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Results for Newman's Daytona at Phillips, October 2017

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Newman's Daytona at Phillips, October 2017 Rolex

26 October 2017: Paul Newman\'s personal Rolex Daytona 6239 sold for USD 17,752,500 at Phillips New York. World record at the time and the inflection event for the 2017-22 vintage market boom.

The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award? Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than May 7, 2024

The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award?

After Omega introduced several Speedmasters not aimed at Moonwatch enthusiasts (e.g. the Speedmaster Super Racing with Spirate technology and the updated Speedmaster Apollo 8), the white-dial Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch finally came out on March 5th, 2024. I use the word “finally” because Omega had already shown it in October 2023 on the wrist of former […] Visit The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award? to read the full article.

First Look - The New Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ277 “Sekkei” Monochrome
Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ277 Apr 19, 2024

First Look - The New Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ277 “Sekkei”

Since its independence from mother brand Seiko in 2017, Grand Seiko has left its imprint outside Japan with its continuous stream of excellent watches. Impressively built, finished and powered, some of the most popular models are those with nature-themed dials. Unveiled by Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonders 2024, the new Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ277 […]

Hands On: The Longines Conquest Chronograph 42 mm SJX Watches
Longines Conquest Chronograph 42 mm Mar 15, 2024

Hands On: The Longines Conquest Chronograph 42 mm

Longines facelifted the Conquest Chronograph last year, giving it more vintage flavour while retaining the sporty style of its predecessor and also the slightly-too-big case. The new look is reminiscent of a more famous sports chronograph, but compared to its predecessor, the new Conquest is more coherent. Initial thoughts At a distance, the Conquest Chronograph bears a striking resemblance to the modern Rolex Daytona, which is unsurprising given the commercial success of the Cosmograph (hence Zenith’s Chronomaster Sport as well). But in the hand it is clearly a larger, chunkier watch than its famous rival, and upon closer inspection, the dial design is also distinct with several interesting details. The previous Conquest tried to be different and ended up being too much. That design was characterised by an oversized “12” that was recognisable but not sophisticated. Although the resemblance to the modern Daytona is apparent at a distance, the dial gets more interesting up close (and also gives off some Paul Newman vibes). The new Conquest has a cleaner dial design with a slightly retro style thanks to a sector-like chapter ring. It does without a date, something purists will approve of. Although all four dial colours share the same design, two stand out. The champagne dial is a unique colour for a sports chronograph in this price segment, while the silver dial has just the right amount of red accents, with the red-outlined luminous squares being particularly interest...

Over The Influence - Why Watches Worn By The Celebs Of Today Won’t Be The Icons Of Tomorrow Fratello
Louis Vuitton Tambour Jan 19, 2024

Over The Influence - Why Watches Worn By The Celebs Of Today Won’t Be The Icons Of Tomorrow

Paul Newman made the Rolex Daytona famous for all kinds of reasons, but money wasn’t one of them. Will Bradley Cooper make the Louis Vuitton Tambour a legend of the watch world? Well, when the American actor was an IWC ambassador, he didn’t get a watch (nick)named after him. Also, once his deal with the […] Visit Over The Influence - Why Watches Worn By The Celebs Of Today Won’t Be The Icons Of Tomorrow to read the full article.

The New TTT Knievel from REC Watches is Pure Americana Worn & Wound
Nov 20, 2023

The New TTT Knievel from REC Watches is Pure Americana

Evel Knievel, born Robert Craig Knievel, was an American daredevil and cultural icon known for his audacious motorcycle jumps and stunts during the 1960s and 1970s. Born on October 17, 1938, in Butte, Montana, Knievel gained fame for his death-defying feats, often performed on customized motorcycles. His signature jumps included attempts over buses, cars, and even the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Knievel’s larger-than-life persona and fearless spirit captured the public’s imagination, making him a household name. Despite numerous injuries and crashes, Knievel’s tenacity and showmanship contributed to his status as a legendary figure in the world of extreme sports and entertainment. In an effort to retain the magic that was Knievel’s daredevil tricks, Danish brand REC Watches has released their TTT KNIEVEL. With only 736 pieces in total production, this watch is limited edition for one very special reason. Inside each of the KNIEVEL timepieces, a portion of the original handlebar clutch levers from the XR750, the final stunt bike used by Evel Knievel during his famous “Shark Jump” stunt in 1977, has been reforged for a new life. The little star at the 12 o’clock mark? Yeah, that’s pure Evel. With this watch, one is truly owning a piece of American history. While the subject matter here is playing on events of a bygone era, the watch itself is in line with much of the contemporary design language we all have come to appreciate from REC. The 316L ...

