On this President’s Day, we thought we would pull together as comprehensive a list as we can of US presidential watches. We're talking all the way from Washington to Obama, from Timexes to a Patek Philippe. Some loved watches and others simply wore them out of necessity. You might be surprised with what some of our presidents had sitting in their pockets and on their wrists. We hope you enjoy it.
George Washington (1st President)
President Washington owned a Swiss pocketwatch by an unknown maker (later gifting it to a friend), a Jean-Antoine Lépine pocketwatch, and a James McCabe pocketwatch.
Unknown Swiss Quarter Repeater Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
Washington acquired a gold pocketwatch with a quarter repeater (it can chime the time down to 15 minute increments), presumably in 1775, and it is believed to be of Swiss origin as the case has a Neuchâtel hallmark. On the inside movement cover is the engraving: "1775 / G. Washington" in beautiful script.
Photo from NAWCC. Arrow pointing to the Neuchâtel chevron hallmark.
On the outside of the watch is the engraving: "Trenton N.J. / Dec. 10th 1777. / Presented to my Friend / Col. Thos. Johnson of Md. / as a Memento / of my great Esteem. / Geo. Washington."
According to the Society, "Johnson was a member of the Continental Congress, first Governor of Maryland, and Brigadier-General of the Maryland militia. Early in 1777 he led his men from Maryland to join Washington in New Jersey."
Photo from NAWCC.
The watch is unmarked except for the back of the dial, which says "H M / 522," although it has not been determined who that was. The minute hand appears to have been replaced, but the hour hand may be original. Interestingly, this was a "dumb repeater" in that the hammer hit on the edge of the gold case if activated rather than on a chime. This created more of a thud, but the wearer could then feel the repeater in their pocket in order to tell the time and it wouldn't chime so loudly. I imagine this was rather convenient and a more discreet way of telling the time in the days long before one could try to take a discreet look at a wristwatch. Pulling out a gold pocketwatch to tell the time would be rather obvious.
This watch is in the collection of the New-York Historical Society. If you would like to see this watch taken apart and examined, click here to see a video.
Jean-Antoine Lépine Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
Washington is also known to have owned a watch by Jean-Antoine Lépine while he was President. On November 28, 1778, Washington sent a letter from his home in Mount Vernon to Gouverneur Morris. Morris presumably had asked Washington if he could get him anything while he was doing business in Europe. Washington replied: "Dear Sir, I had the pleasure to receive by the last mail your letter dated the 12th of this month. I am much obliged by your offer of executing commissions for me in Europe, and shall take the liberty of charging you with one only. I wish to have a good gold watch procured for my own use; not a small, trifling, nor finically ornamented one, but a watch well executed in point of workmanship, and of about the size and kind of that which was procured by Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson for Mr. [James] Madison, which was large and flat. I imagine Mr. Jefferson can give you the best advice on the subject, as I am told this species of watches, which I have described, can be found cheaper and better fabricated in Paris than in London." Washington had also reportedly sent Morris 25 guineas for the purchase of the watch.
Morris reportedly contacted Thomas Jefferson for his advice and to see from what watchmaker he had purchased James Madison's watch. Jefferson warned Morris to stay away from Madison's watchmaker and instead encouraged him to see a watchmaker named Romilly. Romilly also proved disreputable. Morris then asked a merchant for advice and the merchant recommended a watchmaker named Gregson, who again proved unsatisfactory.
Finally, Morris went to Jean-Antoine Lépine. Lépine was at that time the watch and clockmaker to Louis XVI and had also been a clock and watchmaker to Louis XV and Napoleon Bonaparte. He also reportedly worked with Voltaire on watches for a while as Voltaire had sought to create a competitor to Geneva-made watches across the French border in Ferney (now called Ferney-Voltaire). Lépine made a number of important developments in watches including developing thinner watches than had ever been made previously.
Photo from NAWCC. Arrow pointing to high-quality "Wolf's Teeth" gearing.
In 1789, Morris sent a thin gold watch back to Washington with the message that it was made by: "Mr. Lépine (who) is at the Head of his Profession here, and in Consequence asks more for his Work than any Body else. I therefore waited on Mr. L'Epine and agreed with him for two Watches exactly alike, one of which be for you and the other for me."
On the porcelain dial below 12 o'clock it states in a small font "LEPINE" and above 6 o'clock in a slight curve "INVENIT ET FECIT" (or "invented and made it"). If that sounds familiar, it is the statement found on F.P. Journe watches today. For Lépine, it referred to the watch's thin calibre that was totally invented and made by him.
Photo from NAWCC.
The inner caseback has three fleurs-de-lis on the top and on it is engraved: "No. 5378 / Remontez à droite / Tournez les Equilles / Lepine Hger du Roy / A Paris / S". The case number is 863. One wonders whether whether Washington liked having the French king referenced on his pocketwatch and fleurs-de-lis on the caseback and a fleur-de-lis as the tip of the hour hand.
It seems to me that Lépine watches are highly undervalued. Just take a look at a few that were sold by Christie's over the last few years: $9,985 in 2008, $13,375 in 2007, $7,411 in 2010, etc. Interestingly, Christie's will be auctioning a Lépine mantel clock on March 5th in London with an estimate of $1,332 to $1,998.
This watch is in the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and is at the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia. If you would like to see Washington's Lépine watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
James McCabe Pocketwatch
Photo from "The George Washington Collection: Fine and Decorative Arts at Mount Vernon" by Carol Borchert Cadou.
