Tyred of traditional jewellery
The first in a limited series of bracelets made from the tyre of Michael Schumacher’s 1996 Monza F1 GP-winning Ferrari is going up for auction – with a guide price of £15,000 to £18,000.
Created by Monegasque company Mongrip, which specialises in turning pieces of genuine top-level motorsport relics into fashion accessories, No.1 of the MZ96 “Legend Limited Edition” series is being auctioned by Bonhams, with the sale due to conclude on November 30.
The tyre-derived bracelet was made as part of a collaboration between Mongrip and the charitable Keep Fighting Foundation, set up in 2016 by Michael’s family in the wake of his serious skiing accident in 2013.
A unique idea
Mongrip was founded by Italian businessman Giancarlo Medici, also in 2016, following on from an idea he had at the end of an F1 Grand Prix in 2008.
There, Medici noticed that numerous spectators were heading onto the track to collect bits of used rubber lying on the circuit, as a memento of the race.
His company Mongrip takes the idea further and creates wearable memorabilia out of genuine bits of motorsport history.
It has already created one Legend Limited Edition series of bracelets in 2019, dedicated to the late, great Ayrton Senna, with the items made from one of the Brazilian’s tyres used at the famous 1993 Donington GP.
This time, it’s Michael who is honoured with the MZ96 series. Mongrip asked the Keep Fighting Foundation to source an item that could be turned into a bracelet, and the charity came up with a left-rear Goodyear Eagle slick used on Schumacher’s race-winning F310 from the 1996 Monza GP – hence the “MZ96” name of the series.
It was the first time Schumacher won at the Italian track in front of Ferrari’s fervent home fans, sending the 120,000 tifosi in the crowds into raptures. Ferrari had not been victorious at the track previously since 1988.
Almost £7,000 apiece
Just 91 of these bracelets will be sold at a cost of €8,000 excluding taxes apiece (around £6,935 at the time of writing). They are not only made of a piece of the fabled tyre from that race, but also feature a 20.91-gram clasp of highest grade 950 platinum, which is studded with seven diamonds totalling 0.27ct.
These numbers were chosen because Michael won 91 Grands Prix in his illustrious F1 career, while he was also world drivers’ champion seven times.
But while the remaining 90 bracelets in the MZ96 series will go on sale from December 7 onwards, mainly direct from Mongrip itself, No.1 is currently under the hammer with a guide of £15,000-£18,000.
At the time of writing, bidding had already surpassed the estimate and will likely rise further as the auction nears its end.
‘We must always believe in our dreams’
The winning bidder will receive a wearable piece of true motorsport history, which will come with a certificate of authenticity and images related to the tyre used during the race. An NFT (non-fungible token) card will also be included, so that the bracelet’s eventual owner can obtain a digital certificate of authenticity via blockchain.
Following the end of the auction, Mongrip will resize the No.1 MZ96 bracelet according to the successful bidder’s requirements.
Giancarlo Medici, the CEO of Mongrip, said: “In addition to contributing to projects with which we identify, the collaboration with Keep Fighting Foundation aims to share a relic of an incredible sporting and human history so that nothing can be forgotten, just as we must always believe in our dreams and not giving up.”
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Keyword: Bracelet made from an old F1 tyre used by Michael Schumacher could fetch upwards of £20,000