Hodinkee
Auctions: How High Can The Vintage Vacheron 222 Fly?
We'll find out over the next few days, at Phillips and Sotheby's.
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Hodinkee
We'll find out over the next few days, at Phillips and Sotheby's.
Hodinkee
I donned my best all-black outfit to size it up at Phillips HQ in Geneva before it heads to auction this Friday.
SJX Watches
After several years of trying to grow its sub-scale watch division, Kering has sold both of its watch brands in a management buyout led by chief executive Patrick Pruniaux. A former Apple executive who started his watch career at TAG Heuer, Mr Pruniaux first took charge of Ulysse Nardin in 2017 before also taking the top job at Girard-Perregaux a year later. He proceeded to merge both brands into a single factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a move that was subsequently followed by layoffs the next year. The slimmed-down brands will have the flexibility to do more, while also facing the challenge of being relatively small players facing off against stronger brands. The French luxury group never managed to replicate the earlier success of its watch brands, both of which were run by iconoclastic entrepreneurs – Rolf Schnyder at Ulysse Nardin and Luigi “Gino” Macaluso at Girard-Perregaux. Both their deaths led to their heirs selling the respective companies to Kering, the Macaluso family in 2011 and the Schnyder family in 2014. Patrick Pruniaux With brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent in its stable, Kering had 2020 revenues of over €13 billion, leaving its two-brand watch division diminutive in comparison. The group never found the right formula for its watch division, resulting in the gradual erosion of sales. At the time of their respective acquisitions, Girard-Perregaux has annual sales of about CHF180 million and Ulysse Nardin about €190 million according to recent es...
Quill & Pad
It's no exaggeration to say that here at Quill & Pad we are big fans of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. And in 2017 Urwerk introduced its own, very robust version of a reversible watch: the UR-T8 Transformer. It's a T-Rex for the wrist that acts much like a Reverso!
SJX Watches
A French micro-brand that specialises in watches with retro style, Baltic unveiled its smallest – and perhaps most classical – offering in October last year, the Micro-Rotor MR01. Coming in at just 36 mm in diameter, the MR01 is no doubt a surprising size for a modern watch. Despite its compact size, the MR01 manages to squeeze in a lot relative to the price. Most obvious is a tasteful design that brings to mind gentlemen’s watches from the 1930s – the Calatrava ref. 96 easily comes to mind. But equally interesting is the slim automatic movement with a micro-rotor that is responsible for the elegant proportions (and affordability). Its combination of aesthetics and price meant the initial run of 200 pieces in each colour – “salmon”, blue, and a no-nonsense silver – quickly sold out. Of the three, the “salmon” dial immediately stands out, just because it’s the flavour of the dial for vintage-inspired dress watches. But when the opportunity for review came along, I opted for the silver dial, as I found the clean palette attractive. As pleasing as the MR01 seemed in photos, there were a few details I wasn’t convinced by, such as the wide bezel and applied Breguet numerals, so I was looking forward to wearing one for a few days. The all-silver is a good look and one often found on more expensive Calatrava-inspired watches such as the Naoya Hida NH Type 1B Initial thoughts After handling the MR01 for the first time, it seemed to be a thoughtful, comple...
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Time+Tide
As the home of watch culture, Time+Tide is always intrigued by how the niche world of horology and the broader milieu of culture impact on each other. We previously explored the effect of celebrity provenance on watches and the prices they fetch, but this past weekend at Phillips we once again saw a clear indicator … ContinuedThe post Ralph Ellison’s Omega Speedmaster breaks the record for the most expensive 145.012 ever sold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Although we are approaching the holiday season, the watch world shows no signs of slowing down. A lot (pun intended) has been revealed this week – most notably the fact that tomorrow we’ll discover how well a Tiffany Blue 5711/1A-018 fares at auction when the bidding opens at Phillips. I am not typically a betting … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Tiffany madness, DeBethune and Richard Mille in space, and a Marvel Hawkeye Rolex? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Omega Museum announces its intention to bid on Ralph Ellison’s Speedmaster Ref. ST 145.012 at the 2021 Phillips New York Watch
Time+Tide
Editor’s Note: In an interview from the forthcoming issue of NOW, Time+Tide’s annual Watch Buying Guide, we interviewed a guy who unrepentantly wears a fake Rolex. After trying and failing to buy a real Daytona at retail, he bought a “super-clone” that he claims will be a stop-gap until the day he hopefully gets the … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: @fakewatchbusta asks, is it EVER ok to wear a fake watch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
One of the most anticipated sales during Geneva’s watch auction week just concluded with a big number – the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch sold for CHF4.749 million, or about US$5.2 million, including fees. While bidding was steady, it was restrained. Three bidders were the key movers behind the result – a phone bidders represented by Yong Ho and Alex Ghotbi of Phillips in Hong Kong and Geneva respectively, as well as an online bidder in Singapore. At the end it was down to the Singaporean buyer and Mr Ghotbi’s phone bidder, who clinched the watch with a hammer of CHF3.9 million. I wrote just earlier this week that I expected the Grande Sonnerie to sell for between US$4.0-5.0 million, so the result was well within my expectation. While there was talk of a far higher number prior to the sale, a variety of factors led me to that range, including the number of known potential buyers as well as the values of comparable watches. And that was how it turned out.