Washington purchased a simple gold pocketwatch from Ephraim Clark in Philadelphia while he was President. At that time, the government was located in Philadelphia. The watch was made by James McCabe, an Irish-born watchmaker who had moved to London. The watch appears to have been made between 1793 and 1794 according to the letter stamp on the case. The case was made by James Richards. It is unlikely that McCabe and Richards knew their work was going to be purchased by Washington.
George Washington Parke Custis (Martha's grandson) wrote about Washington: "So punctual a man delighted in always having about him a good timekeeper. In Philadelphia, the first president regularly walked up to his watchmaker's (Clarke, in Second street) to compare his watch with the regulator."
The watch is in the collection of the Mount Vernon Association. You can read more about it in the book "The George Washington Collection: Fine and Decorative Arts at Mount Vernon" by Carol Borchert Cadou.
John Adams (2nd President)
President Adams is known to have owned a gold repeater pocketwatch.
Unknown Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
Adams likely acquired this watch while he was US Minister Plenipotentiary to France. The watch was passed down through the Adams family, but the movement and hands are not original. The case also may have been replaced. It is possible that it was originally a repeater. Just the original dial seems to have survived.
The watch is in the collection of the Adams National Historic Site in Quincy, Massachusetts. If you would like to see this Adams watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
Thomas Jefferson (3rd President)
President Jefferson is known to have owned a gold pocketwatch made by Daniel Vaucher.
Daniel Vaucher Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
Daniel Vaucher was a Paris-based watchmaker who made extremely fine timepieces. This watch was likely acquired by Jefferson while he was in Paris. Jefferson later gave the watch to James Monroe. The watch is missing its crystal and outer case. It also appears that it is missing a small central hand that would point to the date.
Arrows pointing to "Vauchez" and "Paris". Photo from NAWCC.
In 2010, Christie's sold an incredible Vaucher watch made for the Turkish market for $712,758. You can hear that watch described by Aurel Bacs here.
The watch is in the collection of the James Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you would like to see this Jefferson watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
James Monroe (5th President)
President Monroe is known to have owned a Gabriel pocketwatch.
Gabriel Pocketwach
From NAWCC.
President Monroe owned gold Gabriel pocketwatch reportedly passed to him by a relative. The watch may date to the mid-1700s. The movement is marked 104 and may have been of Swiss or French origin that was then sent to London and signed Gabriel of London. It is in excellent condition. The caseback has a detailed repoussé scene featuring people.
From NAWCC.
The watch is in the collection of the James Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you would like to see this Jefferson watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
Andrew Jackson (7th President)
President Jackson is known to have owned a William Hunter pocketwatch.
William Hunter Pocketwatch
Photo from James Frazier on Flickr.
President Jackson was reportedly very fond of his William Hunter gold pocketwatch. Hunter was a watchmaker in Liverpool. On the back of the case has the engraving: "Andrew Jackson Hermitage 1826." The movement is marked number 1817. It has a hallmark for Chester 1820 and the casemaker was N.L.
The story of the watch is quite interesting. According to a book I found online called "The Mystery of Andrew Jackson's Gold Watch" (which you can read for yourself here), the watch had been passed down through the family and was last in the possession of Albert Marble Jackson, the great-grandson of Andrew Jackson, in March 1924 before he was never heard from again after January 8, 1925 in New York. That is until a young couple bought an old house in the New York area in 1980, undertook renovations and found a wooden medicine cabinet behind a wall. Inside the cabinet were 21 bottles of bootleg whiskey wrapped in 1924 issues of the New York Times. At the bottom of the cabinet as a small cardboard box and inside was Jackson's pocketwatch. The Ladies' Hermitage Association collected donations and purchased it in late 1984, putting it back on display in 1985.
The watch is in the collection of The Hermitage, Jackson's home.
Abraham Lincoln (16th President)
President Lincoln is known to have owned a few pocketwatches, including a gold pocketwatch purchased from George Chatterton, an unidentified possibly Swiss gold pocketwatch, a Waltham Wm. Ellery, and a possibly Danish gold pocketwatch.
Pocketwatch bought from George Chatterton
Photo from the Smithsonian.
In the 1850s, Lincoln purchased a gold pocketwatch, reportedly of English origin, from George Chatterton, a jeweler in Springfield, Illinois.
The story involving this watch is one of the coolest stories involving a presidential watch. In 2009, the Smithsonian had George Thomas, a watchmaker and museum volunteer, take off the dial of the watch to examine whether a message may have been written on the movement. Why? On February 12, 2009, Douglas Stiles, a 59-year-old attorney, called the Smithsonian asking whether a message was written in Lincoln's watch. Stiles had been researching his genealogy and had come across a story in the New York Times from 1906 where Dillon told his story of making an engraving on Lincoln's watch when it was being serviced at the outbreak of the Civil War.
The Smithsonian had heard about this and they had to have Thomas take a look with Stiles there. Lo and behold, on the movement side underneath the dial is written: "Jonathan Dillon / April 13-1861 / Fort Sumpter [sic] was attacked / by the rebels on the above / date J Dillon / April 13-1861 Washington / thank God we have a government / Jonth Dillon." In addition, there was another engraving "LE Grofs Sept 1864 Wash DC." And then across a lever it says "Jeff Davis". Perhaps Grofs was a Confederate sympathizer or perhaps it was added later.
Photo from the Smithsonian.
You can read the full story in the Smithsonian Magazine here. You can see a video of the revealing moment here.
Photo from the Smithsonian. Note the Universal Geneve case opener on the right.
This watch is in the collection of the Smithsonian.
