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Elvis and his Obsession with Gold

written by A.Morgan - 13th Jul 2011

A legend of Greek Mythology, King Midas was granted the wish to turn anything he touched into gold by the satyr, Silenus. Although he learnt his lesson when all his food and drink and even his daughter was turned to gold, this didn’t stop Elvis from constantly satiating his thirst for the luxurious precious metal.

Throughout the course of his very illustrious career Elvis demonstrated his wealth through the prolific use of gold on the most unusual of items. His famous gold suit was made of Lamé, a fabric that is woven with thin ribbons of metal. Once a favourite of science fiction shows, the material is usual silver in colour and woven with cheap metals. Elvis’ suit was woven from actual gold, and is rumoured to have cost $10,000 in 1957, the equivalent of $80,000 now.

The Rolex King Midas 9630 as given to Elvis

Designed by Nudie Cohn (the first tailor to use rhinestones on clothing), the original suit consisted of shirt, tie, jacket, trousers and even shoes – all in bright, shining gold. Elvis wore it in many of his gigs through 1957, and now it remains on display at his Memphis home, Graceland.

If that wasn’t lavish enough, Elvis spread his love of gold to the road, having a 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible commissioned that was painted with forty coats of genuine gold paint. Built by Kustom King George Barris, whose list of creations include Herbie, General Lee, the A-Team van, and the Ghostbuster’s ambulance, everything was custom finished in gold. All the parts that were normally finished in chrome, the steering wheel, pedals, bumpers, etcetera, were gold. The interior upholstery was gold. Three gold records were built into the tonneau cover. It even has gold guitar-shaped sun visors.

The King also had a penchant for watches, and owned a large amount during his lifetime. Obviously, they were gold watches, but that didn’t stop them being intriguing pieces in their own right. Amongst the Hamiltons, Omegas, Longines and Rolexes, one watch in particular stands out as being particularly special, and close to Elvis’ heart. Given to him after six days straight of sell out performances at the Houston Astrodome Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1970, the Rolex King Midas 9630 is a limited edition of just a thousand watches, his being number 343.

This ultra-rare watch, first released in 1964, is hewn from solid 18 carat white or yellow gold; in fact the only parts to be made of anything but are the crystal and movement. The integrated bracelet was engineered not to have any visible hinges, including on the adjustable clasp, each link having the appearance of a thick bar of gold. The flat, angular case design and clear dial made it a contemporary masterpiece that still looks modern today. It was both the heaviest gold watch and the most expensive watch that Rolex produced at the time, and came packaged in a unique black and red ancient Greek-styled urn, lined with red suede. Elvis’ example was inscribed with, ‘To Elvis Presley from the Houston Livestock Show Officers 1970,’ on the case back.

The mug shot taken of Elvis for his induction into the US Department of Justice

Every detail has been considered, and that’s what makes this watch so special. Even the crown’s serrated edges are curved to give the appearance of the sun. The watch is often confused for the later Rolex Cellini Midas, but it is just inscribed as King Midas, both on the side of the case and the clasp. The word Midas also features on the dial in the traditional Greek language as ΜΙΔΑΣ.

Elvis’ love for gold extended to his custom made TCB (Taking Care of Business) sunglasses, made by Neostyle of West Germany, and even to the point where he asked the then President of the United States, Richard Nixon, to make him a Federal Agent so he could add the standard issue gold badge to his collection. Starting merely as a bet between friends, Elvis wanted to see if his influence was powerful enough for him to turn up at the White House and see the President without invitation. He scrawled a letter on the airline’s headed paper on the flight over, and handed it in to a very surprised White House receptionist. The President granted him his wish.

There is no denying Elvis’ status and the lasting impression he left on people. His style and his tastes were all out of this world, making him a hugely popular and interesting character. It’s a shame that his excesses caught up with him in the end, but his legacy is one that can continue to be enjoyed for a long time to come.