Beaubleu Launches the Ecce, the French Brand’s First Permanent Collection Worn & Wound
Oct 6, 2023

Beaubleu Launches the Ecce, the French Brand’s First Permanent Collection

Beaubleu is a French brand that we’ve covered a handful of times since their debut in 2017, and we certainly have a soft spot for their quirky and contemporary design language. The basic idea is rather simple, at least on paper: instead of traditional hands, Beaubleu uses circular rings of different sizes to tell the time. As they move around the dial, it creates a very different impression than what you’d see on a normal watch, and causes some reflection as to why traditional handsets, with their inherent precision, are so commonplace to begin with. Like Alain Silberstein’s designs, Beaubleu’s watches remind us that a watch can be anything, and that shape is a critical element in how we relate to watches both practically and emotionally. Beaubleu, to this point, has also done a fantastic job of using color to drive these ideas home. With their new Ecce line of watches, the brand’s first permanent collection, Beaubleu has further refined their aesthetic, adding a bracelet for the first time, and making subtle changes to their dials and cases that allow everything to work together a bit more harmoniously.  The core of the design, of course, is unchanged. We still get the unique circular hands in the three models that launch the Ecce collection, with a large running seconds circle, a small hours circle, and a medium sized minutes circle in between. The 39mm cases have sculpted flanks and prominent, brushed circular bezel that complements the hands as well the circ...

Up Close with Torsti Laine X Revolution ‘One Love’ Chinese Numerals Revolution
Oct 2, 2023

Up Close with Torsti Laine X Revolution ‘One Love’ Chinese Numerals

Take a closer look at the intricate Chinese character dial option in our Torsti Laine × Revolution ‘One Love’ collaboration. This unique dial showcases Torsti’s exceptional artistry with beautifully crafted Chinese characters in a captivating shade of purple. The Torsti Laine x Revolution ‘One Love’ limited edition collection is available for purchase on October 4, […]

Panerai Turns to the Archives for the Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346 SJX Watches
Panerai Turns Sep 28, 2023

Panerai Turns to the Archives for the Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346

Panerai has just taken the covers off a reinterpretation of an intriguing and perhaps experimental variant of the Radiomir characterised by solid lugs. Christened the Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346, this one-off watch has a platinum case houses an eight-day Angelus SF 240 movement from 1961. It’s set to be sold at Phillips’ Geneva watch auction on November 3 with all proceeds, including the buyer’s premium, going to UNESCO’s marine conservation body, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO). Initial thoughts It’s frequently true that when a brand decides to tweak its heritage, the result is rarely a standing ovation or zero criticism. The challenge usually arises from the conservative perspective of passionate purists who hold history as gospel, making it difficult to accept changes to a historical concept. Indeed, the one-of-a-kind Radiomir PAM01346 is a prime example of this delicate balancing act. It takes inspiration from the solid-lug Radiomir ref. 3646 – occasionally known as a “transitional Radiomir” though it was more experimental than transitional – and while the PAM01346 may not replicate the original entirely, it truly stands out as a contemporary reinterpretation that captures many key elements of the original, including the meticulously restored, period-correct Angelus movement. Regardless of one’s perspective, the PAM01346 is undeniably a homage to an obscure but significant model in Panerai’s history, despit...

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial is starting to hit the secondary market. Shocker, it is priced high… Time+Tide
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial Jul 26, 2023

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial is starting to hit the secondary market. Shocker, it is priced high…

Rolex at Watches & Wonders this year can be described in two words: acid trip. Sure, there were the usual incremental updates to lines such as the GMT Master II and Rolex Daytona. And it was exciting to see the new 1908 have a sapphire caseback across all models and the platinum anniversary Daytona as … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial is starting to hit the secondary market. Shocker, it is priced high… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

TAG Heuer Hits The Seas With New Carrera Skipper Chronograph Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Hits Jul 13, 2023

