Tony Blair's wife sold the watch, the range of which starts at ufffd300, for a mere ufffd98

Berlusconi's gift to Blair sold online by Cherie

Tony Blair's wife sold the watch, the range of which starts at ufffd300, for a mere ufffd98

Earlier this month, Mrs Blair sold the Locman Mare Titanium timepiece on eBay, the auction website, foru00a0 ufffd98 (Rs 7,200)u00a0 after advertising it as "unused in its original box with guarantee".

The wristwatch, which would have cost at least ufffd300 (Rs 22,700) when new, was thought to have been one of nine given to the Blairs by the famously generous Berlusconi that they decided to pay for when they left Downing Street three years ago.

Nor was the watch the only thing Cherie sold in recent months. Among the more bizarre items she offered was a piece of paper signed by her husband, which fetched ufffd10 (Rs 735) last week.

A spokesman for Cherie claimed she had not intended to profit from the autograph, saying she had advertised it to "undermine the market" in Blair signatures, because she was upset that people were selling them for up to ufffd35 (Rs 2,575). She claimed to have refunded the ufffd10 as soon as she had sold the signature.

The spokesman said he had "no knowledge" of the sale of the watch.

Since leaving Downing Street, Tony has been highly paid for speaking engagements, and as an adviser to foreign rulers and financial institutions.

But Cherie is still keen to get a bargain when it comes to furnishing the seven properties the family now own. According to her eBay account, she has snapped up crockery, cutlery and kitchenware at bargain prices.

Enthusiastic user

This month she bought six Mappin & Webb silver plate soup spoons, a 10-piece fish cutlery set 12 fruit knives, a Magimix food processor and digital bathroom scales at heavily discounted rates.

Cherie is known to have been an enthusiastic user of eBay for at least six years, and often uses it to buy Lego and other toys for the couple's youngest son, 10-year-old Leo.

Rs 4.5 lakh
The approximate amount Tony Blair makes per minute as a speaker

E-Bay Addiction?

Cherie Blair has been known in the past to love a bargain, famously shopping for 99p trinkets on eBay while her husband was Prime Minister.

And the 56-year-old caused quite a stir recently by selling a copy of her husband's autograph for ufffd10 on the website.

However far from needing the money, Cherie said she was trying to "make a point".

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