Unsigned Pocketwatch
In 1861, as Lincoln was embarking on a journey to go from Springfield to Washington, he was given a gold pocketwatch and chain by the Illinois State Journal, which was a Republican publication that had supported his presidency. Lincoln's initials are engraved on the cover. I have seen discussion on watch forums suggesting it is of Swiss origin, but have no way of confirming this.
The watch is in the collection of the Chicago History Museum.
Waltham Ellery Pocketwatch
Lincoln owned a Waltham Wm. Ellery Model 1857 watch that was made in January 1863. These Model 1857 watches were the first successful industrialized watches. It marked an important move in the history of the watch. Given that they could be mass-produced, they were significantly less expensive and they a favorite of Union soldiers. Lincoln biographer mentions it Abraham Lincoln: The War Years (Volume 3), published in 1939 and it is likely pictured, as well. I found a snippet on Google Books where Sandburg writes: "Lincoln's watch used by him during three war years, a silver Waltham case No. E279, William Ellery movement, key winder No. 67613, presented in '64 to Dennis Hanks with the chain at the right; looped below, the gold chain presented to Lincoln by a California delegation. Originals in the Barrett Collection". It appears that Sandburg is incorrect in saying he used it "during three war years" as the watch was made in 1863 and then given as a gift to Lincoln's cousin Dennis Hanks in 1864. A few sources suggest that the watch was a gift to Lincoln for the Gettysburg Address, which he delivered on November 19, 1963, but I was not able to find any primary account of this.
The Barrett Collection refers to the Lincoln collection amassed by Oliver R. Barrett, one of the most prolific Lincoln collectors of his day. After Barrett died in 1950, the collection was auctioned in 1952. The book "Abraham Lincoln and Coles County, Illinois" by Charles Hubert Coleman, published in 1955, gives more information on the watch:
The story is that when changing trains at Altoona, Pennsylvania, on the trip to Washington, Hanks lost his watch and money to a pickpocket. He told Lincoln of his loss. Many years later, in a letter to Oliver R. Barrett, T. B. Shoaff, a grandson of Dennis Hanks, described the incident. After learning of Dennis’ loss, "Lincoln turned around and took from his desk an old silver watch he had carried around over the State of Illinois, and from Springfield to Washington, saying ’Dennis you may have this watch. I have carried it a long time. Take it home and take care of it’." He then showed Dennis the gold watch he was carrying, a present from some Washington admirers. The watch remained in Hanks’ possession until shortly before his death, which occurred on October 21, 1892. He showed the watch to Eleanor Atkinson during her interview with him in January 1889. He told her, "Thar’s a feller up in Chicago, that’s plumb crazy over Abe, an' he offered me five hundred dollars fur it." The "feller up in Chicago" was Mr. Charles F. Gunther, who bought the watch for $500 through Hanks’ granddaughter, Mrs. M. M. Barney, of Paris, Illinois. Mr. Gunther placed the watch on exhibit in the old Libby Prison building in Chicago, which was exhibited to the public at the time of the World’s Fair of 1893. Gunther sold the watch to Oliver R. Barrett. When Mr. Barrett’s collection of Lincolniana was sold by auction in February 1952, the watch was purchased by the Waltham Watch Company.
Sold with the watch was an affidavit dated May 14, 1891 where Dennis Hanks stated: "This watch was presented to me by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 at Washington city, D. C, where I had gone to intercede for some men who had been in a riot at Charleston, Ills. The watch he gave me is a silver ’Waltham’ case No. E279- Wm. Ellery movement- key-winder - No. 67613 - Boston, Mass. I am a full cousin of Abraham Lincoln, and taught him to read and write."
Waltham has since gone out of business and we have no idea where the watch currently is. A few websites suggest it is now owned by the Smithsonian, but I have not been able to confirm this. If anyone knows, it would be great to know – otherwise I will continue scouring eBay!
Possibly Danish Pocketwatch
Photo from Lexington Herald-Leader.
President Lincoln owned a gold pocketwatch with a case signed "J. Jacqueson, Copenhagen" and reportedly sold by Tiffany & Co. circa 1860. It was in the spotlight recently when it was wound and recorded to be used as a sound effect in the Steven Spielberg film Lincoln. However, doing this caused a kerfuffle. It appears that the watch may have been opened, oiled, and wound without a watchmaker being involved. This caused outrage among some who were concerned about damage to the watch. You can see the story here.
The movement and dial are unsigned. The chain includes a yellow gold watch fob with gold initials ”AL” in onyx for stamping wax. According to the Kentucky Historical Society: "This watch was worn by President Abraham Lincoln. Following his assassination at Ford’s Theater in 1865, Robert Todd Lincoln inherited the watch. He gave it to his cousin, Benjamin Hardin Helm, Jr. In 1943 Helm presented the watch as a birthday gift to William H. Townsend, one of America’s leading authorities on the life of Lincoln. Upon Townsend’s death the watch passed to his daughter Mary Townsend Murphy. The Murphy family believed that the pocket watch was carried by Lincoln on the night of his assassination but there is no evidence to support this. The contents of Lincoln’s pockets that night are in storage at the Library of Congress." However, those contents reportedly do not contain a watch, so it is possible.
Photo from Lexington Herald-Leader.
The watch is in the collection of the Kentucky Historical Society.
Andrew Johnson (17th President)
It is reported that the Tennessee State Museum owns a pocketwatch that was owned by Andrew Johnson, but I have not been able to find any information on it. We'll update this story if any more information becomesavailable.
