Rare Dali brooch fetches £96,000 at Donnington auction

The three-inch piece – called ‘The Eye of Time’ with a small gold and blue enamel watch surrounded by platinum and diamonds – was originally expected to make £8,000 to £12,000 when it went on sale at Dreweatts.
It was snapped up by a private watch collector in the US.
International director of jewellery, silver and watches at Dreweatts, James Nicholson, ranked it as one of his favourite items of all time.
“It went up to £45,000 in the blink of an eye and from there it just kept on rising, it was remarkable,” he said. “The atmosphere was fantastic and people were frantically bidding from 12 telephone lines, the internet and from the room.
“Occasionally, perhaps once a year, you get a key piece that captures people’s imaginations and it’s very hard to value. We had interest in this country and throughout Europe, the Middle East and the US. It certainly ranks right up there with the best items I’ve sold. It is a stunning piece and a truly iconic image that has appeared in several of Dali’s artistic works.”
It is believed that the one for sale was bought by an Italian man in the 1950s and it has been passed down through his family ever since. The original was made by New York jewellers Alemany & Ertman in 1949, as a gift for Dali’s wife, and is currently on display at Dalí Theatre-Museum, Figueres, Spain.