TAG Heuer Hits The Seas With New Carrera Skipper Chronograph

These are the kinds of midweek surprises I can get on board with. TAG Heuer has revealed a new Carrera Skipper chronograph in the 39mm chassis we saw (and loved) earlier this year at Watches & Wonders. This is a regular production variant of the Carrera that makes excellent use of the sublime Skipper colorway we first saw in the late ‘60s, and most recently in the 2017 limited edition Carrera Skipper for Hodinkee. The color scheme feels right at home in the modern Carrera shoes, with plenty of small details to discover along the way. Best of all, it doesn’t feel like a vintage recreation, it feels purely modern through and through, taking full advantage of the new ‘glassbox’ design of the Carrera.  The latest Carrera sports a range of blue, green, and orange hues in a reflection of the original colorway which made the watch so distinctive. The base dial is a deep blue with contrasting seafoam hour totalizer at 9 o’clock, and multicolor minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, which splits the counter into 5 minute segments to more accurately find your position going into the start of a yacht race. The final five minutes, as well as the timing seconds hand, are rendered in orange, denoting their importance to the operation. There is a running seconds hand within a third, almost hidden sub dial appearing at 6 o’clock, which isn’t framed and thus is the same color as the base of the dial. Only the indexes and the hand itself give its position away. The unique new ‘gl...

Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan 2026 SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Jul 12, 2023

Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan 2026

Patek Philippe recently concluded its biggest Watch Art Grand Exhibition to date with the Tokyo exhibition. The event in the Japanese capital showcased almost 500 timepieces, along with limited editions and Rare Handcrafts created especially for the event, which were seen by some 60,000 visitors at the end of its two-week run in Shinjuku. Now the event will return to Europe in October 2026, taking place in Milan, the commercial capital of a country that was historically a great consumer of Patek Philippe wristwatches. The Rare Handcrafts Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50G-025 “Snow-Covered Landscape” made for Watch Art Tokyo 2023 The Milan exhibition will be the seventh Watch Art exhibition after Dubai (2012), Munich (2013), London (2015), New York (2017), Singapore (2019), and Tokyo (2023). Originally planned for 2025 but later rescheduled, the Milan event will take place October 2-18, 2026. It will be open to the public at no charge. More details will be provided in due time. Update August 15, 2025: Dates of exhibition corrected.

Barbier-Mueller Returns with the Mosaïque II SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain movement – Jun 29, 2023

Barbier-Mueller Returns with the Mosaïque II

In 2017, the original Barbier-Mueller Mosaïque made its first public appearance at Only Watch. The collaborative efforts of longtime friends Stéphane Barbier-Mueller and François-Paul Journe, one being the preeminent independent watchmaker and the other a member of one of a Swiss real estate dynasty, this was an unexpected and rather pleasant surprise. Now, the pair have returned with the Mosaïque II, follow up to their initial offering, sticking to the same principles as before, but with the eye of watch designer Eric Giroud.  Initial thoughts Those who are fans of the original will be pleased to see all of the main traits have been carried over to this latest version. The stone work on the dial, case and hinged caseback is all there, and the two hander runs on the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain movement – in fact, it is essentially an elaborately inlaid Chronomètre Souverain. If anything, they have elevated their previous efforts by incorporating more types of semi-precious stones in order to execute Mr. Giroud’s design. While Mr Giroud’s eye has given the Mosaïque II a different feel from its predecessor, the new watch still reflects Mr Barbier-Mueller’s interest in arts and culture, which was the basis for the original Mosaïque. Besides being a shareholder in F.P. Journe, Mr Barbier-Mueller is also a member of the family that established the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva that’s famous for its world-class collection of tribal art. The original M...

Highlights from the Sotheby’s Important Watches and Fine Watches June sales results Time+Tide
Jun 23, 2023

Highlights from the Sotheby’s Important Watches and Fine Watches June sales results

Sotheby’s hosted their live Important Watches sale on June 9 and their Fine Watches sale ended on June 15 Two Paul Newman-owned Daytona watches headlined the Important Watches Sale and sold for a combined US$2.2m Between the two auctions, total watch sales of US$21.03m were achieved Earlier this month, two Sotheby’s auctions were held with … ContinuedThe post Highlights from the Sotheby’s Important Watches and Fine Watches June sales results appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster SJX Watches
Omega Speedmaster Earlier Jun 9, 2023

Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster

Earlier this week, leading Swiss-German newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published a lengthy story about the possible fraud behind the record-setting sale of an Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 at Phillips in 2021. Mystifying at the time, the CHF3.12 million result was a huge number that far exceeded past records for that particular Speedmaster. As NZZ revealed in its story, the Speedmaster in question was a “Franken” watch pieced together from assorted vintage components – and some fake parts – and it was purchased by Omega itself, on the advice of its then museum head. The allegations are that the then museum head was in cahoots with the seller of the watch. Omega has gone to the police with this, and also released a statement, noting in part, “Omega and Phillips were the joint victims of organised criminal activity involving the selling of this specific watch by auction.” The Omega Museum, which fortunately has enough correct and legitimate vintage Speedmasters on display. Image – Omega Both Omega and Phillips should have done more due diligence, but it appears a few bad actors were diligent in allegedly defrauding Omega. For more on the matter, Dutch watch publication Fratello published an excellent examination of the happenings. The alleged fraud has been covered widely in the mass media, from Bloomberg to Fortune, ironically the same publications that last year touted the success and value-appreciation of the Speedmaster. Mountains and molehills The ...

Rado Adds Three New Ceramic Watches to their Great Gardens of the World Series Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko have been doing May 30, 2023

Rado Adds Three New Ceramic Watches to their Great Gardens of the World Series

Since 2017, Rado has partnered with the Great Gardens of the World organization on watches that are inspired both by nature and the sometimes meticulous preparation of the world’s great gardens. Watchmaking and gardening might seem like an unlikely match at first, but this series is really an opportunity for Rado designers to use the natural world as a starting point for their work, which isn’t so different from what brands like Grand Seiko have been doing for years. It’s interesting to see Rado’s take on a “nature” watch, though, as they apply texture and materials in markedly different ways than other brands, coming up with watches that are very distinctly their own, with a focus on materials and highlighting Rado’s unique visual design language.  The latest watches in the series are all inspired by specific plants found in different corners of the world, but are currently on the endangered species list. They have dynamic, textured dials and use Rado’s True Thinline ceramic case and bracelet platform as a starting point. First up is Chapter 8 (it’s the 8th watch in this ongoing series), inspired by the Hawaiian Loulu Lelo plant, which has distinct pleated leaves. The dial is broken up into separate sectors that have the pleats running in opposite directions, creating an almost psychedelic effect that is common to this series. While the Loulu Lelo leaves are a verdant green, this watch has been rendered entirely in black ceramic, with contrasting gold t...

The Last Emperor’s Patek Philippe: History in the Making Revolution
Patek Philippe History May 29, 2023

The Last Emperor’s Patek Philippe: History in the Making

Step into history and witness the remarkable journey of Puyi’s wristwatch, an artifact that carries the weight of a bygone era. This iconic timepiece, belonging to the legendary emperor, will soon go under the hammer at Phillips auctioneers, and its story is truly captivating. Georgy Permyakov, Puyi’s Russian translator, was entrusted with preserving the memories […]

Auction Watch: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain I Sells For US$924,000 SJX Watches
F.P. Journe May 24, 2023

Auction Watch: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain I Sells For US$924,000

One of the most anticipated watches by an independent watchmaker to go under the hammer this season has set a record: the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain I (RRCCI) in pink gold sold at Phillips’ Hong Kong auction for HK$7.24 million including fees, equivalent to US$924,000. Notable for being in an ordinary, as opposed to charity, auction, the result of almost US$1.0 million puts its maker, the founder of Akrivia, in rarefied company alongside the likes of F.P. Journe, the only other independent watchmakers whose time-only watches can sell for such sums. The RRCCI that just sold was the first example of the model to emerge at auction, with only one other example having sold on the secondary market but privately. With the watch already sold out and a long waiting list for its successor, the RRCCII, there were high expectations for the watch at Phillips, which originally retailed for under US$70,000. Everyone’s on it The excitement as the lot came up was palpable. Auctioneer Aurel Bacs commented that so many bidders were phoning in that every Phillips employee on the phone bank was on the line. Although there were at least a half dozen bidders to start with – all on the phone save for one room bidder – the contenders thinned out at the HK$4.00 million mark. Remaining were just three bidders: Alex Ghotbi and Tiffany To of Phillips on the phones with clients, and the gentleman at the back of the room. Both based in Geneva, Mr Ghotbi and Ms To were presumably re...