Ulysses Grant (18th President)
President Grant is known to have pawned a gold pocketwatch for $22 in December 1857 in order to buy Christmas gifts for his wife and three children, according to historian Kate Havelin. It was Grant's last valuable possession while he was a struggling would-be farmer near St. Louis.
Rutherford B. Hayes (19th President)
President Hayes is known to have owned an E. Howard & Co. pocketwatch.
E. Howard & Co. Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC
An E. Howard & Co. gold pocketwatch was given to Rutherford B. Hayes by his mother-in-law, Maria Webb, on September 14, 1866. Inside the cover is a picture of Hayes's wife, Lucy.
Photo from NAWCC.
If you would like to see this Hayes watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
The watch is now owned by the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio.
William Howard Taft (27th President)
Photo from Amazon.com.
President Taft was given a gold pocketwatch by a New York City jewelers association in 1912. It is depicted in the book "To the Best Of My Ability" (2000) edited by James McPherson. We don't have any further information on it and can't deciper a maker from the Amazon.com book preview.
Warren G. Harding (29th President)
President Harding owned a Masonic pocketwatch by Hiram.
Hiram Masonic Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
Harding's Masonic pocketwatch was made by Hiram with a movement made by Hallmark. It is 14k yellow gold and has a variety of Masonic symbols on the front and back. It was retailed by Macy's and apparently was carried by Harding regularly.
The watch has a 15 jewel movement and carries the serial number 3364074. The case is marked 145.
Photo from NAWCC.
Photo from NAWCC.
This watch is in the collection of the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio. If you would like to see this Adams watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd President)
President Roosevelt is known to have owned a skeletonized minute repeater pocketwatch and a Tiffany & Co. signed Movado triple calendar.
A. Frankfeld Skeletonized Minute Repeater Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC. Arrows point to lever to Frankfeld name, button for setting watch, and repeater lever.
The former minister of education of Cuba, Dr. Boldan, presented President Roosevelt with an exceptional A. Frankfeld skeletonized minute repeater at the Lions Club in Havana on January 30, 1942. Frankfeld was located in Geneva. The dial is transparent and reverse painted.
Photo from NAWCC.
Photo from NAWCC.
Photo from NAWCC. FDR initials.
It is in the collection of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. If you would like to see this FDR watch taken apart and examined, click here to see the video.
Tiffany & Co. signed Movado Triple Calendar
Photo from Antiquorum.
FDR's last watch as a gold 14k Tiffany-signed Movado triple calendar. It is a Ref. 44776 and has the case number T249743. The watch was made in 1944. FDR's son-in-law reportedly received it as a Christmas gift in 1944 and he in turn re-gifted it to FDR. The watch reportedly was worn by FDR at the Malta and Yalta Conferences in 1945 and was worn by FDR in the last months of his life.
The watch actually came up for auction at Antiquorum in 2009, but it did not sell. We do not know the present location of this watch.
Harry Truman (33rd President)
President Truman is known to have owned a Gallet Flight Officer, Universal Geneve Tri-Compax, Vulcain Cricket, and an American Academy Denver pocketwatch, and is reported to have owned a gold Heuer chronograph as well.
Gallet Flying Officer
Photo from NAWCC.
President Truman owned a Gallet Flying Officer (also called Flight Officer). It was apparently given to him by two members of his Senate staff: Vic (perhaps Vic Elford) and Paul. It was worn on a tan canvas strap. Unfortunately, the dial may have been completely redone in the past few years. The photo above is of the watch originally.
Truman's Flying Officer was part of the Gallet Clamshell line, which were first waterproof chronographs. The caseback is secured by four screws and it had round pushers. The Flying Officer is distinguished as the first watch that could be used to tell world time. The bezel would need to be set to the home time city and from there the cities on the edge of the dial plus the bezel could be used to tell time in other cities around the world. For more on the Gallet Flight Officer, see this article I previously wrote.
Photo from Gallet.
The serial number engraved on the caseback is 64112. Truman's appears to be one of the earliest, if not the earliest, Flying Officers known to exist. The watch is in the collection of the Harry Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri.
Universal Geneve Tri-Compax reference 12551
Photo from Antiquorum.
President Truman wore a 18k yellow gold Universal Geneve Tri-Compax at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. It features an engraving on the back stating that it was "Worn at Potsdam / July 1945 / by / Harry Truman." The resolution of the photo is not perfect, but it looks like it was a reference 12551 (the bottom of the two numbers on UG watches was the reference number) and the serial is 1045753, although the last digit is the hardest to decipher. That serial number suggests it was made between 1943 and 1945.
I was looking at a photograph of Truman signing a proclamation initiating US involvement in Korea in 1950, and it appears that he was wearing the Tri-Compax then, too. A close-up shows the thin beveled lugs and it is clearly a chronograph
Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
This Tri-Compax was sold by Antiquorum in 1994 for 23,500 CHF. We do not know the present location of this watch.
Vulcain Cricket
In 1953 upon leaving office, the White House Press Corps gave President Truman a Vulcain Cricket. We don't know anything about the model or the present location of the watch.
American Academy Denver Pocketwatch
Photo from NAWCC.
The students of the American Academy in Denver assembled a 14k pocketwatch for President Truman and gave it to him on February 4, 1949. The caseback states: "This / Hand Made Watch / Presented To / Hon. Harry S. Truman / President / Of The United States / By / The First Graduating Class / Horological Engineering / American Academy, Inc. / Denver, Colorado / Washington, D.C. / February 4, 1949."
Photo from NAWCC. Arrow points to the Keystone 14k hallmark.
