Canadian businessman and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, also known as “Mr. Wonderful,” has added a one-of-a-kind wristwatch to his impressive collection. O’Leary emerged as the winning bidder for a unique Chanel BOY•FRIEND wristwatch at the Phillips New York Watch Auction: XI, held this past December. The watch, initially estimated between USD $70,000 and $140,000, saw an intense bidding war before selling for $222,250.
Bidding via phone, O’Leary secured the watch with all proceeds—including the buyer’s premium—going to benefit TimeForArt, a philanthropic initiative that supports contemporary artists.
The entrepreneur and investor shared his enthusiasm on Fox Business last month, proudly showcasing his acquisition. “Here it is—the Chanel BOY•FRIEND, a watch so rare it brought grown collectors to tears,” O’Leary quipped on Instagram. “The competition was fierce, but no one messes with Mr. Wonderful.”
Make-up was an essential of feminine allure for Gabrielle Chanel. This unique wristwatch features a representation of Mademoiselle Chanel with the iconic accessories that she loved to wear: pearl earrings, long necklaces in accumulation, and cuffs in duo.
The CHANEL Watch Creation Studio was inspired by the bright colors and portrait style of the Pop Art artistic movement to design the dial of this piece. The dial, in shades of pink, violet, and blue is realized thanks to the traditional “Grand Feu” enamel technique, produced at Cadraniers de Genève, property of F.P. Journe. This technique consists of dropping liquid enamel on the 18 karat white gold dial, then baking the dial at 800-degrees Celsius. This delicate operation is repeated several times, requiring extreme precision and expertise to obtain the expected color and finish. The motif of the dial is revealed by 12 clichés manually pad-printed on the dial. Each cliché has been designed by the CHANEL Watch Creation Studio and corresponds to a specific motif and color: the black outline of Gabrielle, beige skin, blue hair, red nails, touches of white, etc. Some clichés are pad-printed using ink, while others are in “Grand Feu” enamel.
Cased in blackened stainless steel and beautifully embellished with baguette diamonds on its bezel, this unique wristwatch made for TimeForArt is powered by a mechanical, manually wound movement.