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SJX Watches
Geneva auction week this year includes Only Watch, perhaps the headline event, but also a slew of other auctions. Over at Phillips, the majority of its Geneva watch auction catalogue comprises wristwatches, but two standouts in the sale are pocket watches, one from an independent watchmaker and the other from an establishment brand. Different as they are, the two are are indeed an epic pair. The Geneva Watch Auction: XIV takes place on November 5 and 7, 2021. Lot 183 – Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch Ref. 768 There are a few reasons the Patek Philippe ref. 768 is intriguing, even though they might not be obvious at a glance. For one, the ref. 798 is truly rare – Patek Philippe has only made a handful of grande sonnerie pocket watches in its history. It incorporates the most challenging complication to execute, the grande et petite sonnerie, which means the watch chimes the time as it passes. And it is a carillon, with three gongs instead of two, so that the quarter is sounded with three notes instead of the typical two. Then there’s the fact that it’s a mid-20th century Patek Philippe, a guarantee of the fine horological quality. The movement was made in 1898, but only cased up more than half a century later in 1953, and subsequently sold close to a decade after that. This example is interesting because it has a single-lidded back that sports an extra-large, relief-engraved Calatrava cross on a frosted base. According to Phillips the oversized logo ...
SJX Watches
Widely regarded as important, the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch was a landmark when it was unveiled in 1992. The first wristwatch to incorporate a grande et petite sonnerie, widely regarded as the pinnacle of complications, the Grande Sonnerie is indeed a feat of miniaturisation, construction, and finishing. And now the very first example is slated to go under the hammer at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction. Initial thoughts Originally conceived as a homage of early 20th century Swiss watchmaking – the very sort of watches Mr Dufour worked on early in his career – the Grande Sonnerie revered today for many reasons, but it really is all about two accomplishments. The wristwatch (left), and its pocket watch counterpart One is miniaturisation – this was the first ever wristwatch grande sonnerie. Prior examples were all pocket watches and correspondingly large. And the second, arguably more important quality, is its movement finishing. Mr Dufour decorated each component of the movement exceedingly well. So well, in fact, that this is arguably better finished than even the finest examples of grande sonnerie pocket watches made by brands like Patek Philippe. In the metal the Grande Sonnerie wristwatch is eminently classical, and also fairly large at 41 mm in diameter. In fact, when it premiered in 1992 the Grande Sonnerie would have been massive – the typical men’s dress watch was barely 35 mm then. The Grande Sonnerie is almost a pocket watch with lugs...
Time+Tide
It’s one thing to salivate over pictures and Instagram posts, but hands up who remembers the first time they were fortunate enough to set eyes on a Laureato in real life? I do, and it was love at first sight. The month was January, the year was 2017, the time zone was Swiss and the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Girard Perregaux Aston Martin Laureato Chronograph has a dial that dazzles appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
WatchTime New York is back! With 28 participating watch brands set to showcase their latest watches, the fair takes place at Midtown Manhattan’s Gotham Hall from October 22 through 24, 2021. Here Sabine Zwettler highlights three new timepieces from A. Lange & Söhne, Armin Strom, and Bovet that will be showing for the first time in North America there.
Time+Tide
October 25th marks the inaugural launch of The Pink Dial Project, a fundraising auction involving a long list of top watch brands in partnership with our friends at Revolution, Fratello Watches, Loupe This, and The Eye of Jewelry. In an effort to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer, each brand has been prompted to spotlight … ContinuedThe post The Pink Dial Project auction lot overview: The indies, micros, and sleeper hits appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Hodinkee
Paul Newman's Paul Newman Daytona, or this?
Quill & Pad
Van Halen was the catalyst kicking off Elizabeth Doerr's lifelong passion for rock music as the first band she stumbled across in this genre (but most certainly not the last). One cursory listen to “Eruption” and she was hooked on rock for life. In honor of the anniversary of Eddie Van Halen's untimely death on October 6, 2020, cue “Eruption” and take a look at three tasteful and fun watches the guitar god owned and wore.