Up Close: The Imperial Patek Philippe Owned by the Last Emperor of China SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Owned May 20, 2023

Up Close: The Imperial Patek Philippe Owned by the Last Emperor of China

With the Geneva auctions just having concluded, the spring sale season now moves to Hong Kong. The biggest event during auction week in the city will undoubtedly The Imperial Patek Philippe Sale, an evening sale that take places at Phillips on May 23. The auction gets its name from the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96QL in platinum once owned by Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the last Emperor of China. Known to the market for several years but now going under the hammer for the first time, the watch might emerge as the year’s most valuable watch sold at auction – or it might not, given the mixed reputation of the final Qing Emperor. But regardless of the value, the Puyi’s Patek Philippe is an exceptionally interesting watch, both intrinsically and in terms of provenance. The provenance Phillips pulled out all the stops in marketing The Imperial Patek Philippe Sale, no doubt an attempt to reach an audience beyond watch collectors. While the ref. 96QL is an exceedingly rare watch – and worth millions on its own – the provenance of this example is bona fide “Imperial”. The story of the watch is ably told in a documentary produced by Phillips especially for the auction. The 17-minute film explains how the life and times of Puyi, his fascination with timepieces, and importantly, how the ref. 96QL ended up in the possession of a Russian translator. Amongst the interviewees in the film is Russell Working, an American journalist who once profiled the Russian translator, Georgy Pe...

Auction Watch: Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer SJX Watches
May 5, 2023

Auction Watch: Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

Online watch auctioneers Loupe This have just listed a Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer in an online-only sale that runs from now till May 11. Barely a handful have emerged – one was sold at Phillips Perpetual in London in 2021 – but this example is the first to go under the hammer. The scarcity is of the Double Impulse Chronometer on the secondary market is simply because there are few of them in circulation. Around 50 have been made to date and with about a dozen being produced each year, the wait for an order placed now stands at about eight years. The exceptional demand for the watch is entirely justified, since the Double Impulse Chronometer is arguably the most significant English wristwatch in production today. Consigned by the original owner, this specimen is quintessential Frodsham. Numbered “010800” and delivered in September 2019, this is one of the first examples made, the 13th in fact, according to Richard Stenning, co-owner of Charles Frodsham. More notably, it is an unusual combination of a stainless steel case and white ceramic dial with double cyphers. According to Mr Stenning, this was the first of only two watches with this configuration made to date. The cyphers are an option but arguably crucial since they reference the firm’s history and add to the vintage-inspired styling of the dial. Historically found on Frodsham pocket watches – often engraved on the movement but sometimes on the dial – such cyphers indicated Royal Warrant...

Auction Watch: A Unique Habring² Split-Seconds for a Good Cause SJX Watches
Ming Geneva auction Apr 20, 2023

Auction Watch: A Unique Habring² Split-Seconds for a Good Cause

Last year Habring² finally delivered something collectors had long been seeking, a compact version of its signature split-seconds chronograph, which now forms the base for the Doppel 38 “Monochrome x Habring²”. A one-off that will be sold at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction to benefit charity, the Doppel 38 is a collaboration between Habring² and Monochrome Watches, online watch magazine based in the Netherlands. The Doppel 38 takes its cues from the limited-edition chronograph Habring² made for the 15th anniversary of Netherlands-based Monochrome. Initial thoughts The one-off Doppel 38 is essentially a more complex version of Monochrome’s 15th anniversary edition, the Montre de Souscription 1 (MDS1), which was a conventional, single-button chronograph. Naturally the Doppel 38 sports a split-seconds movement and consequently, a slightly thicker case, but it is aesthetically almost identical to the MDS1, having the same “salmon” dial. Ordinarily, reissuing a limited edition in near-identical format is a no-no, but in this case it is both sensible and appealing because the Doppel 38 is a one-of-a-kind creation and it will be sold to benefit a children’s charity. It’s being offered with an estimate of CHF10,000-20,000 – the low estimate is approximately the retail price of the regular production Doppel 38 – which is certainly acceptable. And given the worthy recipient of the proceeds, one certainly hopes for more than the high estimate. Subtle tweaks ...

