Today's offering showcases this deeply personal and historically resonant piece from our COT Celebrity Collection: A Bulova 96A102 Commemorative Hack wristwatch personally owned and worn by the legendary musician and co-founder of King Crimson and Foreigner, Ian McDonald, the pioneering musician whose work helped shape both progressive rock and arena rock.

Ian McDonald was a founding member of King Crimson, where his compositions and innovative use of Mellotron, woodwinds, and layered arrangements were central to the creation of In the Court of the Crimson King, an album that did not simply introduce a band, but helped define an entire genre and permanently expanded the vocabulary of rock music.

He later became a founding core member of Foreigner, contributing to one of the most commercially successful rock bands of all time and achieving something rare - shaping both the experimental edge and the global mainstream of modern rock. His career bridged artistic ambition and mass appeal while remaining personally understated and deeply respected within the industry.

Beyond his foundational role in King Crimson and his later global success with Foreigner, Ian McDonald’s lifetime achievements place him among the most respected and influential English musicians of his generation.

In the Court of the Crimson King is routinely cited on “greatest albums of all time” lists by major publications and is widely regarded as one of the most important albums in the history of progressive rock. Foreigner would go on to become one of the best-selling rock bands of all time, with multiple multi-platinum albums, global chart-topping singles, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - a legacy to which McDonald’s musicianship and songwriting directly contributed. Over the course of his career, his work has sold tens of millions of records worldwide, and his influence continues to be acknowledged by artists, critics, and historians as quietly foundational rather than merely fashionable.

This watch is not a commemorative object or stage accessory, but a personal wristwatch worn by McDonald - a practical object that quietly accompanied a life of composition, touring, recording, and creation later in life, representing the private, human side of a figure whose work is often experienced on a monumental scale.

This watch:

The watch itself is a Bulova 96A102 Commemorative Hack Watch that pays homage to the company's vintage military watches. Aesthetically it has the hallmarks of militlary-style wristwatches: a stainless steel case and a highly legible black dial designed for clarity and function. The dial features bold luminous Arabic numerals, a railroad minute track, and a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o’clock, paired with luminous syringe-style hands. The crown is signed by Bulova, and the stainless steel caseback is engraved with Bulova markings and water-resistance text.

It was very well loved by Mr. McDonald. It clearly saw much wrist time. It remains in overall good vintage condition with wear and also hairlines throughout the crystal. 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 many signs of wear and dirt.

On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery making it ready for enjoyment.

The original band worn by Mr. McDonald is no longer functional due to age and use, but it will be included with the watch for historical completeness. Please inquire if you would like the crystal polished.

For the finishing touch, we have equipped it with a new leather strap, making it ready for immediate enjoyment.

Included with the purchase is a one-year C.O.T. international warranty on the movement and its function and a full-page custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity. Also accompanying it is a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance from a well-known auction house.

Connoisseur of Time's 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!

To view the first few already up for sale follow this link: https://shop.connoisseuroftime.com/collections/our-celebrity-owned-historical-event-watches?page=1&sort_by=created-descending

Manufacturer: Bulova Watch Co.v
Country of origin: Switzerland
Functions: Hours, Minutes
Designed for: Men
Case material: Stainless steel 
Case markings (inside/outside): Stainless steel caseback engraved “Bulova” and “Water Resistant”; paperwork notes recorded numbers C860736 and 15895512
Case condition: Good condition; we left it just as we acquired it which includes signs of wear and dirt
Width without crown: Approximately 40 mm
Length lug-to-lug: Approximately 50 mm
Dial: Black with luminous Arabic numerals and railroad minute track, excellent condition
Hands: Luminous syringe-style
Movement type: Swiss quartz 
Lug width: Approximately 20 mm
Bands (2): Leather suede, handmade, made for and signed Nomos Glashutte, high quality, fully stitched, brand new and unworn. Also accompanying the watch is the no longer functional band that was Mr. McDonalds.
Serviced: On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery making it ready for enjoyment.
Warranty: One-year C.O.T. 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 - Connoisseur of Time box; PAPERS - Custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity; Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance from a well-known auction house
Returns: 7 days full refund. 100% satisfaction guarantee

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all of our watches. If you are in any way unsatisfied with the watch we will fully refund the purchase price anytime within 7 days after the watch has been received. Our goal is to exceed our client's expectations throughout the buying experience.

All watches are packaged carefully and mailed double boxed in specially constructed, reinforced shipping boxes designed for high value items. All watches are sent fully insured with signature required. Most of our domestic shipping is done through FedEx. At times we will also use USPS Express Mail, and we can accommodate most requests for your preferred carrier. International shipments are sent USPS International Express Mail or FedEx.

The purchase price will be the declared value of the merchandise on any required customs forms. The payment of all customs duties, tariffs, and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.

Also note that water resistance of vintage watches can no longer be guaranteed and is not covered under the watch's warranty. We do not recommend getting a vintage watch wet, even one that was originally designed to be waterproof.

To get an idea of how this watch will look on the wrist, please use the Watch Sizing Guide

X