Today November 8, 2024, at the Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999 Auction by Phillips Watches in Geneva, Switzerland an F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain à Remontoire d’Egalité sold for CHF 7,320,000 Swiss Francs —approximately USD 8.3 million— setting a new world record for any F.P. Journe watch ever sold at auction.
Posts filed under Watch Auctions
Introducing: Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XP 'TimeForArt' 2024. A Masterpiece with Straw Marquetry Dial.
Along with another 24 watch brands, Chopard showcases the full extent of its artistic genius through a one-of-a-kind timepiece. The new Alpine Eagle 41 XP for TimeForArt 2024 combines the pure lines of an iconic creation from the Maison with a dial featuring an exceptional Artistic craft perfected by the in-house workshops: straw marquetry.
Breaking News: Christie's To Sell Special Watches from Racing Legend Michael Schumacher in The Rare Watches Auction May 2024
Offered in Geneva this May 13, 2024, as part of ‘The Rare Watches Live Auction’, Christie's will sell some of the most special watches in the collection of Racing Legend Michael Schumacher. Marking the 30th anniversary of Michael Schumacher’s first Formula 1 Drivers Championship win in 1994, Christie’s is delighted to present selected timepieces from the private collection of one of the most successful drivers in F1 history.
News: Christie's Opening Night for The 'Goodbye Peachtree Road' Collection of Sir Elton John Sells $8 Million Dollars
The 'Goodbye Peachtree Road' Collection of Sir Elton John sold USD 8 Million on its opening night with outstanding results for the three wristwatches featured in the sale including a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Leopard Dial ref. 116598SACO Case No. K591067, Circa 2001 —with diamonds and orange sapphires— which sold for USD 176,400 against its low estimate of USD 40,000, setting a new world auction record for the model.
News: Phillips Watches Geneva Watch Auction XVIII Brings in $43 Million Dollars
This weekend November 3 and 4, 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo brought in CHF39,055,706 —$43,074,538 USD— in The Geneva Watch Auction: XVIII, doubling the pre-sale low estimate of CHF 19 million. The auction, held on Friday, November 3, and Saturday, November 4, saw watch aficionados participating from across 66 countries. The atmosphere in the saleroom at La Réserve Hotel was electric and brimming with enthusiasm, as over 650 collectors attended in person and over 1,500 bidders competed online on Phillips.com, ultimately securing half of the lots offered.
Introducing: H. Moser & Cie. X MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium for ONLY Watch
Baptized the H. Moser X MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium, it features a minute repeater complication led by a miniature DJing panda, a creature that has become the signature of the ONLY Watch creations by MB&F. Maximilian Büsser and Edouard Meylan have collaborated for a second time for the ONLY Watch charity auction organized to raise funds for the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy, co-creating an exceptional one-off piece dedicated to music.
Introducing: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3 'ONLY Watch'. The Real Sleeper at this Auction.
Under the high patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the ONLY Watch auction has been raising funds for the research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Created in 2005 by Luc Pettavino —whose son Paul suffers from this terrible disease— auctioning one-off timepieces, this initiative has become a very awaited biennial rendezvous in the horology calendar for both brands and collectors.
Introducing: Frederique Constant X Christian van der Klaauw Tourbillon Planétarium for ONLY Watch Auction
A friendship spanning 25 years, human endeavor, the summit of high-flying watchmaking expertise, and an unprecedented blend of talents have all come together in the Frederique Constant X Christiaan van der Klaauw Tourbillon Planétarium for ONLY Watch 2023 for the charity timepiece auction. This single piece features a Frederique Constant tourbillon and the brand’s remarkable manual finishings alongside Christiaan van der Klaauw’s planetarium —the smallest in the world and the first ever produced for a wristwatch.
From the Editor: The Omega Speedmaster Broadarrow that Sold for 3.1 Million Swiss Francs at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XIV is a 'Frankenwatch'
Back in November 2021, an Omega Speedmaster ‘Broadarrow’ ref. 2915-1 from 1957 broke all records for a Speedmaster sold at any watch auction. This particular watch, Lot 53 at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XIV sold for CHF 3.1 Million Swiss Francs. A few days ago, it has been confirmed by Omega, that the watch in question is a ‘frankenwatch’ that was put together with parts that are authentic, non-authentic, correct for the time period, and incorrect for the time period, to represent the watch in a way that it would sell for such a high price. I mean the original estimate was between CHF 80,000 and CHF 120,000 Swiss Francs.
Watch Auctions: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph 'Hampton Court Edition' to be Auctioned by Phillips. Benefiting The Prince’s Trust Charity.
