Patek Philippe & Co.

The Capone Family, Circa 1919-2021

Witherell's Auction, A Century of Notoriety: The Estate of Al Capone, 8 October 08, 2021, lot 121

When somebody thinks of a “gangster,” it usually conjures up the image of a man in a double-breasted pinstripe suit, fedora, cigar in hand—and a wide, mischievous smile. In other words, you're thinking of Al Capone. A century after the height of his reign, the original American gangster continues to captivate imaginations across the country and around the world. Capone looms large as the inspiration for characters in 1930s films starring James Cagney, and he’s even mentioned in the bestselling book The Godfather.

Known by many names—King Alphonse, Scarface, and of course, Public Enemy No. 1—Al Capone was revered by many in his local community as a sort of modern-day Robin Hood, using his ill-gotten gains to donate to charity and give back to the poor in Chicago. His exploits and conquests made for spectacular stories and headlines during the Roaring Twenties, and Capone reveled in the attention, becoming known for his expensive taste and for enjoying the trappings of wealth that he began to accumulate: custom suits, shirts, and indeed, even this Patek Philippe pocket watch.

The present Patek Philippe pocket watch is an exceptional embodiment of the extravagant style Capone was known for. According to his family, we do not know where he purchased the watch, but we do know that he discarded its original “plain” case and instead commissioned a new custom pocket watch case made from solid platinum. The dial side features an “open face” design with Breguet numerals and the period-correct ‘long signature.’ The dial has dramatically aged over the years, and the minute hand is no longer with the watch—we can only speculate as to how or why this happened, but suffice it to say, this watch has more than a few stories it could tell.

Even more interesting is the reverse side, where Capone emblazoned 90 single-cut diamonds spelling out his initials, ‘AC,’ in stunning Art Deco form. Befitting for a man known for his inimitable style, who single-handedly came to define the look of the American gangster.

Of course, such a watch was hardly subtle, and ultimately it was tax evasion that enabled the federal government to send Capone to jail, eventually landing him in the legendary Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. As evidence of our ongoing fascination with Capone, it’s been 86 years since he was discharged from Alcatraz, yet people still flock to that island prison to see his preserved jail cell. After his imprisonment, much of his property was seized—one legend even claims that his armored car became the first one used by a President of the United States—but this Patek Philippe stayed with the family until very recently and is now ready to sit as a trophy in any collection.