The watch Eric Clapton wore at the guitar festival was a Rolex!

Celebrity Watch Hunting is a series of columns showcasing the watches worn by celebrities around the world. This time, we'll be looking at the Rolex worn by singer Eric Clapton, who will celebrate his 60th anniversary since his debut in 2023 and will be performing in Japan for the 23rd time in April, at a guitar festival held in New York in 2013.

Eric Clapton, the famous guitarist

　Eric Clapton is a British musician, singer-songwriter, and has won 18 Grammy Awards, received a Brit Award for Lifetime Achievement, and been awarded the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace. He is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists of all time. He is also the only person to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, both as a solo artist and with rock bands The Yardbirds and Cream.

　The photo featured here was taken of Eric Clapton on Day 1 of the Crossroads Guitar Festival, held at Madison Square Garden in New York on April 12, 2013. The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a charity concert to support the Crossroads Center (a drug addiction treatment facility) established on the Caribbean island of Antigua. It brings together some of the world's most renowned guitarists, and is said to be a dream festival. It began under this name in 2004 and was held every three years until 2013, most recently in 2019.

　The participating artists are guitarists personally selected by Eric Clapton, the band's founder. Among the three greatest British rock guitarists (Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and the recently deceased Jeff Beck), Clapton and Beck are famous for appearing together on stage together. Clapton, the band's founder, has of course participated in every event, but Jeff Beck has also participated three times: in 2010, 2013, and 2019.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust

　Eric Clapton, a lover of cars and watches, has an extensive watch collection. One of the most talked-about items recently was a 1987 Patek Philippe platinum perpetual calendar watch he put up for auction, one of only two in the world. Eric Clapton is said to have acquired this watch in 2002, but the price he paid for it is unknown. This model first came up for auction in 1989, selling for approximately 20 million yen. Even taking into account the subsequent rise in the watch market, it's safe to say that its value has increased even more since it was in Eric Clapton's hands. The buyer, a private collector in Asia, reportedly paid approximately 285 million yen, so it's unlikely we'll ever see it again.

　While Eric Clapton owns an incredible collection, he is most often seen wearing a Rolex watch on a daily basis. He is also said to own an Oyster Perpetual Milgauss and an Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II. The Oyster Perpetual Datejust is believed to be the watch he wore at the 2013 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Its simple white dial and triple Oyster bracelet complement the Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster guitar. Fender's corporate mission is to enrich the world by providing valuable, legendary products to those who use music as a means of expression and bring joy to their lives. For Eric Clapton, guitars and the watches he wears every day are separate entities, but their approach to choosing things seems to share a common thread. Rolex watches, which have created so many legends, are likely trusted and chosen as everyday accessories for him.

A standout among classic Rolex watches

　The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust has undergone no major design changes since its early days, and is widely known as a watch that anyone can recognize at a glance. The model worn by Eric Clapton features a smooth bezel, allowing you to enjoy the way it reflects light. The simple hour markers are made of gold and boast high visibility.

　One of the distinctive features of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust's design is the Cyclops lens, which magnifies the date display by 2.5 times. Cyclops is the name of a one-eyed giant (Cyclops) from Greek mythology.

　The current model is equipped with the Caliber 3235 movement, but since this movement has only been installed in models manufactured since 2016, the watch worn by Eric Clapton is likely equipped with the Caliber 3135. The 31 series remains highly practical, boasting high precision conforming to Rolex chronometer standards (COSC chronometer or higher) and a calendar fast-forward mechanism that can be operated at any time of the day. While sports models have tended to attract attention in recent years, this is one model that continues to make a statement, incorporating all three of Rolex's greatest inventions (Oyster case, perpetual automatic winding, and Datejust).

The timeless charm of clocks and music

　The photo featured in this article was taken in 2013 when Eric Clapton released his album "Old Sock," a covers album that included two new songs at the time. The songs are based on folk, blues, and country, reflecting Eric Clapton's history. The watch he picked up from his watch collection at a time when he felt like returning to his roots is one that will never fade in any era. We can't wait to see what kind of watch he'll be wearing when he visits Japan in April 2023.