The Intrigue & Significance of the Patek Philippe Owned by the Last Emperor of China SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Owned Mar 18, 2023

The Intrigue & Significance of the Patek Philippe Owned by the Last Emperor of China

A historically important Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96 with full calendar and moon phase will soon be offered at Phillips, but the news isn’t so much about the watch itself but the story behind it. While extraordinarily rare in itself, the ref. 96 quantieme lune is exceptional for its provenance: its original owner was Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the last emperor of China and heir to a 4,000-year old imperial throne. As the final ruler of the Qing Dynasty, Puyi was arguably a hapless individual overcome by circumstances and overtaken by history – a life dramatised in the Bernardo Bertolucci’s film The Last Emperor – leaving him with a mixed reputation and legacy. The ref. 96, however, makes clear his appreciation of mechanical timepieces. Yet this long-lost imperial watch is extremely flawed on its face. But the heavily-aged dial, seemingly severely damaged, also echoes the tale of Puyi’s brief reign, a turbulent time when an empire met its end and a feudal dynasty was transformed into a modern nation. Image – PaddleWaves An Emperor’s timekeeper Ascending the throne at age two in 1908, Puyi was destined for a life of absolute power. But shortly after, the child Emperor witnessed the collapse of Imperial China and his family’s four century-old dynasty in the wake of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 that gave birth to the Republic of China. In 1932, perhaps unwitting or naive, he became the titular ruler of Manchukuo, the puppet state of Manchuria that was controlle...

Five Sensational 2012 Vintage Champagnes To Kick Off The New Year From Louis Roederer Cristal, Pol Roger, And Bollinger. Cheers! Quill & Pad
Dec 24, 2022

Five Sensational 2012 Vintage Champagnes To Kick Off The New Year From Louis Roederer Cristal, Pol Roger, And Bollinger. Cheers!

For many watch enthusiasts, it is probably not a stretch to say that fine timepieces are often enjoyed with a fine glass of bubbly. So without further ado, here are five much-heralded prestige champagne releases from the stellar 2012 vintage that stand out for their extraordinary “taste.” Just in time for you to toast the start of 2023!

Auction Watch: The Unique Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT001 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT001 Dec 9, 2022

Auction Watch: The Unique Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT001

On very rare occasions does Grand Seiko create unique versions of its watches. But it has done so with a unique version of the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon – the one-off reference SLGT001 – that will go under the hammer at Phillips’ New York auction December 11, with some proceeds from the sale going to a children’s charity. Anyone who read our earlier in-depth, two-part story on the Kodo (part I covers the watch and part II its technical features) will understand the the impressive technical achievement that is its movement. The SLGT001 has all of that, but in a unique execution specifically for the auction. Engraved “Unique Piece No. 1/1” on the back, the SLGT001 is instantly recognisable as a one-off. While the standard version of the model has a monochromatic grey palette, the SLGT001 is set apart by its colour: heat-blued and gilded components against rhodium-plated bridges. Most of the screws are blued steel, while the three-armed tourbillon carriage is blued titanium. And the SLGT001 is also distinguished by its case material. Unlike the standard model that has a case made up of both titanium and platinum, this is entirely in Brilliant Hard Titanium, the brand’s proprietary alloy that boasts a brighter, more silvery hue than most titanium alloys. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the SLGT001 will go to the Children’s Heart Foundation. Besides benefiting a good cause, the winning bidder will also get a trip to Japan to meet the team behind...

Lang & Heyne Introduces the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe have made it Dec 9, 2022

Lang & Heyne Introduces the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic”

Dresden-based Lang & Heyne is a German independent watchmaker that makes just 100 to 150 timepieces per year. Created to mark the ninth year of the partnership with its retailer in Hong Kong, its latest release is the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic Edition”. If the watch sounds familiar, that’s because the prototype of the limited edition was sold at Phillips in May for HK$819,000, or just over US$105,000. Now it returns as a serial-production timepiece in a limited edition of 36 watches – nine pieces each in stainless steel, white gold, rose gold and platinum. Lang & Heyne (L&H;) was founded in 2001 by watchmakers Marco Lang, Mirko Heyne, and Lothar Zieger. All three founders have since left the brand, most recently Mr Lang, who left to set up his eponymous brand. Their departure has allowed the brand to evolve into less traditional watches like the Friedrich II Remontoir for the Lavish Attic, which has a sporty aesthetic and titanium movement bridges. Initial thoughts I was intrigued when I came across the prototype offered at Phillips. A watch with a constant-force escapement is something you don’t often see (even if brands like F.P. Journe have made it a speciality). That, combined with the stark black dial, steel bracelet, and sporty design, made it an unusual proposition. As a serially-produced watch, albeit a limited edition, the Lavish Attic edition retains the key elements that give it a distinctive look, namely the glossy, black enamel dial ...