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Worn By MLK
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Watch - Owned
Worn By MLK
s Friend Harry Bellafonte
$2,119
£1,609.92
€1,850.13
CA$2,976.40
A$3,239.73
CHF 1,716.62
MX$38,962.67
NOK 21,826.36
SEK 20,001.44
DKK 13,820.38
About the Item
NAMED ONE OF WATCHPRO MAGAZINE’S “HOT 100” - THE TOP 100 INFLUENCERS OF THE U.S. WATCH INDUSTRY. HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU?
We’re new to offering our carefully curated collection on 1stDibs, but we have sold over 10,000 fine watches and exceptionally served thousands of customers with a 5.0 star rating.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Watch - OWNED
WORN BY MLK's FRIEND HARRY BELLAFONTE with COA
Certificate of Authenticity - Full Provenance with 2 COAs - 1 Year Warranty
Today’s offering showcases a special treasure from our Celebrity Collection: A Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative wristwatch personally owned and worn by the legendary Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Harry Belafonte
Few objects more perfectly capture the intersection of art, conscience, and history than this commemorative timepiece once owned by legendary performer and humanitarian Harry Belafonte. Created by Image Watches Inc. of California to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it bears on its dial the distinctive crest and Latin motto Vanae Leges Sine Moribus—“Laws without morals are useless.”
Elegant and minimalist in its design, the watch evokes the dignity and restraint of its subject, its gold-tone case framing the emblem of one of history’s greatest moral leaders.
For Belafonte—Dr. King’s close friend, confidant, and chief fundraiser during the civil-rights era—the piece would have carried profound resonance. He stood on the front lines beside Dr. King, helping organize the March on Washington, financing the Freedom Rides, and using his voice to champion justice worldwide. Owning his MLK Commemorative watch is not merely possessing a celebrity artifact; it is holding a tangible link to America’s conscience—an emblem worn by the man who sang for freedom and stood for it.
Far more than an entertainer, Belafonte was an artist who reshaped culture - he also happened to be a watch collector.
Harry Belafonte was one of the most celebrated entertainers of the 20th century—a trailblazing singer, actor, and activist whose artistry reshaped popular culture. Dubbed the “King of Calypso,” he introduced Caribbean music to mainstream audiences around the globe. His landmark 1956 album Calypso became the first LP in history to sell more than one million copies, fueled by the enduring popularity of Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)—a song that remains especially recognizable to this day. His warm, charismatic stage presence and magnetic voice made him a household name, while his work in film, including Carmen Jones and Island in the Sun, broke new ground for Black actors in Hollywood.
Belafonte’s career was recognized with some of the industry’s highest honors. He won a Grammy Award for Calypso, later receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His performances earned him Emmy and Tony Awards as well, making him one of the rare “EGOT” recipients. In 1989, he was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors, and in 2014 he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his profound influence on both culture and conscience.
Equally celebrated for his activism, Belafonte was a tireless champion for civil rights, social justice, and humanitarian causes. He supported the anti-apartheid movement, and worked with UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. His fearless voice against injustice and his lifelong commitment to equality cemented his legacy not only as an entertainer but as a moral leader of his era. To own a watch worn by Belafonte is to hold a personal connection to a man whose artistry brought joy to millions and whose convictions helped change the world.
This watch:
Its gold-tone case with steel back has hour markings engraved on the bezel. Its white dial proudly displays the commemorative seal. At 34 mm in diameter and 40 mm lug-to-lug, it offers classic proportions and a graceful wrist presence. It has a quartz movement and comes fitted with a black leather strap with signed buckle.
It remains in overall excellent condition with wear with light wear and marks. We have not cleaned or polished the watch or done anything to the outside of it - we left it just as we acquired it, which includes signs of wear and dirt.
On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery making it ready for enjoyment.
A wearable conversation piece as well as a museum-worthy artifact that links Harry Belafonte to his close friend Martin Luther King, Jr.
An article on the Mr. Belafonte's and Mr. King's friendship done by NPR can be found here.
Our Renowned Celebrity Collection:
This watch is part of our Celebrity Collection of watches that has been featured in GQ, Revolution Watch, Europa Star, JCK, Hampton's Magazine, Gotham Magazine, Vegas Magazine, Silicon Valley magazine and many others. eBay just recently partnered with us for an exclusive, special sale for seven of the watches.
