Frank Sinatra's Watches: The Man Who Gave Them Away
Search for Frank Sinatra 's watch and you will find a Rolex Day-Date, a Patek Philippe or a Cartier Tank. We could not find a source for any of them. What the record does support is more interesting: he is best documented as a man who gave watches away , often engraved, to friends and fellow performers. This guide sets out what is documented, how well, and which popular claims fall away.
The short answer
The best-documented Sinatra watches are ones he gave to others: a Cartier Pasha reference 0321 to Sammy Davis Jr., confirmed by an auction lot page and sold for $12,600 in 2009, and a Cartier Pasha reference 1050 to Tony Bennett, reported at $52,000 in 2024 from a search summary we could not open. Watches he owned are thinner: an early Gruen , a Lucien Piccard reportedly from Ava Gardner, and a Bulova sponsorship. We found no fetched source for a Sinatra Rolex, Patek Philippe or Cartier Tank.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| Watches he owned and wore(Gruen, Lucien Piccard, Bulova) | Gruen, 14k pink gold (described as his first watch); Lucien Piccard, yellow gold, silver frost dial; Bulova (numerous watches; no specific model identified) |
| Gifts and auctions(Cartier Pasha, Ebel and a Lucille Ball watch) | Cartier Pasha Two Time Zone, 18k gold, quartz with moon phases, brick-link bracelet (to Sammy Davis Jr.); Cartier Pasha de Cartier, steel, quartz (to Tony Bennett); Ebel, 18k gold dress watch (to Tony Bennett); Caricature-dial watch of Lucille Ball (brand not given) |
| Tribute editions he never owned(Bulova, Raymond Weil, Ulysse Nardin) | Bulova Frank Sinatra Collection (11 products: song-named models such as Chairman of the Board, My Way, Rat Pack); Raymond Weil Maestro Frank Sinatra Limited Edition, 39.5 mm steel; Ulysse Nardin Stranger, 45 mm rose gold, limited to 99 |
How we label the evidence
Confirmed means a costume designer, prop department, the brand or the show itself said so, or multiple reputable outlets agree and cite a source. Reported means a single reputable outlet or database reports it. We leave out other fan speculation, and where sources disagree we say so. All prices are in US dollars and are indicative; check current listings before buying.
Watches he owned and wore (Gruen, Lucien Piccard, Bulova)
The record of watches on his own wrist is thin and rests mostly on inscriptions and one outlet's profile. Treat these entries as documented, not detailed: we found no model names, photos identifying the watches, or sale results.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gruen, 14k pink gold (described as his first watch) | Not named | Reported | Crown & Caliber describes a modest pink gold Gruen engraved “To Al ‘Flight over America’ Frank Sinatra Hollywood 1945”, which he gave to his friend Al Silvani. Oracle of Time also calls Gruen his first watch. Offered by Antiquorum in New York on June 11, 2009 from Silvani's estate | Pre-sale estimate about GBP 30,000 (Boldsky); sale result not found |
| Lucien Piccard, yellow gold, silver frost dial | Not named | Reported | Reportedly a gift from Ava Gardner, inscribed “To Frank and desert night. Ava.” Thin: one outlet family, no photo, no sale record | Not found |
| Bulova (numerous watches; no specific model identified) | Not named | Confirmed | Wikipedia's Bulova entry says Bulova sponsored The Frank Sinatra Show in the 1950s (sources vary between the early and mid-1950s) and gave him numerous wristwatches, which he engraved with personal notes and gave to friends. The relationship is confirmed, no model is | Not found |
This sponsorship is the documented mechanism behind his habit of giving engraved watches. The Gruen inscription points from Sinatra to Silvani, though one pre-sale article states the direction both ways, so we mark that detail as uncertain in that source and reported in Crown & Caliber.