The movement is marked "American Academy / Denver" and "No 1."
Photo from NAWCC.
The watch is in the collection of the Harry Truman Presidential Library.
Vacheron Constantin reference 6108 (Chronomètre Royal)
Photo from Vacheron Constantin.
Vacheron Constantin has a record of Truman owning a reference 6108 Chronomètre Royal (back when they were signed "Vacheron & Constantin"). These were in gold and had a central seconds movement. It appears that reference 6108 was 34mm in diameter. We know little about the watch beyond this photographic record held by Vacheron and we do not know the present location of the watch.
Heuer Chronograph
It is written in a NAWCC article that Harry Truman wore a gold Heuer chronograph, but we don't have any information on the model or other evidence. However, I did see that Truman was wearing what appears to be a gold chronograph when he signed a proclamation declaring a national emergency that initiated US involvement in the Korean War. While it is likely the Tri-Compax, it could be this rumored Heuer as well.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th President)
President Eisenhower owned a Heuer chronograph, Rolex Datejust, Vulcain Cricket (alarm went off during a press conference where he was announcing new tariffs on the Swiss watch industry), and a Hamilton with his family’s faces on the dial.
Heuer Chronograph
President Eisenhower is reported to have purchased a steel Heuer chronograph in 1945 with a 12-hour register. While we don't have photograph of it, he was pictured in a 1946 Casa Masson advertisement for Heuer.
Vulcain Cricket
Photo from the Saturday Evening Post.
Eisenhower wore a Vulcain Cricket while he was in office. One of the funnier stories is that he was wearing the Cricket during a press conference announcing new tariffs on Swiss watches. The alarm went off during the press conference and everyone knew it was a Cricket and rather hypocritical in a humorous way.
We do not know the present location of the watch.
Rolex Datejust
Photo from Raleigh DeGeer Amyx.
President Eisenhower is the first President known to have had a Rolex. A gold Rolex Datejust was offered to Ike by Rolex as a gift and was the company's 150,000th officially certified chronometer. Ike gladly accepted it. When asked if they could personalize it in any way, he asked that Rolex engrave his initials on 5 stars to signify his ranking as a 5 star general. The date "12-19-1950" is also on the caseback. Rolex also engraved "D.D.E." on the outer side of the buckle of the Jubilee bracelet.
Photo from Raleigh DeGeer Amyx.
Unfortunately, it looks like the dial has been replaced at some point. Perhaps while Eisenhower still owned it. The dial now says T Swiss T and dials were not marked that way until the early 1960s. At some point, Eisenhower gave the watch to his valet, John Moaney.
From Raleigh DeGeer Amyx.
Famously, the watch is prominently seen on the cover of the July 21, 1952 issue of LIFE Magazine. To read more about this watch, please see this article.
From Raleigh DeGeer Amyx / LIFE Magazine
The watch is in the collection of Raleigh DeGeer Amyx. He received it from Moaney's widow.
Custom Hamilton
President Eisenhower is known to have worn a Hamilton that had his family's faces on the dial, but we have not found any photographs of it nor do we know its present location.
When Julie Nixon (later Julie Nixon Eisenhower after she married Ike's grandson David) commented that she liked it, Ike went on to give her a personalized Hamilton with her family photographs on the dial as a gift after she was engaged to David.
Vacheron Constantin
From Vacheron Constantin.
A group of Swiss civilians gave personalized Vacheron watches to the world leader attendees of the 1955 Geneva Summit. The watches included a note that "These watches must have good influence on yourself, your country, and the peace in the world." We only have the low resolution photograph above from the Vacheron archives and we are not sure if Eisenhower ever wore it. In addition we are not sure what reference it is and we do not know the present location of these watches.
We have since heard that this may be a reference 6032 and may reside at the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas. We are following up.
John F. Kennedy (35th President)
President Kennedy is known to have owned a Bulova, Omega, Nastrix, Rolex Day-Date given to him by Marilyn Monroe (then immediately given away), and a Cartier (not a Tank).
Bulova
From RR Auction.
Last year we showed you a Bulova given to JFK that was coming up for auction. The watch has a salmon pink dial and was engraved "JFK / 1941" on the bracelet.
From RR Auction.
To read more, see Stephen's article. The watch was sold by RR Auction for $25,428.
Omega
From Omega.
Perhaps the most famous watch owned by JFK is the small Omega given to him by his friend Grant Stockdale. Grant gave it to JFK in 1960 before the presidential election, but predicted victory by having the caseback engraved "President / Of The / United States / John F. Kennedy / From His Friend / Grant".
From Omega.
JFK wore the watch at his inauguration in 1961.
From Life Magazine.
The watch currently is in the collection of Omega, after it was purchased by Omega in 2005 at a Guernsey's auction for $350,000. Omega then went on to create a commemorative limited edition re-issue. You can read more about it here.
Nastrix
From Antiquorum.
JFK was given a 14k gold Nastrix watch in 1963 by David and Evangeline Bruce. He reportedly liked to wear it while swimming. The watch features 55 jewels. Funnily enough, it says it "From The / Evangelines" rather than the Bruces. Perhaps it was an inside joke and they were trying to say that Evangeline was in charge. You can read more about the watch here.
After JFK passed, Jackie Kennedy ended up giving the watch to Aristotle Onassis as a gift and had "FALJ" (For Ari Love Jackie) engraved between the lugs. In 2009, Antiquorum sold the watch for $120,000.
