A British collectibles dealer is selling a watch owned by one of The Quarrymen, the band that became The Beatles.
The watch is notable in its own right, a luxurious and innovative Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, designed to survive polo matches and look good at the ball after the game.
This example is a 1994 model, a Reverso Grande Taille Duoface ‘Day & Night’, Ref. 270.2.54.
Sellers Paul Fraser Collectibles describe it as “a masterpiece of Art Deco design and precision engineering.”
But beyond the beautiful case, unique functionality, multiple timezones and double face is an extraordinary story that links the watch to the most famous moment in modern British pop history.
This watch was worn by John “Duff” Lowe. Perhaps not a household name now, Lowe was in a school band.
A distinguished and unusual watch that’s linked to one of the most important moments in modern cultural history. Image courtesy of Paul Fraser Collectibles.
With John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney.
As a Quarryman Lowe was witness to history, and played on perhaps the most valuable recording ever made.
Duff was mates with Pal McCartney. And shared his passion for music. And he could bash out a tune on piano. His rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis’s Mean Woman Blues was good enough to get him a spot in the Quarrymen.
He played with them for about a year, adding keys whenever a piano was available at a gig.
He saw a group of friends becoming a band and start to evolve a sound that would conquer the world.
Percy Phillips recorded a bunch of five teenagers, who paid 3s 6d each for the privilege, and made history.
Duff recalled: “John let George in about the same time as I joined. Skiffle was really falling apart. Len Garry had left too, so the tea-chest bass and the washboard were gone. All we were left with was Colin the drummer, John, Paul, George, and me. So it was definitely no longer a skiffle band, it was definitely country and rock then.”
And it was a two-track single the band paid to record in Kensington Liverpool that became the most sought after record in the world.
Duff was there on July 14, 1958 to play on That’ll Be the Day by Buddy Holly, one of John Lennon’s formative influences in particular. And an early original, In Spite of All the Danger, credited to McCartney/Harrison, a unique pairing in Beatle history.
This wasn’t Abbey Road. it was a terraced house in Kenny. The record was a single acetate that the band passed around between them, marvelling that they’d made a disc like their rock and roll heroes.
Duff hung on to the disc, which became a legend among Beatle fans, the subject of long-standing ads offering untold sums for what most collectors recognise as the most valuable, elusive piece in all of record collecting.
Lowe did decide to sell the record finally. And, in 1981 his old band mate, Paul McCartney stepped in a bought it.
Maybe Duff used some of the money he got from his former bandmate to get this lovely timepiece. Image courtesy of Paul Fraser Collectibles.
Paul Fraser, Chairman of Paul Fraser Collectibles says: “That original acetate is now regarded as “the most valuable record in existence”. It will always be the ‘Holy Grail’ of Beatles records – and John Lowe will always be a major part of its story.
“If you want to own a luxury watch with a story to tell, this is it.”
“Unique items with a strong connection to The Beatles will always be sought after. John ‘Duff’ Lowe was there at the very beginning.
“He played with John, Paul and George just as their talents started to shine.
“And his piano chords will echo through time, on the crackly recording that changed music history forever.”
The Quarrymen watch is for sale now at Paul Fraser Collectibles.
