Today's offering showcases this uniquely meaningful from our COT Celebrity Collection: A prototype MR Melissa Rivers wristwatch created by Melissa Rivers and gifted to her mother, the legendary comedian and television icon Joan Rivers. Coming from Joan Rivers’ estate, this watch represents a personal gesture and has ownership by both Melissa and her mom.

Joan Rivers was one of the most consequential figures in American entertainment. A trailblazing stand-up comedian, Emmy Award–winning television host, best-selling author, and relentless cultural commentator, she reshaped comedy by refusing to temper her voice or ambition. From her early breakthroughs on The Tonight Show through decades of stand-up, television, books, and live performance, Rivers sustained a career that spanned more than fifty years - an achievement nearly without parallel.

In the later phase of her career, Joan Rivers experienced a second cultural peak through fashion commentary and red-carpet television, often appearing publicly alongside her daughter Melissa Rivers. Together, they formed one of entertainment’s most recognizable mother–daughter duos, hosting red carpets, moderating panels, and appearing jointly in fashion and media coverage. Their on-camera dynamic - affectionate, sharp, and unscripted - offered audiences a rare glimpse into a genuine working family relationship at the center of pop culture.

This watch belongs squarely within that context.

Melissa is also the author of Red Carpet Ready: Secrets for Making the Most of Any Event You Attend, a candid guide drawn from decades navigating Hollywood’s most visible stages. Following the passing of her mother, Melissa Rivers assumed stewardship of one of the most influential legacies in American comedy, serving as executive producer on Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work and Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute, both praised for their restraint, honesty, and emotional intelligence.

This watch:

Signed simply “MR” on the dial, the watch showcases a Melissa Rivers watch creation. The brushed silver dial, applied dot hour markers, single Roman numeral at twelve, and elegant hands reflect clarity and a fashionable design. The domed sterling silver case with stainless steel back gives the watch a jewelry-forward presence, reinforcing its role as a personal object rather than a utilitarian accessory.

It shows minimal evidence of wear, consistent with careful preservation rather than regular use. It has one scratch on the back. The original sticker is still in place. We have not done anything to the outside of it - we left it just as we acquired it.

On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery 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

Brand: Melissa Rivers / The Sterling Connection
Country of origin: United States
Functions: Hours, Minutes
Designed for: Ladies
Case material: Sterling silver with stainless steel back
Case condition: It shows minimal evidence of wear, consistent with careful preservation rather than regular use. It has one scratch on the back. The original sticker is still in place. We have not done anything to the outside of it - we left it just as we acquired it.
Case style: Round high domed case fashion watch
Width without crown: 26 mm
Length lug-to-lug: 23 mm
Dial: Brushed silver dial with applied markers, signed MR
Hands: Steel
Movement type: Quartz
Band: Leather
Servicing: On the inside, one of our Master Watchmakers has installed a new battery making it ready for immediate 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

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