Rolex Day-Date
One of the more controversial watches is apparently a piece JFK never put on his wrist. It was a gold Rolex Day-Date given to him by Marilyn Monroe. The watch is engraved, "JACK / With love as always / from / MARILYN / May 29th 1962". The watch box also included a poem.
Monroe is said to have given the watch to Kenneth O'Donnell, an aide to JFK. Reportedly, when when Kennedy saw it, he told O'Donnell to "get rid of it." This scene is depicted in episode 7 of the miniseries The Kennedys, although with JFK telling RFK to get rid of it.
Alexander Autographs sold the watch at auction in 2005 for $120,000. It reportedly was purchased by an East Coast collector.
Cartier
Photo from jfkcamelot.com.
President Kennedy owned a thin Cartier watch that was given to him by Jackie for their fourth anniversary in 1957. Cartier generally rebranded these types of round, non-Tank watches from other Swiss makers. Given the look of the watch, it would not surprise me if it was made by Vacheron Constantin. In a photo of the caseback, we can see a number engraved on the back of a lug, which was standard practice for Cartier's recordkeeping. It appears the numbers are 156.
Photo from jfkcamelot.com. Note the numbers on the lug, which was a trademark for marking items sold by Cartier. It appears the numbers are 156.
It is reported that this was the watch worn when he was assassinated and that it was taken off his wrist and given to Jackie at the hospital. Jackie then passed the watch to JFK's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, who passed it along with many other JFK items to Robert L. White. Reference is made to the Cartier wristwatch in a number of publications including the Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun.
From howtobeswell.com.
A number of online sources suggest that JFK wore a Cartier Tank, however I believe the photographs that people suggest showing him in a Cartier in fact show him in the Omega, which was of course a Tank-style watch. According to The New York Times, JFK did give a Cartier Tank to Jackie engraved “To Jackie. Love, Jack" in 1963.
Based on this account, it appears JFK's Cartier watch is currently in the collection of a private collector.
Lyndon Baines Johnson (36th President)
President Johnson is known to have owned a Patek Philippe reference 2526 with "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You" on the dial, Vulcain Cricket Calendar with LBJ signature initials on the dial, Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox with presidential seal on the caseback, and a Rolex.
Patek Philippe reference 2526
Photo from NAWCC.
LBJ is the only president we know of that definitely owned a Patek Philippe. He owned a reference 2526 in 18k yellow gold ordered through Tiffany and Company with a special yellow gold Tiffany bracelet. These 2526s are very collectible, particularly with the beautiful and very fragile cream enamel dials like LBJ's watch has. Around the center of the enamel dial it states, “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You,” also known as the Golden Rule. According to Sotheby’s the LBJ Patek has the movement number 760134 and case number 682113. In photos of the movement, it clearly has the HOX import mark denoting that it was imported by Henri Stern Watch Agency in New York.
The reference 2526 was the first automatic Patek. It featured the famed calibre 12-600, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful automatic movements ever made. Interestingly, LBJ's watch is only 134 away from the very first 2526, which had the serial 760000 and was sold to J.B. Champion. Yes, this J.B. Champion.
There are in fact a number of reference 2526 and 2552 Pateks with the "Do Unto Others" dial known to exist. It is my belief that they were in fact all ordered by then-Senator Johnson: one order from Tiffany & Co. in 1953/1954 and another order from Tiffany & Co. in 1956/1957. Some people and auction houses have called watches with these dials “Masonic” Pateks. This is somewhat correct as LBJ was initiated as a Mason in 1937, though he reportedly did not pursue it after that. But, the true story seems to be that LBJ was just a fan of the Golden Rule. He frequently referenced it in public and private.
We know for a fact that all of the Pateks with this dial we have seen were originally sold through Tiffany, are either reference 2526 or reference 2552, and are cased in yellow gold. Many also came on gold Patek bracelets. LBJ was known as a generous giver of gifts from Tiffany.
As far as watches are concerned, these purchases from Tiffany include:
- LBJ's own reference 2526 (movement 760134, case 682113)
- Reference 2526 (movement 760620, case 682107 – five before LBJ’s Patek) with dial signed "Tiffany & Co." on gold Tiffany bracelet given by LBJ to Representative Albert Thomas (D-TX) in late 1954 that was sold by Sotheby’s in 2012 for $68,500.
- Reference 2552 (movement 762499, case 693476) on gold Tiffany bracelet given by LBJ to Senator George Smathers (D-FL) in 1956 and sold by Bonhams in 2010 for $33,500.
- Reference 2526 (movement 760490, case 682029) with dial signed "Tiffany & Co." on gold PP bracelet sold by Christie's in 2012 for $24,270.
- Reference 2526 formerly sold by Bob Maron.
- Reference 2526 (movement 763479, case 695979) on gold bracelet sold by Antiquorum in 2000 for 81,600 CHF. (Note: this is very close to Andy Warhol's 2526 we profiled here that has movement 763541 and case 695960).
- Reference 2552 (movement 763197, case 696655) with dial signed "Tiffany & Co." on gold Tiffany bracelet formerly sold by Christie's in 2005 for $34,274 and again in 2009 for $18,630.
- Reference 2552 (movement 760644, 682140) with dial signed "Tiffany & Co." (unfortunately now a redial) with attempted sales by Heritage Auctions in 2008, May 2009, December 2009, and finally eBay a few times in 2011. This one is a little different as the caseback is signed "Rhea Foust / November, 1956 / From W. West". The Heritage description states that Foust's family said the watch was given to Rhea by "Westly West" - "an entrepreneur who was trying to get permission to drill off shore oil wells in Orange County, CA. Foust owned the Balboa pavilion and gambling boats off the California coast." The watch was likely part of that 1954 order by LBJ and is only 27 from LBJ's Patek. Given that West apparently gave it to Foust in November 1956, perhaps West received it from LBJ or somehow got it from someone else that had received it from LBJ. We can assume that if West was involved in oil at the time, he was frequently in Texas or based in Texas.
- Reference 2552 with dial signed "Tiffany & Co." on gold bracelet that we happened to see in Miami Beach last month (see the original post here)
If you would like to see this watch taken apart and examined, click here to see a video. According to the NAWCC video, the LBJ Museum has another "Do Unto Others..." Patek in its collection, but I don't have any details on it. I am not sure LBJ ever wore this Patek. We haven't found any photographic or written evidence. We do know that he specifically gifted the watches to the Museum, so it could have been something he wore or it may have been a leftover gift.
The watch is in the collection of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, Texas.
LBJ had a similar dial put on a small run of Hamilton Electric watches he commissioned in 1964 to give as gifts. At that point, LBJ held the presidency. Perhaps for that reason, he had his initials put on their dials. I believe that these watches help to strengthen the argument that all the "Do Unto Others..." Pateks were specially ordered by then-Senator Johnson.
From NAWCC.
Vulcain Cricket Calendar reference 3105004
From NAWCC.
LBJ is said to have loved Vulcain Crickets. He gave his presidential museum a gold-plated Cricket with date, reference 3105004. It has a magnifying window over the date on the crystal. The watch has his initials on the dial. It also includes the original gold-plated Vulcain buckle.
We have a photo of LBJ wearing a different, non-date Vulcain Cricket on a bracelet. It appears to have a two-tone dial. The non-date Crickets had alarms that were significantly louder than the version with a date.
LBJ wrote to Vulcain: "I am deeply grateful for your kindness in preparing my Cricket wrist alarm watch. I value it highly and feel somewhat less than dressed without it." LBJ is said to have been such a fan of the Cricket that he asked his staff to go throughout Geneva and buy all the Crickets they could when he was there for a conference so that he could give them as gifts.
The watch is in the collection of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, Texas.
Rolex
Photo from watchtime.
President Johnson is perhaps most associated with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date. He wore it on a bracelet that is now called the "President" bracelet and the Day-Date is now frequently called the "Rolex President." There are many photos of LBJ wearing this Rolex, particularly in the Oval Office.
The present location of this Rolex is unknown.
LeCoultre Memovox Worldtime with presidential seal on the caseback
Last year on eBay, we saw a special 14k yellow gold Memovox with the presidential seal engraved on the caseback come up on eBay. According to the seller, it was previously owned by LBJ. That the watch is signed LeCoultre rather than Jaeger-LeCoultre makes sense as LeCoultre watches were made for the American market.
You can see our posting about it here.
The watch was sold on eBay in October 2013. It was listed for $99,500, but sold for an unknown best offer below that.
Richard Nixon (37th President)
President Nixon is known to have worn a Vulcain Cricket.
Vulcain Cricket
From Vulcain.
On May 20, 1955, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors gave then-Vice President Nixon a Vulcain Cricket after he spoke to them. In 1960, he sent it to Vulcain for servicing and stated, "It has given excellent service over the past five years and has served as my alarm clock around the world."
From Vulcain.
We do not know the present location of this watch.
Gerald Ford (38th President)
President Ford is known to have owned a Pulsar 3376 Date-Command.
Pulsar 3376 Date-Command
President Ford's gold-filled LED Pulsar was the talk of town after he was seen wearing it at House Subcommittee hearings on the Nixon pardon. The watch was rather expensive at the time, although not as expensive as the solid gold version. The press wanted to know if it was a gift. If it was, it could have exceeded gift limits. It had been a gift, but was reportedly a gift before he became president by Philip D. Buchen, the White House legal counsel who was a close friend of Ford and formerly his law partner. The watch had been a regift as Buchen had received it for his service on the Board of Star Watch Case Company of Ludington, Michigan, which made the Pulsar watch case. Buchen already had one, so he gave it to Ford.
Photo from the New York Times in a Washington Post article.
Ford reportedly stopped wearing it due to the press attention, but once the press died down he began wearing it again. There are some great photos of him wearing it over at oldpulsars.com.
The present location of this watch is unknown.
Jimmy Carter (39th President)
Photo from Salon.com.
We are not exactly sure what watch President Carter wore, but we do know he wore and continues to wear his watches with the head on the inside of his wrist and the buckle on the outside of his wrist. Certain people of his generation wear watches that way and reasoning I have heard includes that it is easier to read the time when in meetings or speaking publicly without others knowing the time is being checked.
Photo by IBTimes.com.
In a more recent photograph, Carter is wearing an analog-digital watch of some sort. Perhaps an older Timex. Any feedback on what watch this is would be welcome.
Ronald Reagan (40th President)
President Reagan is known to have owned a Rolex Datejust.
Rolex Datejust
Photo from Jake's Rolex World.
Photos of Ronald Reagan from 1965 show him wearing what appears to be a steel Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet.
We do not know the present location of this watch.
George H.W. Bush (41st President)
Photo from CNN clip on Youtube.
We aren't sure what watches George H.W. Bush wore and wears, but he famously checked his watch multiple times during the 1992 presidential debates. His frequent wrist glances struck viewers as odd, aloof, and out-of-touch. Ever since then, presidential candidates have been trained to not look at their watch during debates.