Gifts and auctions (Cartier Pasha, Ebel and a Lucille Ball watch)
Auction catalogues are where Sinatra's gifts are best recorded, because the engraving carries the provenance. The two Cartier Pasha gifts are the clearest pair.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartier Pasha Two Time Zone, 18k gold, quartz with moon phases, brick-link bracelet (to Sammy Davis Jr.) | 0321 | Confirmed | Antiquorum lot 251, “Rat Pack Collection”, New York, June 11, 2009. Made in 1987; case back engraved “SAMMY I LUV YA- F.A.S.” The listing states Sinatra presented it to Davis, who wears it on a 1990 People cover | Estimate $10,000-20,000; sold $12,600 (June 11, 2009) |
| Cartier Pasha de Cartier, steel, quartz (to Tony Bennett) | 1050 | Confirmed | Engraved “To Tony Thanks Frank A. Sinatra”. Julien's Auctions, “Tony Bennett: A Life Well Lived”, New York, April 18-19, 2024. Hodinkee Japan lists it as a chronograph with a bronze-coloured dial, which conflicts with JustCollecting's steel quartz ref. 1050, so the exact specification is unresolved | Estimate $3,000-5,000; $52,000 per a Julien's lot-page search summary (we could not open the page: provisional) |
| Ebel, 18k gold dress watch (to Tony Bennett) | Not named | Reported | Engraved “Thanx Tony F.S.” (Robb Report and Yahoo; Hodinkee Japan writes “Thanks Tony / F.S.”). Same Julien's sale, lot 147 | Estimate $2,000-3,000; result not found |
| Caricature-dial watch of Lucille Ball (brand not given) | Not named | Uncertain | Bonhams Los Angeles, May 5, 2013, lot 3192, a group of Christmas gifts from Frank Sinatra. The dial carries a caricature of Lucille Ball and is inscribed “Love / Lucy”. We could not verify that the watch itself was Sinatra's gift. Thin item | Sold $750 including premium (May 5, 2013) |
The two Pasha gifts show how provenance pricing has moved: $12,600 in 2009 against a provisional $52,000 in 2024. These are different references, conditions and sale rooms, so read it as a general pattern, not a like-for-like comparison.
Tribute editions he never owned (Bulova, Raymond Weil, Ulysse Nardin)
Several brands have made Sinatra-themed watches. None was owned or worn by him, and each is a tribute. Prices below are from the dates given.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulova Frank Sinatra Collection (11 products: song-named models such as Chairman of the Board, My Way, Rat Pack) | Various | Confirmed | Sold at bulova.com, fetched October 13, 2026. Bulova says the collection is inspired by his songs and does not claim a personal link. Trademark: Frank Sinatra Enterprises, LLC. Wikipedia says the Rat Pack model is limited to 5,000 | From about $420 (The Very Thought Of You, quartz) to $2,250 (Chairman of the Board, limited automatic); Rat Pack automatic $850 (Bulova, October 13, 2026) |
| Raymond Weil Maestro Frank Sinatra Limited Edition, 39.5 mm steel | Not verified | Confirmed | 2015 Sinatra centennial; 1,212 pieces for his December 12 birthday. WatchTime article dated June 11, 2015. Crown & Caliber says it was made with the family; the reference number is from a search summary only | EUR 1,320 (WatchTime, June 11, 2015) |
| Ulysse Nardin Stranger, 45 mm rose gold, limited to 99 | Not verified | Confirmed | Baselworld 2013; plays part of “Strangers in the Night”. aBlogtoWatch, December 25, 2013. Not worn by Sinatra | $116,000 (aBlogtoWatch, December 25, 2013) |
The engraved gift, and what we could not find
The pattern. Across the lots we found, Sinatra's gifts share a habit: a short engraving signed with his initials or name. “Thanx Tony F.S.”, “SAMMY I LUV YA- F.A.S.” and the Silvani inscription all follow it. The Cartier Pasha appears twice, in gifts to Davis in 1987 and Bennett in the 1990s. Other Ebel gifts to Julius La Rosa and Red Skelton appear in search summaries, but we could not open the pages, so we do not cite them.
