WSOP wristwatches instead of bracelets - has that bird flown?
Reading about the 1982 WSOP Main Event yesterday, I noticed that there was a time in the '80s when WSOP winners received watches rather than bracelets but the idea died a death when the players intimated that they preferred the bracelets.
Do you think that would still be the feeling today?
I appreciate the cost of providing a high-end timepiece for every WSOP champion would be prohibitive, so let's just say it's for the Main Event only.
You're bearing down on the final table when one of the organisers tells you that there's no bracelet for the winner this year, just an Audemars Piguet timepiece featuring white gold, sapphire crystal, tasteful WSOP branding, and the winner's achievement engraved on the caseback. RRP $50k.
Do you feel cheated?
22 Replies
Well, considering the 2023 main event bracelet was valued at 500k. Yes, yes I do feel cheated.
Although I don't wear watches, if they made an immaculate one that was comparable in value it would certainly be more practical.
It would mess up those bracelet bets
Wow, I asked Alexa about the bracelet value and it came up with a much lower price. I suspect Audemars Piguet would have no problem coming up with something equivalent, though!
Ya but you said 50k.
Can't change it now.
The Triton Jacob's watches MOG WSOP bracelets so hard
The prize in these events is meant to be mounted and displayed, not worn, especially given their value and the risk of getting robbed. It would look weird to have a selection of watches displayed on your wall (or just one watch) but a bracelet looks fine.
I dunno. Just for example, say Rolex (I dont know a ton of watch brands so let's go with the most famous luxury brand) decided to sponsor the WSOP and made watches for tournament winners. I wouldn't mind having a bunch of luxury time pieces framed up or what have you in my house.
And if you did decide you wanted to wear one, it wouldn't look ridiculous.
I would rather just have a bracelet. I can tell the time on my phone.
When I was in Reno for this year's Spring Poker Palooza at the Peppermill, I spoke at some length with a woman who had won the 1990 WSOP Ladies' 7-Card Stud event. She was in fact *wearing* her bracelet, which was small, discreet, and (I thought) quite handsome; just a gold bracelet with a plaque with her name on it.
Modern WSOP bracelets are gawdawful ugly, and no one with a lick of taste or fashion sense would wear one in public. Moreover, they are fragile. Appartently, when Steve Albini won his, he was passing it around to his friends from his rail, and it fell apart.
I think that a "bracelet" being a decent-quality watch would be pretty cool. (But I probably wouldn't wear it regularly; I wear a beater watch on a cloth NATO strap.)
I never wear watches because I agree with this-theyre essentially a piece of jewelry and I only like necklaces.
However, what's the difference in your mind between a bracelet (also a piece of jewelry, a feminine piece) and a watch? If they're meant to go on display, a bunch of different types of watches would be pretty cool imo
I would only like it if it was a holy trinity watch. I cannot stand gaudy disgusting watches like Jacob & Co., Richard Mille, or even worse, H*blot
When I was in Reno for this year's Spring Poker Palooza at the Peppermill, I spoke at some length with a woman who had won the 1990 WSOP Ladies' 7-Card Stud event. She was in fact *wearing* her bracelet, which was small, discreet, and (I thought) quite handsome; just a gold bracelet with a plaque with her name on it.
Marie’s wiki page refers to her in the past tense, so it’s good to hear she’s alive & well.
Hellmuth claims to have given away all his bracelets. Ivey’s are probably in some box it would take him awhile to find the key for.
Sklansky won two events in 1982 and says in Grifters he still has both watches and thinks he could get $25K each for them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the pair would go for a lot more than $50K as a set at auction. It certainly would be a one of a kind piece of gambling/poker/Vegas history.
A watch would be cool because you could actually wear it and not just throw it in a box.
Hellmuth claims to have given away all his bracelets. Ivey’s are probably in some box it would take him awhile to find the key for.Sklansky won two events in 1982 and says in Grifters he still has both watches and thinks he could get $25K each for them.I wouldn’t be surprised if the pair would go for a lot more than $50K as a set at auction. It certainly would be a
Hes crazy. I highly doubt he gets 25k for a 1982 side event bracelet.
Well, considering the 2023 main event bracelet was valued at 500k. Yes, yes I do feel cheated.
Although I don't wear watches, if they made an immaculate one that was comparable in value it would certainly be more practical.
how would a bracelet be 500k? Gtfoh. A lot of bracelet events 1st place are significantly lower than that. I also just dont see anyone being gung-ho about poker enough to pay 500k for a bracelet. If its actual gold thats maybe 10k of gold at spot rate?
Hellmuth claims to have given away all his bracelets. Ivey’s are probably in some box it would take him awhile to find the key for.Sklansky won two events in 1982 and says in Grifters he still has both watches and thinks he could get $25K each for them.I wouldn’t be surprised if the pair would go for a lot more than $50K as a set at auction. It certainly would be a one of a kin
I never would have imagined Hellmuth would give them away. Id think thered be some shrine with how much importance he puts on them
how would a bracelet be 500k? Gtfoh. A lot of bracelet events 1st place are significantly lower than that. I also just dont see anyone being gung-ho about poker enough to pay 500k for a bracelet. If its actual gold thats maybe 10k of gold at spot rate?
I don't know where the $500k came from, but the main event bracelet has been pretty substantial some years, coming encrusted with a bunch of jewels. Also since there's only one each year it seems that the rarity/exclusivity would add to the value. 500k does sound like a lot though, when you could get a diamond-encrusted rolex for probably 20-50k.
Most of the other bracelets are pretty simple and likely have limited value.
For what it's worth an iced-out WSOP Rolex does sound pretty awesome. I would like it personally, but it's sort of off-brand at this point. Bracelets are WSOP's thing. WPT usually hands out a Hublot watch.
They already have those. They let you put a quarter in the ring vending machine if you win a circuit event.
A dozen were given out. Billy Baxter and I own two each. Terry King has part of the watch Chip Reese won. The others are unaccounted for but there are no more than seven others. Mine were for two events no longer offered. Draw Poker High and Mixed Doubles. These are unusual solid gold Baume Mercier watches that open like an old time pocket watch. Since I have no young heirs, I would probably take 20K for each.