The collection has been composed of 110 watches and clocks owned or worn by 57 iconic celebrities and public figures. It may be the largest current collection of celebrity-owned watches in the world. It is constantly changing and is currently headlined by timepieces owned by some of the most legendary Hollywood actors and actresses, musicians, comedians, and entertainers:
The King, Elvis Presley. (Just sold)
The King of Pop, Michael Jackson. (Just sold)
The King of Comedy, Jerry Lewis.
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. (Just sold)
Hollywood icons Steve Martin, Red Skelton, Martin Sheen, Burt Reynolds, Laurence Olivier, James Arness, Steve McQueen, Betty White, Olivia Newton-John, Bob Hope, Greta Garbo, Raquel Welch, Mickey Rooney, Jane Fonda, and Joan and Melissa Rivers..
Legendary musicians Johnny Cash, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Janet Jackson, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, Kenny Rogers, Harry Belafonte, ZZ Top's Dusty Hill, Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie, Don Mclean, Mountain's Leslie West, and Hank Williams, Jr.
Sports great and soccer legend Pelé, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, Yankee Hall of Fame great Lefty Gomez, World Cup winning captain and soccer defensive legend Daniel Passarella, and Green Bay Packer Mike Bucchianeri along with the game ball, signed photo and watch from the college football "all star" Blue Gray Game in 1940.
Further filling the current collection are watches or clocks from King Edward VIII and the Duchess of Windsor, beloved Hollywood host Ed Sullivan, renowned illusionists Siegfried
Roy, Academy award-winning actresses Loretta Young and Doris Day, Emmy award-winning actress Valerie Harper, Golden Globe winning actor Richard Chamberlain, Emmy award-winning journalist Larry King, Phyllis McGuire of the chart-topping McGuire sisters, Ian McDonald multi-instrumentalist English rocker for King Crimson and Foreigner, Elvira Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson), fashion designer to the stars Nolan Miller, the watch worn by Sean Penn in Shanghai Surprise then owned by Beatle George Harrison, and a watch worn by multiple characters in the television series "For All Mankind."
It also includes rare watches given by heads of state: A prototype 18K gold Buren Microrotor gifted by His Royal Majesty Ibn Saud, former King of Saudi Arabia; a Felsa given by former Libyan Colonel and Head of State Muammar Al Qathafi; a Longines given by Highness Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa former Prime Minister of the State of Bahrain; a Baume
Mercier gifted by the King of Jordan. All three watches are new-old-stock in presentation shadow box frames with photos.
Recently sold was a watch given a handful of years after the Civil War concluded by the Vice President Elect to honor an Army commander who went on to receive the Medal of Honor.
This is a significant, exciting, and constantly changing new collection you won't want to miss! Stay tuned over the coming weeks for photos of other special pieces from the collection!
Detailed Appraisal:
Manufacturer: Image Watches Inc. of California
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Model: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative
Designed for: Men
Case material: Gold-plated with stainless steel back
Year Made: c. 2010s
Functions: Hours, Minutes
Case condition: Excellent condition; we left it just as we acquired it which includes signs of wear and a bit of dirt.
Dimensions: 34mm diameter (excluding crown), by just over 40 mm lug-to-lug
Dial: White with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. crest and Latin motto, printed black and maroon details, gold hands, as new condition
Hands: Gold lance-style
Movement type: Quartz
Crown: Gold-tone fluted with black cabochon insert
Crystal: Glass, excellent condition
Band: Original, leather strap with signed buckle
Width between lugs: 18mm
Serviced: We have not cleaned or polished the watch or done anything to the outside of it - we left it just as it was last used by Mr. Bellafonte. On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery making it ready for immediate enjoyment.
Warranty: One-year international warranty on the movement and its function.
Your watch is important to us, and we will take care of it for its lifetime. We provide the best after sale care in the business with an extremely experienced team of four Master Watchmakers all of whom each have over thirty-five years of experience and a large number of parts. One used to be the watchmaker for an authorized Rolex dealership and was given training by Rolex at their Beverly Hills Service Center.
Box/Papers: BOX - Watch presentation box; PAPERS - Custom printed Certificate of Authenticity; New timing certificate
SKU 10281
- Case Material:
- Strap Material:Leather
- Case Shape:Round
- Movement:
- Case Dimensions:Height: 1.58 in (40 mm)Width: 1.34 in (34 mm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2010
- Condition:Its gold-tone case with steel back has hour markings engraved on the bezel. Its white dial proudly displays the commemorative seal. At 34 mm in diameter and 40 mm lug-to-lug, it offers classic proportions and a graceful wrist presence.
- Seller Location:Suwanee, GA
- Reference Number:Seller: 102811stDibs: LU4333227872722
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