Eric Clapton watch sells for $3.6m

Geneva - A platinum wristwatch belonging to British guitarist Eric Clapton sold for $3.6m in Geneva on Monday, auction house Christie's said.

The "exceptionally rare" watch made by Patek Philippe in 1987 was snapped up by an anonymous Asian buyer, Christie's spokesperson Christiano De Lorenzo told AFP, adding that the price was in the middle of the estimate.

The only other time the platinum perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases was on auction, in 1989, it sold for just $250 999.

Clapton, 67, known for his work with rock bands Cream and the Yardbirds and for songs including Crossroads, Layla and Tears in Heaven, had purchased the luxury timepiece privately after that auction for an undisclosed price, De Lorenzo said.

The British guitarist's watch did not fetch the highest price at the Christie's "Important Watches" auction, where sales totalled 27.04m Swiss francs.

That honour went to another Patek Philippe platinum wristwatch, made especially for American collector JB Champion in 1952, which raked in 3.78m Swiss francs.

It thereby set "a world auction record for a watch without complications", Christie's said.