The sale, which lasted eight hours, featured several French institutions as buyers.
A watch worn by France's wartime hero and president Charles de Gaulle has sold for more than 500,000 euros as part of an auction of his personal belongings in Paris, according to auction house Arcurial.
The sales price of 537,920 euros (R10,497,019.29) on Monday night, December 16, set a world record for a watch from the 150-year-old French brand LIP.
The manufacturer, based in Besancon in eastern France, still makes “General de Gaulle” watches today, thanks to the patronage of a man considered the country's greatest modern statesman.
Artcurial's auction on Monday brought in a total of €5.6 million for de Gaulle memorabilia, including letters, book manuscripts and even school reports.
A watch by the French brand “LIP” that was also worn by French President Charles de Gaulle. Photo courtesy of Artcurial©
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watch buyer
The sale was organized by de Gaulle's descendants, who inherited a pile of personal belongings from his son Philippe, who died in March at the age of 102.
Several French institutions, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the National Archives, were buyers in the eight-hour sale, Arcurial said.
Mr. de Gaulle spearheaded the resistance movement against the Nazi occupation of France, rose to become the country's leader after the war, became the author of the country's current constitution, and served as president from 1958.
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