Results for Sotheby's Important Watches

Auctions: Sotheby's x Heist Out's Thematic Watches & Wonder Week Auction Returns As 'Area_51'

Hold on to your diamonds, we're going to space.

The Vertical Collection: Three essential, most important watches from F.P.Journe

We continue onto our next chapter of our Vertical Collection Series wih F.P.Journe, yet another iconic maison, with such a rich collection of masterpieces.

Bottom Time: The Important Lessons I’ve Learned While Diving With Over 200 Watches

Old friend and dive expert Jason Heaton shares some underwater wisdom.

The Vertical Collection: Three essential, most important watches from Chopard

It has been a while since we last added to our Vertical Collection series. Here is our fourth in the series - a favourite of ours: Chopard.

Christie’s Auction: Important Watches - Featuring The Triazza Collection Part I

Watches And Culture Watch Forum 2022: Finally, Sustainability Is Important. Hopefully, It’s Not Too Late

Sustainability might be a buzzword right now, but there is good reason for it. If we as a race don’t change how we’re going about our existence our planet will die. Or at least humanity will. So what is the watch industry doing about it? Watch Forum 2022 was a grandiose start.

Povey’s Picks: Christie’s Important Watches Hong Kong 13 July 2020

Ross Povey gets his picks on for the coming Christie’s watch auction in Hong Kong on 13 July 2020.

UPDATED: Christie’s Important Watches, March 22 Dubai

It’s hours before the auction; here are some highlights that have got us rapt.

Important Watches from the Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction: SEVEN

5 Important Watches From The Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: EIGHT According to Aurel Bacs

Aurel Bacs shows us his Top 5 picks from The Geneva Watch Auction: EIGHT that will be held on 10th and 11th November 2018.

Throwback Sundays: Six Watches to Wear to a World Cup Match, from Our Archives

In this week's article, we take a look at six watches that we reckon will work well as a companion in the upcoming world cup matches.

Review: Tissot Heritage “Antimagnétique” 2018 - One of the most important watches in history?

Tissot, a 165-year old maison has "re-issued" a piece of horological history. But, how does it fare from a historical and modern standpoint? In this article, we take a look at the timeless Heritage Antimagnétique launched during Baselworld 2018.

The Vertical Collection: The most important and essential watches from A Lange & Söhne

If we have to pick 3 essential Langes, which are MUST HAVEs in a collection, what are they?Our choice: The Lange 1, The Datograph and The Zeitwerk.

Yearning for an Oysterflex but Rolex hasn’t granted your wishes yet? There are plenty of others to choose from

If you're struggling with finding a rubber strap for your steel sports Rolex, here are a few options you should consider.The post Yearning for an Oysterflex but Rolex hasn’t granted your wishes yet? There are plenty of others to choose from appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Highlights: Artisanal Timepieces at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Having covered the notable from independent watchmaking and complications at Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction on April 5, we turn to timepieces that are all about artisanal crafts, ranging from cloisonné and marquetry. Amongst the highlight is a Patek Philippe Dome Clock depicting the African savannah in cloisonné and another is the Cartier Tortue ref. 2496 with the jeweller’s signature panther motif. Important Watches I takes place on April 5, 2023. Registration for bidding and the catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 2101: Cartier Tortue LM Panthere This wristwatch two enduring elements of Cartier design, a form case and the panther motif. It’s a large-size Tortue – French for “turtle” – with a panther on the dial in champleve enamel. The large variant of the Tortue (instead of the oversized “XL”), this measures 34 mm in diameter, giving the dial ample real estate for the panther. The panther’s visage is executed in champlevé, where the dial base is first engraved with the motif before being painted and fired. This is powered by the cal. 430 MC, an ultra-thin manual mechanical movement that is actually the Piaget cal. 430P. Accompanied by its box and papers, this has an estimate of HK$200,000-300,000, or about US$25,000-38,200. You can find out more in the catalogue. Lot 2131: Audemars Piguet “Rolls Royce Phantom II” Before becoming synonyms with the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet (AP) produced a diversity of elaborately decorated wrist- and pocket watc...

