Rago Auctions

Since its debut in 1964, the Corum coin wristwatch has been the subject of polarizing opinion. There is no in between: you either love it or hate it. The watch basically takes a piece of older, legal currency, which is usually American, and uses it as a watch dial. The coin has been sawed down the middle so that its top can be used as the dial and its bottom as the case back. The watch is a creative expression of Corum's desire to push the boundaries of dial work.

Fondly nicknamed the "Presidents Watch," due to the six presidents who wore this model while in the public eye, the Corum coin watch was also loved by artists such as Andy Warhol. Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton all wore this watch at one point during their administrations. The thin and classically elegant coin watch has become a peculiar and unsung icon throughout its history. The iteration on offer here happens to have an automatic movement and a 1904 twenty-dollar gold coin as its dial configuration.