The 1923 New York Yankees World Championship Watch presented to Babe Ruth, the most iconic American athlete of all, will cross the auction block on Feb. 22, as part of Heritage Auctions’ Sports Platinum Night Auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion, 2 E. 79th Street. It is estimated at $750,000+.
The watch was awarded to the Babe, and all of his New York Yankees teammates, when they bested the crosstown rival New York Giants in six games and where Ruth had a fantastic series, batting .368 and dinging three homers.
While Heritage has sold three other watches awarded to players on the legendary team, none can even begin to compare in importance to this one. Ruth’s was believed lost to history.
The watch is a 14 karat gold “Gruen Verithin” beauty in unique pentagonal format. The verso is engraved with a miniature scene of a pitcher, hitter and catcher, and a ball in flight in their midst. Framing the scene are the historic words, “Yankees, World’s Champions 1923.” The “Babe Ruth” engraving at the upper edge was added by Ruth just prior to gifting the symbolic memento to Schwefel. The rear case pops open to reveal further engraving, most notably the original text announcing, “Presented by Baseball Commissioner to George H. Ruth.” Just above we find the rest of Ruth’s late 1940s addition, reading, “To My Pal Charles Schwefel.”