A watch worn by Pope Francis was sold Wednesday at a charity auction and set a new world record for the brand.
The LaViolette Scholarship Foundation auctioned off a Swatch Once Again watch on Nov 30 that Francis had worn for much of his pontificate.
The watch, which can be found at the brand’s official store for $55, was finally sold for $56,250 — more than 1,000 times its retail value — making it the Swatch watch for which the most money has ever been paid.
Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, sent a letter to the Holy Father in May telling him about the life of Brian LaViolette, a teenage watch collector who died at the age of 15 in a swimming accident.