Watches of heads of state and historic figures: Kennedy, de Gaulle, Buzz Aldrin and what their references are worth

A watch that belonged to a head of state or a historic figure has little to do with its horological value any more: it becomes a historical object, and its price is set at auction. But the question most readers ask is more concrete: what was that watch, and what is the same reference worth today, without the provenance? Here are three documented cases, with verified figures and the market value of equivalent models.

John F. Kennedy: the Omega Ultra Thin

John F. Kennedy's best-documented watch is an 18-carat yellow gold, manual-wind Omega Ultra Thin, given to him in 1960 by his friend Grant Stockdale, before the election. The caseback bears the engraving "President of the United States John F. Kennedy from his friend Grant". It is known as his inauguration watch.

In December 2005, at the sale of the Robert L. White collection at Guernsey's in New York, it was Omega that bought it back, for $350,000. It came with a letter from Jacqueline Kennedy to Grant Stockdale, who found the watch "prettier than the one I gave him". It is now on permanent display at the Omega museum in Biel, and the brand has drawn from it a reissue limited to 261 pieces.

The closest current equivalent in spirit is a dress Omega from the De Ville line, slim and understated. A steel De Ville Prestige trades pre-owned between €1,700 and €3,000 according to our surveys, very, very far from the presidential watch.

Charles de Gaulle: the gold LIP R27

General de Gaulle is associated with the French brand LIP. At the "De Gaulle, Legacy for History" sale held by Artcurial in Paris on 16 December 2024, which brought together memorabilia from the estate of Admiral Philippe de Gaulle, a yellow gold LIP Electronic R27 "Patent Pending", worn by the general from 1958, sold for €537,920 including fees. It was the highest price of the sale, and a world record for a LIP watch. The sale as a whole totalled €5.6 million, with many pre-emptions by French public institutions.

The lesson is striking: a LIP from the same period, without provenance, can be found at specialist dealers for a few hundred to a few thousand euros depending on condition and metal. The price difference rests entirely on the history and the documents that establish it. The relaunched LIP brand now sells accessible watches that have no comparable collector value.

Buzz Aldrin: the Speedmaster on the Moon

On 20 July 1969, during the Apollo 11 moonwalk, Buzz Aldrin wore an Omega Speedmaster Professional over his spacesuit, on a long velcro strap. Neil Armstrong had left his in the lunar module, as a backup for a faulty onboard timer: Aldrin's watch was therefore the first worn on the Moon. The reference is generally described as a 105.012. The Speedmaster had been qualified by NASA in 1965 for crewed missions.

Aldrin's watch has never been found: according to consistent accounts in the watch press, it disappeared while being sent to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. There is therefore no "price" for Aldrin's watch, only that of the references descended from it, and that is where history becomes accessible.

The Speedmaster is the only watch on this list whose heritage can be worn every day for a few thousand euros. The current Moonwatch, with its manual-wind calibre 3861, takes up the asymmetric case and the dial. Older references, such as the 145.022, trade at comparable prices. Our article on Speedmaster Moonwatch market value details each generation.

2026 value grid: provenance versus reference

Another space story: the "Snoopy" Speedmaster

The lunar episode has a sequel that collectors know well. In 1970, after the return of the Apollo 13 mission, NASA astronauts awarded Omega the "Silver Snoopy Award", a distinction reserved for contributions to flight safety, for the Speedmaster's role in timing the emergency manoeuvres. Omega has drawn several special editions featuring the character from it, including the Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th anniversary.

These editions illustrate the difference between provenance and reference: they tell a true story, but they are produced in series. Their market value depends on the production run, condition and full set, as for any limited edition.

What provenance does to market value

Provenance is the only factor capable of multiplying a watch's value a hundredfold, but it is subject to three conditions.

1. It must be proven. The Kennedy and de Gaulle sales rested on engravings, letters and an identified family line of transmission. A watch that "belonged to" someone without documents is just a vintage watch.
2. It does not transfer to the reference. The Speedmaster Moonwatch benefits from the Apollo story through its fame and constant demand, not through a premium: it suffers normal depreciation when bought new.
3. It sells at auction. These watches do not go through the everyday pre-owned market. Their price is the one two bidders accepted on a given evening; it does not serve as a market value for other examples.

For a family watch you believe has a story, gather everything that documents it (engraving, invoices, letters, photographs) before having it appraised: that file will make the difference. Our guide on selling an inherited watch explains the steps.

For a valuation of the reference itself, without provenance, the Causli valuation tool gives you a range tailored to your model and its condition.