Former President Kennedy and Johnson favor designs from Rolex, while Trumph loves Vacheron Constantin watches.
President George Washington has owned the large round case design since 1789. Before that, he wrote to Gouverneur Morris – who participated in drafting the New York State Constitution – asking to buy a simple, yellow, thin machine. Good quality in Paris (France). Washington encloses 25 Guineas, telling Morris he can pay more if necessary. Morris considered several shops but was not satisfied, so he went to Jean Antoine Lépine – the best watchmaker at that time, who made for King Louis XVI, Louis XV and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Morris bought two identical models, one sent to Washington, the other for himself. The US president’s design is coded 5378, kept by his family until 1935. The watch face is engraved with the words “Lepine” (name of the movement), “Invenit Et Fecit” (invented and created it) – present is the familiar slogan of F.P. Journe.
During his time in office, President Abraham Lincoln wore the Wm.Ellery of Waltham, manufactured in 1863. “Wm.Ellery” (right) is the name of the members of the Continental Congress and the signers of the Declaration of Independence. create. Ellery watches were not too expensive, sturdy, and mass-produced, initially promoting the industrialization of the watch industry. According to the book “Abraham Lincoln: The War Years” (volume 3), in 1864, Abraham Lincoln gave the Ellery to his aunt – Mrs. Dennis Hanks.
The 29th US President – Warren G. Harding – owned Hiram’s Masonic machine, code 3364074. The pocket design is decorated with details related to Masonry such as: hourglass symbol, la tables, squares, stonemason’s tools… instead of hour numbers. The 14k gold case is engraved with Hiram’s name, the same name as the leader of the Mason association that built King Solomon’s temple. According to Watchtime, Harding joined the association in 1920, around the same time he ran for president. In March 1921, he was elected.
The Tiffany & Co equipped with a calendar, manufactured in 1944, was a gift from his son-in-law to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He wore this accessory at the Malta Conference in 1945 and accompanied it in the last months of his life. In 2009, the watch was auctioned at Antiquorum but could not be sold, and its whereabouts are currently unknown.
President Harry S. Truman owned the first waterproof chronograph from Gallet Flying Officer (also known as Flight Officer). According to Hodinkee, two senators gave Truman this gift in 1939. The clock’s rotating bezel was capable of indicating the time at home and in other cities around the world. A few years ago, the dial was completely redone, shown in the photo as the original, unmodified version (right).
John F. Kennedy sở hữu nhiều cỗ máy của Omega, Hamilton, Cartier. Tuy nhiên, gây tranh cãi nhất là chiếc Rolex Day-Date, do cô đào nổi tiếng Marilyn Monroe tặng. Phụ kiện khắc dòng chữ: “Tặng Jack, với tình yêu của Marilyn. Ngày 29/5/1962”. Trong hộp quà còn có bài thơ “Lời khẩn cầu chân thành trong ngày sinh nhật”. John Kennedy sinh ngày 29/5/1917.
Theo Watchtime, nữ minh tinh này đã đưa chiếc đồng hồ cho Kenneth O’Donnell, trợ lý của Kennedy. Khi nhận được món quà, Kennedy bảo O’Donnell “quẳng nó đi”. Năm 2005, phụ kiện được đấu giá 120.000 USD
Lyndon Baines Johnson owns the Day-Date version – a watch line nicknamed “President”. He used to wear it when working at the Oval – the West Office of the White House. On the right is the first Day-Date model launched in 1956, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Watchtime website said that before his death, Johnson gave a gold Rolex to cardiologist J. Willis Hurst, with the body engraved with the words “To JWH/Love LBJ”. Before that, he gave the Day-date to former President Eisenhower.
In the mid-1970s, digital watches created a fever, competing with traditional watches. President Gerald Ford quickly caught up with the trend with the LED screen Hamilton Pulsar model (now owned by Seiko). He wore this machine during the Congressional hearings on Richard Nixon’s pardon in 1974.
Gerald Ford loved Pulsars so much that when the new computer-integrated version was released, he wanted his wife – Mrs. Betty – to buy it for Christmas in 1974. But his wife refused because she thought the price was $4,000.
Since leaving the White House, Bill Clinton has enjoyed collecting luxury watches such as Panerai, Franck Muller, Roger Dubuis, Kobold Seal and Cartier. However, during the presidential campaign and the first years of his term, he only wore a cheap Timex Ironman Triathlon (right). Gene Weingarten newspaper describes “a plastic-cased digital watch, as thick as a brick and as beautiful as a person with a hernia”.
In 1994, Lip brand (France) gave him an analog line with a leather strap when he attended the 50th anniversary of the day Allied troops landed on Normandy beach to destroy Nazi Germany. Since then, Clinton has been associated with this accessory.
During the election campaign, Barack Obama often wore a white quartz movement from TAG Heuer (Series 1500). In the summer of 2007, Obama started wearing a large Jorg Gray chronograph with a black dial (right). This was a gift from three secret agents to him on his birthday, the cover was engraved with the secret agent seal.
On Ellenshow the same year, Obama dropped his watch while punching a pink punching bag (symbolizing breast cancer). He quickly picked it up and put it in his pocket. By 2015, Obama replaced the Jorg Gray with the Fitbit Surge line. After his term ended, the former US President wore the Rolex Cellini model.
Donald Trump loves the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Ultra-fine 1968, wearing it on many occasions, including the inauguration. Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968 has model number 1120, the parameters of ultra-thin machines in the world in the 1960s. Accessories are expensive, 40,000 USD
