The auction of watches, jerseys and other items will take place at Sotheby’s in New York 

by JAMES TARMY 

TOM Brady’s latest record-setting attempt will take place off the field and inside an auction house. 

On Dec 10, the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and current Fox Sports broadcaster will sell 47 pieces from his collection of watches and sports memorabilia at Sotheby’s New York. The pieces will be sold in a stand-alone evening sale the auction house has named “The GOAT: Watches and Treasures from Tom Brady.” 

“I’m excited to give fans and collectors a chance to own and cherish these special pieces from my journey just like I have,” said Brady in a statement. “I hope they bring as much joy and inspiration to fans as they did for me!” 

The sale will include 27 watches, which carry an overall estimate of approximately US$3 million (RM12.91 million) to US$6 million, and 20 sports items, which are estimated to sell for roughly US$3 million to US$5 million. “This is the right time for him to be selling,” said Richard Lopez, a senior watch specialist at Sotheby’s. 

“The watch market is strong for single-owner consignments, he has unique pieces, and he just wants to share them with the world right now.” 

A platinum and diamond Rolex Day-Date (left) and a Top Gun Edition ‘SFTI’ IWC Pilot’s Watch

What’s for Sale 

Several lots will appeal directly to football fans, including the jersey Brady wore during his final college game for the University of Michigan during the 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl. That jersey has an estimate of US$300,000 to US$500,000. 

Similarly, the white shirt Brady wore during the 2000 NFL Combine carries a US$100,000 to US$200,000 estimate. A helmet Brady wore during the 2021-2022 season playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is estimated to sell between US$100,000 and US$150,000. 

Other items will appeal to a broader, albeit no less affluent, audience. A watch by Richard Mille, the 35-03 “Baby Nadal” (so named because it was made in collaboration with Rafael Nadal) is estimated to sell between US$300,000 to US$500,000. A highly sought-after rose gold Patek Philippe Nautilus, which Brady has owned since 2017, is estimated between US$180,000 and US$240,000. 

There’s also a custom-made white gold Royal Oak watch by Audemars Piguet that was designed specifically for Brady; the dial features his name set in baguette diamonds, along with the number seven, which symbolises his seven Super Bowl victories. (Notably, Brady wore it during his notorious Netflix roast.) That watch carries a US$400,000 to US$800,000 estimate. 

A custom Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch embellished with diamonds that spells ‘Tom Brady’ on the dial

Unique Market Moment 

The sale comes at a unique moment in the rare watch and collectibles market. Watch sales have slumped as luxury goods consumers have pulled back, particularly in China. Sports collectibles sales are down significantly as well: Six-figures sales in the second quarter of this year are down 27% year over year, according to a report by Altan Insights. 

Even the Brady market isn’t as frothy as anticipated. Last year his final game-worn Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey sold for US$1.4 million, failing to clear its US$1.5 million to US$2.5 million pre-sale estimate. 

But Sotheby’s specialists say that demand for subcategories in the market remains robust. “In the game-used collectible market — in other words, what an athlete put on their body and went into battle with — that market actually is very strong right now,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles. “In regards to that specific market, I can tell you that if you look at any market comps, you’ll actually see rising prices pretty much across the board.” 

Brady’s 2000 NFL Combine 40-yard dash shirt is estimated between RM430,000 and RM860,000

Brady’s auction, Wachter continues, has an added allure: It features material that comes straight from the man himself. 

“To have something like [the Combine shirt] that’s coming directly from Tom, and not coming from somewhere else in the secondary market, is an interesting market dynamic to watch play out,” Wachter said. In that context — and compared to the US$1.4 million game-worn sale last year — Wach- ter said the estimate for his final game-worn college jersey “is actually conservative.” Lopez echoed that sentiment. The overall watch market may be down at the moment, he said, but watches with celebrity provenance are still flying off the auction block. He cited the Paul Newman Rolexes that sold for about US$1.1 million apiece last year, and “we just had Sylvester Stallone do the same thing in our June sale, where his watches performed extremely well,” Lopez said.

“It was a testament to the quality of watches he had, and who they’re from. So, I think it’s the perfect time” for Brady, Lopez continues. “Everybody knows he’s the GOAT.” — Bloomberg 

• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition