We’ve seen this watch up close and personal.
It has been on Jack Nicklaus’ wrist for more than 50 years.
It’s an eye-catcher, the only watch Jack has worn.
Now he’s giving it up to raise money for the Nicklaus Children’s Hospitals — the heart-warming labor of philanthropy that he and wife Barbara pursue passionately.
Jack’s Rolex Day‐Date Reference 1803 is yellow gold. He received it as a gift from Rolex in 1967. You can see it on his wrist in photographs of Jack hoisting all those championship trophies.
The history of Jack’s watch began in the late 1960s. While attending the Canada Cup in Tokyo in 1966, Jack was offered a watch of his choice during a Rolex cocktail event that he attended with Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. Player, who was sponsored by Rolex at the time, recommended that Jack pick the gold Day‐Date on display. Having never previously owned a watch, Jack took Gary’s advice — and chose the golden Rolex Reference 1803 — aptly matching his famous nickname The Golden Bear.
Nicklaus won his second U.S. Open the following year (1967) and set the U.S. Open scoring record at 275. Although he eventually acquired a number of watches throughout his lifetime, this is the only one that he has worn daily. It’s been on his wrist for 50 years.
“This is the very first watch I ever owned, and the only watch I wore for every professional tournament I’ve won throughout my career,” Nicklaus said. “It has accompanied me at U.S. Opens, Masters Tournaments, PGA Championships, Open Championships and countless other events for over five decades, and has served me well at every step along the way. Parting ways with this watch is certainly bittersweet. While I will certainly miss the opportunity of wearing the watch and having it serve as a constant reminder of some of my life’s most memorable moments I know that parting with it will help countless children and families impacted through the work of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. I have said many times that the work being done by our Foundation and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is far more rewarding than any 4-foot putt I made to win a golf tournament. So to know that 100% of the money raised from the sale of something on my wrist that I have treasured for over a half-century will directly benefit pediatric care is a treasure of the heart. I also want to thank Phillips for contributing its profits to this great cause.”
Jack’s watch will be up for sale to the highest bidder at the Phillips New York Watch Auction on December 10.
