Gina Lollobrigida's watch from Fidel Castro auctioned for €18,850

The opening auction of select possessions of the Italian film star Gina Lollobrigida, who died in January 2023, has generated proceeds in the six-figure range.

The wristwatch that Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro once gave to Lollobrigida went under the hammer for €18,850 ($20,463), the auction house Wannenes said in the north-western Italian city of Genoa on Wednesday.

A lavishly decorated Sicilian wooden cabinet inlaid with coral and tortoiseshell went for €118,250, while a gold ring with an emerald and diamonds made €9,475.

More than 700 items - including furniture, works of art and personal memorabilia - were offered at the two-day auction in Genoa. Castro's Seiko Quartz watch was auctioned off on Tuesday, with the auction set to continue on Wednesday. It is unclear exactly what will happen to the proceeds.

According to media reports, the Italian actress left behind debts. Her estate is to be divided between the two quarrelling heirs, Lollobrigida's son Milko Skofic and her long-time assistant and companion, Andrea Piazzolla.

The Italian was one of the most famous film stars in the world for decades. Her most important works include "Trapeze," "Solomon and Sheba," and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."