Gift of a lifetime? A $59,000 Hublot watch from a Premiership footballer
 

Croatian football star Vedran Corluka gave one lucky nightclub waiter a gift of real value, earlier this week.

The Tottenham hotspur defender, known as Charlie, offered a diamond studded Hublot timepiece to a waiter at London's Whisky Mist - in exchange for his £150 Seiko.

"Charlie took it off and handed it to him. Then he spotted the waiter's watch and said he liked it," a source from the opulent Mayfair-based nightclub told UK newspaper The Sun.

"He said, 'Let's swap'. The waiter thought he was joking. Charlie's a lovely bloke and always polite."

The watch is worth around £36,000 but could achieve much more at auction, due to its connection with the Spurs star and its unusual story.


A Patek Philippe gold moonphase watch sold for $302,500 at Sotheby's

Footballers are well known for their love of expensive timepieces. Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is among those who collect luxury watches.

The Portuguese forward reportedly owns Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, Hublot models, as well as a £70,000 Franck Muller.

A source at Manchester United, Ronaldo's former team, told the newspaper: "Ronnie is becoming more mature with his money and, although he loves cars, he now wants items which hold value.

"He has been told how some watches increase in value over time and he has developed a great eye for these things."

Classic watches can certainly provide solid alternative investments, especially if made by a renowned manufacturer. What's more, both entry-level and top-end items are available on the private markets for those keen to avoid the uncertainty of auctions.

A Patek Philippe gold moonphase watch sold for $302,500 at Sotheby's in April, comfortably within its estimate.

 

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