Kobe Bryant designed and signed Hublot watch hits the auction block

[NEW YORK] A Hublot watch designed and signed by basketball great Kobe Bryant is hitting the auction block, along with a sneaker and digital art, a package the seller values at US$10 million.

The timepiece is a limited edition 18K rose gold King Power 'Black Mamba' Tourbillon that Bryant designed as the brand's ambassador in 2013, according to luxury asset advisory firm GDGC Enterprises LLC, which is hosting the sale.

Only 250 watches were made and only three in rose gold, the firm said. Nicknamed the Black Mamba, Bryant's signature appears on the back of the watch.

The shoe is a purple Nike Zoom 8 sneaker that was inspired by the legendary basketball player, who died in 2020 at age 41 in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and all seven others on board.

The digital art is a photo of the watch and shoe by New York City artist Moshé Douglas that will be sold as a non-fungible token, or NFT.

The package is valued at a minimum of US$10 million, according to GDGC Enterprises. The firm will donate US$50,000 of the proceeds to the Greater Los Angeles Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"That's going to help us probably grant an additional five wishes this year, which is so important with looking a t the last year and how hard fundraising has been in our current environment with the pandemic," said Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles President and CEO Mike Kallhoff.

Kobe, an 18-time National Basketball Association all-star, is crediting with granting more than 200 wishes.

The auction will run from Sept 20 to 24 through the WISe.Art digital marketplace.

REUTERS