Photo from C-SPAN clip on Youtube.
Funnily enough, he was caught in the act of looking at his watch again in 2008 during Laura Bush's remarks at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Bill Clinton (42nd President)
If there is any president whose watches are difficult to track, it is Bill Clinton as each time he steps out in public in his post-presidency he seems to be wearing a different watch. Clinton is known to have owned a Timex Ironman and LIP watch while in office. After leaving office he has been seen in an astounding number of watches including watches made by Jaeger-LeCoultre, Roger Dubuis, Rolex (a PVD-coated Pro-Hunter Submariner), Audemars Piguet, and Panerai, to name just a few.
Timex Ironman
Clinton shook things up by wearing a Timex Ironman digital watch as President. Newsweek described it as "techno-nerd." Clinton even went so far as to wear it to his inaugural ball in 1993, leading the Washington Post style section to call it "an unsightly blemish" and a "wrist gargoyle." The watch also apparently offended many timepiece-loving Europeans. Clinton has since donated one of his early Ironman watches to the Smithsonian Institution, where is is part of the National Museum of American History's presidential collection.
In 1994, Clinton was given a LIP wristwatch to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy landings, but we don't know exactly what it looks like. Later on in his presidency, Clinton began wearing analog timepieces, presumably from Timex.
Post-Presidency
Since leaving office, Clinton has begun wearing extremely impressive timepieces. Rather than attempt to list them all at this point, we'll save this for a future story as President Clinton is an actual collector whose tastes and preferences are worth exploring in more detail.
George W. Bush (43rd President)
Photo from Breitbart.com.
George W. Bush is known to have worn a Timex. He is reported to have worn a Timex i-Control during the 2000 campaign and then seems to have switched to a simple steel Timex Indiglo with white face and black numerals. Photos of the watch show an American flag at the 12 o'clock position
If you want your own, the George W. Bush Presidential Center actually sells a gold-plated version based on GWB's own watch and with his signature for $59.98. It's a bit of presidential kitsch and you can buy it here.
One notable watch moment during his presidency was when he was shaking hands of a group of Albanian fans in 2007. It was reported that Bush's watch may have been stolen as a watch suddenly was no longer on his wrist, but the White House reported that he had taken it off first and put it in his pocket. You can see a video of the incident here.
More recently, David Blaine stole Bush's watch off his wrist in Shanghai, China.
Barack Obama (44th President)
Barack Obama's watches have gotten a lot of scrutiny. He is known to own and wear a Jorg Gray chronograph, TAG Heuer Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver watch, and a New Balance N7. As a child, he wore an unidentified watch on a rather large faststrap, which you can see in this photo and this photo. The place to see all the information about his watches is at OnTheDash.com/docs/obama, managed by our friend Jeff Stein, the notable Heuer collector who notably first identified Obama's Jorg Gray chronograph. In addition, Vulcain presented Obama with a specially engraved Vulcain Cricket Anniversary Heart upon his election.
TAG Heuer Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver
Barack Obama was known for wearing a TAG Heuer 1500 Two-Tone Diver almost exclusively for the decade from 1997 to 2007. He has also worn it as president on a few rare occasions. The appears to be on a black leather strap.
Jorg Gray Chronograph
Photo from OnTheDash.
On the occasion of his birthday on August 4, 2007, the Secret Service gave him a watch they had purchased from their gift shop: a Jorg Gray with the Secret Service logo on the dial and a black leather strap with white stitching. The movements are made in Japan. Throughout much of the campaign, no one could figure out what the watch was until Jeff Stein solved the mystery. The watch is steel except for the bezel, which is chrome-plated.
Photo from OnTheDash. Another Secret Service JG6500.
Thanks to the fantastic publicity, Jorg Gray was able to expand rapidly, probably far beyond their dreams of selling corporate logo watches. They launched the 6500 series chronograph, which was Obama's, except without the Secret Service logo on the dial.
Photo from OnTheDash.
If you want one, you can buy a commemorative edition or regular version both for $395. A few Secret Service logo chronographs from the Secret Service employee store have shown up on eBay and brought thousands.
New Balance N7
The New Balance N7 is Obama's casual watch. He wore it when skeet shooting, for instance.
Photo from the White House.
Vulcain Anniversary Heart Cricket
From Vulcain.
Vulcain gave a steel Vulcain Anniversary Heart Automatic to President Obama to mark his inauguration. Around the edge of the the caseback is engraved: "President Of The United States Nov. 4th 2008 / Barack Obama." On the movement is engraved "Barack Obama / Nov 4th 2008" marking the date of his election.
Vulcain received a signed letter back from Obama dated August 14, 2009 stating, "Dear Bernard: / I would like to extend my deepest thanks for your kind gift. Thank you for the book and the beautiful timepiece. Your thoughtfulness and generosity are much appreciated. As our world grows increasingly interdependent, it is gratifying to know that we can work together to the benefit of our two nations. Again, thank you for the wonderful gift. Sincerely, Barack Obama."
From Vulcain.
It will be interesting to see if Obama ever ends up wearing the Vulcain. Perhaps not until he leaves office.
Special thanks to the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC). Their 2008 "Time in Office" exhibit provided a lot of material and photographs for this article. In addition, thanks to Norma Buchanan who has previously written on the subject based on the NAWCC exhibit.
It has been quite a journey to try to gather all of this information from disparate sources. I have attempted to make this article as comprehensive as possible, but of course there are many presidential watches that I have missed and that are generally unknown and undiscovered. If you know of ones we missed, please let us know in the comments. We just may update the article.