Brand history. For the maison behind the Pasha see our Cartier brand history, and for other people on the blog see the hub of famous people and their watches.
Gaps. We could not open several auction lot pages (Julien's returned access errors), nor any Phillips, Sotheby's or Christie's lot with a Sinatra watch. The Gruen's 2009 sale result and the Ebel's 2024 result were not found. That is an absence of sources, not proof that none exists.
Get the look for less
Sinatra never owned these, but they are the nearest current ways to own a Sinatra-linked watch. Indicative prices from the sources above.
| Watch | Why it fits | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Bulova Frank Sinatra Rat Pack, limited automatic | Official collection, licensed by Frank Sinatra Enterprises; a tribute, not his watch | $850 (bulova.com, October 13, 2026) |
| Bulova Frank Sinatra Nothing But The Best, automatic | Entry automatic from the same collection | $722.50 on sale; $850 list (bulova.com, October 13, 2026) |
| Raymond Weil Maestro Frank Sinatra Limited Edition | 2015 centennial edition, steel; now a secondary-market search | EUR 1,320 at launch (WatchTime, June 11, 2015) |
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “Sinatra wore a Rolex Day-Date.” We found no fetched source for any Sinatra-owned Rolex. The only Day-Date in the 2024 Tony Bennett sale was Bennett's own, not a Sinatra gift. The “President's watch” nickname comes from Day-Date marketing, not from Sinatra.
- “He wore Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin.” Oracle of Time says he avoided those elite dress brands. That is one outlet, so we report it as a single-source claim.
- “Sinatra wore a Cartier Tank.” He appears in generic lists of Tank wearers per a search summary, with no watch, date or photo. Uncertain, so we do not claim it.
- “The Bulova, Raymond Weil and Ulysse Nardin Sinatra watches were his.” They are tributes. Bulova's own page describes its collection as inspired by his songs.
- “Bulova sponsored him from the early 1950s.” Sources vary between the early and mid-1950s. We say the 1950s.
- “Al Silvani gave Sinatra the Gruen.” One pre-sale article says both directions. The inscription “To Al ... Frank Sinatra” supports Sinatra giving it to Silvani.
Sources
Crown & Caliber, Profiles in Time; Oracle of Time (Sam Kessler, September 18, 2018); Boldsky (2009); Antiquorum lot 251 catalogue; Hodinkee Japan, JustCollecting and Robb Report via Yahoo on the Tony Bennett estate sale; AARP; Bonhams lot 3192; Wikipedia (Bulova); bulova.com Frank Sinatra Collection, WatchTime and aBlogtoWatch. We could not open Julien's lot pages, LiveAuctioneers or several trade articles, so the $52,000 Pasha result is provisional. Prices are in US dollars unless marked, and carry their dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch did Frank Sinatra wear?
The documented record is thin: an early pink gold Gruen, a Lucien Piccard reportedly from Ava Gardner, and watches from sponsor Bulova. We found no source for a Sinatra Rolex or Patek Philippe.
Did Frank Sinatra give watches as gifts?
Yes. Auction lots record engraved gifts, including a Cartier Pasha to Sammy Davis Jr. and a Cartier Pasha and an Ebel to Tony Bennett.
How much did Sinatra's Cartier Pasha gift to Sammy Davis Jr. sell for?
$12,600 at Antiquorum in New York on June 11, 2009, against an estimate of $10,000-20,000.
How much did the Pasha Sinatra gave Tony Bennett sell for?
A Julien's lot-page summary gives $52,000 at the April 18-19, 2024 sale. We could not open the page, so treat it as provisional.
Did Frank Sinatra wear a Rolex?
We found no documented Sinatra Rolex. Claims of a Day-Date are unsupported in the sources we read.
Are there Frank Sinatra tribute watches?
Yes: Bulova's licensed Frank Sinatra Collection, the 2015 Raymond Weil Maestro limited edition and the 2013 Ulysse Nardin Stranger. He did not own any of them.
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