At the Concours of Elegance 2022, A. Lange & Söhne will present a one-of-a-kind version of the 1815 Chronograph that will be auctioned off in Geneva by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo on November 6, 2022. The proceeds of the unique timepiece, featuring a solid-silver dial and a hand-engraved hinged cuvette, will go to The Prince’s Trust, a youth charity set up by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Breaking News: Gérald Genta's Personal Royal Oak Sells in Excess of $2.1 Million USD at Sotheby's
Today May 10th, 2022 Gérald Genta’s very own Royal Oak broke the record set by the Royal Oak ref. 5402 with case No. 2, that sold for CHF 1,058,500 —approx $1,060,000 USD— at the Phillips Royal Oak 50th Sale this past weekend . Genta’s very own Royal Oak ref. 5402ST, a C-series stainless steel watch with an 18K yellow gold bezel bearing case number 1556 hammered at CHF 2,107,000 Swiss Francs —approx $2,170,000 USD— at the Sotheby’s Important Watches Auction in Geneva.
From the Editor: Phillips Royal Oak 50th Sale Results. Here are the Top Lots and My Opinion.
Not sure what to think anymore about the watch market and the results of the watch auctions. I’ve been trying to understand what’s going on for several years now and the results from auctions are always very surprising but not necessary the best indicator of what’s going on. While I see trends after reviewing the results of the auctions, I also see some inconsistencies where is hard for me to understand why certain time/date watches would fetch more than Grand Complications.
From the Editor: The Phillips Royal Oak 50th Auction Taking Place Tomorrow. My Thoughts.
I was lucky to be the first journalist to peruse in person and photograph the majority of the lots part of the Phillips Watches Royal Oak 50th auction at the end of March. You can see all my pictures here. Tomorrow May 6th, the Royal Oak 50th auctionwill take place at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, Switzerland. I think that not only this auction will continue to bring attention to the Royal Oak for years to come, but it will also establish some interesting world records for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
From the Editor: The Incredible AP Royal Oaks I Just Saw at the Phillips Royal Oak 50th Auction
This past Wednesday, March 23, 2022, I went to New York City to peruse and photograph the Royal Oaks that are part of the Phillips Watches Royal Oak 50th auction that will take place at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, Switzerland on May 6, 2022. This sale will feature several historically important watches including case No. 2 of the original Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ reference 5402ST as well as Karl Lagerfeld’s PVD coated Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ ref. 5402ST.
Watch Auctions: Phillips 'The Royal Oak 50th Auction'. Sale Includes a 5402 'A-series' Case No. 2 and 25th Anniversary Tourbillon ref. 25831ST Case No. 1.
Phillips will host a sale especially dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak which will take place at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, Switzerland on May 6, 2022. This sale will feature several historically important watches including case No. 2 of the original Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ reference 5402ST. This is the earliest example known to come to the watch auction market. The highlights also include case No.1 of the 25th anniversary Royal Oak Automatique Tourbillon and Karl Lagerfeld’s PVD coated Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ ref. 5402ST.
Watch Auctions: Gérald Genta's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Original Prototype Drawing Sells for $610,000 USD
Today, the Gérald Genta: Icon of Time Sale in Geneva came to an end, and the original prototype design by Genta of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak from 1972 with accompanying NFT—Lot 1— sold for CHF 564,500 Swiss Francs plus buyer’s fees —approximately $610,000 USD. Wonder who the lucky winner was. Our guess is that it was probably Audemars Piguet directly. We will investigate and try to get you more details.
News: Bonhams to Auction Sir Michael Caine's Personal Watch Collection
The personal watch collection of Sir Michael Caine and Lady Shakira Caine will be offered for sale at Bonhams in London on March 2, 2022 as part of the Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection Sale. Along with the watches a collection of three black and white photographs of them from the 1970s will be also offered as part of the sale. Among the watches in the collection four pieces stand out including Sir Michael’s 18K gold Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date reference 19018 which he has owned since 1979 and which appears in several films, most famously in ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.’
Watch Auctions: Bid on Gérald Genta's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Original Prototype Drawing Already at CHF 40,000
At the end of December 2021 we brought you the news that Gerald Genta’s very own Royal Oak would be offered for sale at Sotheby’s through three dedicated ‘Gérald Genta: Icon of Time’ auctions starting February 2022. Along with his very own Royal Oak, approximately 30 original Royal Oak design drawings will be offered in each of the sales.
From the Editor: Patek Nautilus 5711 Tiffany 170th Anniversary Sells for $6.5 Million USD. My Honest Thoughts.
Well, today December 11th, 2021 in New York City, this new Patek Nautilus Tiffany 170th Anniversary ref. 5711/1A-018 just sold for $6.5 million USD at Phillips. The world of watch collecting has finally just lost its sanity. I can only think that some of the reasons behind these prices in the watch market have to do with money-laundering schemes, tax write-offs through charitable contributions, using watches as money instruments to transport funds between countries without the need to report them and/or some people who made so much money through crypto-currencies that simply don’t care anymore and would pay anything to have what they want.
News: Phillips Watches Sells $30 Million USD at Their Hong Kong Auction XIII
Phillips continues to break watch auction records and set new benchmarks for watches sold at auction. Following their very impressive sale in Geneva which achieved the highest ever sale total for a watch auction in history, Phillips realized over HK$231 million/ $30 million USD at their Hong Kong Watch Auction XIII. Selling for more than 43% of its pre-sale high estimate…