Quill & Pad
October 1, 2021, marks 20 years since Günter Blümlein passed away at the age of just 58. His untimely death meant that A. Lange & Söhne lost its visionary co-founder, and the watch world lost a charismatic businessman and strategist who was a crucial factor in driving the mechanical renaissance of watchmaking in the late twentieth century. His legacy was – and remains – the three so-called LMH brands, a "supergroup" that went on to form the nucleus of Richemont’s high-level manufacturing capabilities at the turn of the millennium.
Quill & Pad
The Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Rainbow might look a bit whimsical at first, but it delivers joy in a very high-end way. Hublot has quite a reputation to uphold when it comes to rainbow watches after having launching its first in 2017, and this new watch feels like the brand has upped its game substantially. So embrace your guilty pleasure and find your pot of gold!
Quill & Pad
At watch auctions by Phillips, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s held in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, 22 timepieces hammered for more than one million Swiss francs. And to date in 2021, there have been (at least) 13 watches selling for more than one million Swiss francs. Elizabeth Doerr highlights the top auction results of the pandemic era so far, and, yes, Patek Philippe still reigns supreme.
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Time+Tide
This year, Zenith introduced the Chronomaster Sport, a killer 41mm chronograph that presented buyers with a more technically intriguing alternative to the popular Rolex Daytona. It has since proved a hit success at retail, with initial allocations immediately snagged by buyers worldwide. But Zenith purists have been itching for a bit more of a nostalgia-driven … ContinuedThe post The new Zenith Chronomaster Original tastefully brings the beloved A386 up to speed appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
(And a look back at a killer watch from 2017 that you've probably forgotten.)
Quill & Pad
Geneva’s second round of pandemic-era May auctions brought some fascinating offerings out of the woodwork. And people are buying watches at auction like there is no tomorrow. While Rolex and Patek Philippe models brought in most of the high-roller results, the three main houses with auctions running over the second weekend in May 2021 – Phillips, Christie’s, and Antiquorum – also generated fantastic results for watches by many other brands, including the independents.
SJX Watches
Taking place on Friday, April 23, 2021, Sotheby’s first live watch auction of the year takes place in Hong Kong. Important Watches is a full-sized sale led by the unique Rolex “Zenith” Daytona in platinum with a turquoise “Stella” dial, which might just set the record for most valuable automatic Daytona ever sold at auction. But the 296-lot sale is diverse in the traditional manner of Hong Kong auctions, encompassing vintage Patek Philippe, modern grand complications, and an assortment of independent watchmaking. Here’s a roundup of a few noteworthy lots at the auction, including a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in exceptional condition, a pair of gorgeous pocket watches decorated with the very best of Geneva miniature enamelling, and the F.P Journe Coffret 38 made up of five watches with steel cases. The auction will start at 11 am local time on April 23 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, while the catalogue and online bidding are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2185 – Vacheron Constantin miniature enamel pocket watch The middle decades of the 20th century were a golden age for miniature enamelling in Geneva, with the cities best watchmakers recruiting its best enamellers to decorate pocket watches. One example of such work is lot 2185, a yellow gold pocket watch made in 1948 by Vacheron Constantin that bears a miniature enamel painting by Hélène May Mercier (1910-1996), an artisan who learnt the craft with another famed enameller, Carlo Poluzzi...
SJX Watches
Cartier Libre reimagines signature Cartier case shapes as high jewellery timepieces. Iconic designs like the Crash, Baignoire, Tank Chinoise, and Diagonale have all been given the Libre treatment since the line’s launch in 2017. At Watches & Wonders 2021, Cartier debuts the latest Cartier Libre duo – the Baignoire Turtle and Tortue Snake – both jewelled, enamelled, and slightly ironic: a turtle dressed like a snake, and a turtle named after a bathtub. Initial Thoughts Extravagantly styled and impeccably decorated, the new pair of watches are whimsical, as the Libre line has always been, but for the first time draw on the natural world for inspiration. Despite being seriously lavish jewellery watches, the two have a sense of humour. Each case shape is inspired by an object – tortue translates as turtle, and bagnoire, bathtub – but each watch is decorated with a motif from something else entirely, bringing to mind surrealist art. The turtle Definitely the more glamorous of the two watches, the Bagnoire Turtle is also the more legible of the two, thanks to the use of blued-steel hands that contrast against the diamond-set dial. And it is more convenient, being powered by a quartz movement, though that makes it less appealing to a watch enthusiast. The Baignoire Turtle is decorated like, well, a turtle. Both the bezel and dial have been divided into pentagonal and hexagonal panels, outlined in blue enamel. The panels themselves are decorated with brilliant-cut di...
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