Celebrity gold watch to be auctioned

Celebrity-designed watches are to be auctioned for charity on June 12th, according to fibre2fashion.com.

The business-to-business portal for the textile and fashion industry reported that, as part of the Time for Change collection from Ernst Benz, Mary J Blige, Russell Simmons and Eric Bane have each created designer timepieces.

American musician Mary J Blige's design features an 18-karat rose gold bezel that will be encrusted with a double row of two-carat diamonds. As the most expensive watch, the recommended retail price is $19,500 (£10,000), but bidding will start at 99 cents, according to eBay.

Eric Dane's design is estimated at $7,500 and Russell Simmons' at $5,500.

The limited collection of 24 watches per designer has been created in support of Chrysalis, a not-for-profit organisation that tackles poverty and homelessness in the US.

One watch each will go to auction on eBay and the rest will be sold only by Saks in New York, according to the National Jeweler Network.