises me most about the estate is the versatility that makes up the 640 lots of watches, furniture, tailoring, cars, pens, art, sculpture, books, jewellery, umbrellas, canes, bags, table clocks, antiquities, cufflinks, accessories… I could go on, but you get the point.

It’s clear that Laws was a consummate collector with interests and knowledge across a wide range of media, but you can certainly draw a theme across the sale. It won’t surprise you to learn that the man they called "The Golden Tonsils" had a penchant for gold, which is certainly a theme amongst this auction. 62 of the 74 watches for sale feature gold! The auction encompasses an estate that truly represents a life spent collecting and presents an interesting cross-section of the man, so let's dig into some of the watches.

The highlight lot is undoubtedly the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/11j, a second-generation example of the original Nautilus reference in full yellow-gold. A gold 3700 is an exceedingly rare bird, especially in the Australian market, so expect it to hammer well.

Lot 229 | Auction estimate: A$150,000 - A$250,000

The auction includes another vintage Nautilus, the love-it-or-hate-it 3710/1A-001 "Comet", nicknamed so due to its prominent power-reserve indicator at 12 resembling a comet's trail hurtling through the night sky. This one is an early example dating to the first year of production in 1998.

Lot 252 | Auction estimate: A$50,000 - A$70,000

Despite the vintage Nautiluses (Nautili?) taking the spotlight, I was pleased to spot another curious 90s Patek sports watch amongst the lots; a ref. 5060J. Technically, this is also a Nautilus and predates the existence of the Aquanaut line, bearing a striking resemblance in dial and hands to the Nautilus 3800-1JA. It’s believed this reference was Patek testing a gold Nautilus with a leather strap. It launched in 1996, the same year as the first Aquanaut - the steel-cased, rubber-strapped, grenade dial ref. 5060A - though the gold model lived a short life, and there aren’t many believed to be floating around.

The 5060J never came on the Aquanaut’s signature rubber strap, but that means this example's black leather is correct to the watch, present with the original signed gold clasp and dating to 1997, so it's another early production example.

Lot 230 | Auction estimate: A$30,000 - A$40,000

Alright, enough beating around the bush, let's talk about Laws' Rolex ref. 6062. For the uninitiated, this reference is where many of the world's best vintage Rolex collections end: a highly collectible reference, as it's the only Rolex ever made that combines a triple calendar and moonphase with an Oyster case. At 36mm, it presents an extraordinary combination of both collectability and wearability, making it the dream Rolex for many collectors.

This example is in yellow gold on a matching straight-lugged Rolex signed bracelet and features a "Dagger" service dial (type 338 for the super nerds). You can spot this dial variant by the light sunburst finish and ‘T Swiss T’ signature at 6, a hallmark of service dials. It denotes the existence of tritium on the dial, which was introduced long after 6062 production ended. The case also has some gold tarnishing at 10 o’clock, though this is quite common on this reference.

6062 collectors strive for originality over any specific configuration, but with this reference, serviced and refinished dials are very common. With only 670 yellow gold 6062s ever made, we’ll have to wait and see how demand plays out for this lot on auction night. Regardless, a 6062 of any condition hitting the market is an exceedingly rare occasion in Australia.

Lot 208 | Auction estimate: A$80,000 - A$120,000

An Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 commemorative ref. BA145.022 passes the pub test for Laws: a historically important model, gold, big, rare. Yep, makes sense for the Golden Tonsils. But sharing company with a 1994 25th anniversary Apollo 11 Speedmaster it's no coincidence. Looks like John Laws had a bit of a thing for the Apollo program. That’s further backed up by Lot 67, a Hasselblad 503CX ‘Golden Blue’ (number 30 of 700), a 1991 limited edition version of the Hasselblad 500-series cameras issued to Apollo astronauts for lunar photography.

The 1969 Speedmaster Apollo 11 celebratory reference was a victory lap for Omega. Early editions were gifted to President Nixon and the Apollo astronauts (gracefully returned to Omega as per the government's rules on expensive gifts), with later examples of the 1,014 individual pieces made available for public sale. Caseback photos aren’t included, although the listing does mention that it is number 632, meaning it's one of the watches made available for public sale. Regardless, this is still an exceedingly important and rare Speedmaster.

Lot 244 | Auction estimate: A$40,000 - $60,000

The 1994 25th Anniversary is one of my favourite Speedmaster references, because it appears stock standard until you observe it from the side and see that the left-hand case band is engraved ‘Apollo 11 1969-1994’. Other commemorative Speedys with mission patches and emblems in the running seconds subdial have their own charm, but the more subtle nod to the Apollo program appeals to me most.

Each of the 2,500 limited edition pieces features a numbered engraving on the caseback. Laws’ example is number 1964, placing its number within the years of the Apollo program. Coincidence? With a collection of this calibre, I doubt it. The listing states it includes the original box and warranty card - keep an eye out if it's still got the “Eagle has landed” sew-on patch in the box. Sew it onto your denim jacket, and I’ll buy you a beer.

Lot 204 | Auction estimate: A$6,000 - A$8,000

Okay, so what if you want to raise a paddle but don’t have gold Patek money? Don’t worry, I don’t either, so I’ve got you covered. One of the more affordable watch lots in the sale is number 251, a Seiko Premier ref. 7T27-6A10 from 1990. A limited edition numbered 1941 of 2000 pieces, it's one of those ‘so hideous you have to love it’ 90s watches, powered by a quartz movement with chronograph and 2nd time zone functionality. It’s fitted with a giant gold-pipped GMT bezel held in place by a hinged steel cover.

Paired with the gold-capped pushers and dial markers, it's just the right level of ostentatious to fit in with the gold Pateks and Rolexes it would have occupied watchbox space next to. Judging by the price of other listings of this reference online, if it's the Seiko you’re hunting and Laws’ hammers within estimate, someone's getting a sweet deal. It includes the original box and hang tags, too.

Lot 251 | Auction estimate: A$600 - A$1,000

Comparatively affordable to the other valuable lots but pushing the definition of ‘affordable’ a little, this IWC UTC in platinum is a seriously underappreciated banger. 1 of 500 made in platinum with either a black or blue dial (probably an even production split), this blue dial example is an absolute cracker from IWC at 39mm that’ll fly under the radar as a steel piece to all but the deepest IYKYK collectors.

Lot 209 | Auction estimate: A$8,000 - A$10,000

Bonus round! It seems like John Laws liked his luxo-barges, judging by the Bentley Mulsanne and Maybach in the auction, though my standout is the 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead. The modern Phantom is a cult car amongst collectors, though the Drophead takes it further with its maritime-style teak over the rear decking and seagrass floormats. This could be the ultimate town smoker for getting around Sydney, classily finished in Metropolitan Blue... I reckon it's best paired with the Cartier Basculante CPCP in the sale.

Lot 3 | Auction estimate: A$200,000 - A$300,000

Bonhams’ The John Laws CBE Collection will cross the block between May 26th and June 12th with the watches going under the hammer on June 3rd at the Bonhams Sydney showroom in Woollahra. You can learn more here.