Christie's previews Michael Schumacher watches going up for auction

ZURICH : Auction house Christie's held a preview event in Geneva on Thursday ahead of its sale of eight watches belonging to the decorated Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher on Monday.

The collection, which include timepieces by the watchmakers Rolex, F.P. Journe and Audemars Piguet, have been put up for sale by the family of Schumacher, who in 2013 suffered a severe head injury in a fall while skiing off-piste.

Two of the watches were custom made for Schumacher and given to him as Christmas presents in 2003 and 2004 by his Ferrari team principal Jean Todt.

One of these, an F.P. Journe with references to the former Ferrari pilot's seven Formula 1 driver's championships, is estimated to bring up to 2 million Swiss francs ($2.21 million) when it next week goes under the hammer.

($1 = 0.9066 Swiss francs)