Highlights: Complications at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction

Having covered highlights from independent watchmakers at Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches I auction in Hong Kong, we now dive into the complicated timepieces in the sale that takes place on April 5. We look at eight notable lots. Some, like the platinum Patek Philippe ref. 5016 with its minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and tourbillon, are amongst the most valuable in the sale. But the catalogue also has value buys, notably including offerings from jewellers like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Bulgari. Registration for bidding and the entire catalogue can be accessed here. The Patek Philippe ref. 5016P Lot 2137: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux One of the most poetic timepieces by the Parisian jeweller, the Pont des Amoureux was a watch that helped make Van Cleef & Arpels as a watchmaker. This watch is the original and cleanest version of the model, which was discontinued in 2019 and replaced by a revised version. The watch is all about a uniquely whimsical depiction of the passing of time. A double retrograde display takes the form of two figures: a lady with an umbrella indicates the hours whilst a gentleman marks the minutes. The two figures move towards one another over the course of 12 hours, until they meet and “kiss” on top of the bridge that overlooks the Seine river – this happens twice in a day, at midday and midnight. The dial is executed in grisaille enamel, a meticulous process that dates back to the 16th century. The techn...

Gérald Genta’s Personal (And Unique) Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Ref. 5402 Auctioned By Sotheby’s For Record-Setting CHF 2,107,000

“May I have your full attention? This is one of the most important watches ever.” As Sotheby’s auctioneer Benoît Colson opened lot 72 on May 10, 2022, the room seemed to hold its collective breath for a moment. He continued, “The personal Royal Oak of Gérald Genta – you could not dream of a better provenance for a Royal Oak, an Audemars Piguet, or even any wristwatch.” And here's how the world record price for a vintage AP Royal Oak went down from an eyewitness.

Highlights: Patek Philippe and Rolex at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction

Sotheby’s is kicking off the spring season of the year’s watch auctions with two consecutive sales in Hong Kong that take place in a week’s time. The first is an evening sale of a single-owner collection of exceptional vintage Patek Philippe watches. And it will be followed by Important Watches I, which includes several good examples of independent watchmaking. Though the single-owner sale has most of the significant vintage Patek Philippe watches offered by Sotheby’s, it doesn’t encompass all of them. One of the major lots is a Patek Philippe ref. 2524 minute repeating wristwatch. We take a look at that along with several other highlights from Important Watches I, both vintage and modern, including an arguably underrated complicated (and bejewelled) watch for men by Van Cleef & Arpels (VC&A;). Important Watches I starts at 2:00 pm (GMT +8) on April 26, 2022. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. The VC&A; Midnight Poetic Wish Lot 2144: Rolex Daytona ref. 16523 “Floating” signed “Tiffany & Co.” The most desirable Rolex Daytonas are typically steel, with the two-tone versions often being the most affordable, perhaps because the two-tone look is generally less sought after regardless of brand. But this steel-and-gold ref. 16523 is notable enough that it was included in Daytona Perpetual, the reference tome covering many rare and unusual variants of the model published by Italian Rolex specialist Pucci Papaleo. The key fe...

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction

Sotheby’s forthcoming Important Watches I in Hong Kong is the first live auction of the year by a major auction house, or so accurately it’s the second day of the auction, with the sale of a mega, single-owner Patek Philippe collection happening in the evening the day before. With the strong demand for independent watchmaking, the 214-lots sale encompasses timepieces from a range of niche and not-so-niche indies. The lineup is naturally led by F.P. Journe, perhaps the marquee name in independent watchmaking today, but the most valuable lot is the very rare and very expensive Montre École, one of 11 watches born of the Naissance d’une Montre project backed by Greubel Forsey and Philippe Dufour. We round up six highlights from amongst the independent watchmakers at the sale, which starts at 2:00 pm (GMT +8) on April 26, 2022. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. Montre École no. 09/11 Lot 2127: H. Moser & Cie. x MB&F; Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon Having been business partners for a decade or so – Moser’s sister company supplies hairsprings to MB&F; – the two brands revealed their first collaboration in 2020 when both coincidentally celebrated their 15th anniversary. The more complicated of the two anniversary editions, the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon was more Moser than MB&F; with its dial colour and movement, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Cylindrical Tourbillon combines the best of both brands. The aesthe...

Highlights: F. P. Journe at the Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction

F.P. Journe has swiftly become one of the most desirable independent watch brands, resulting in an ever growing selection on offer at auction. Perhaps the biggest single offering to date comes by way of Sotheby’s, which has amassed a 13-piece lineup of F.P. Journe watches for its upcoming Important Watches sale that takes place in Hong Kong on October 13, 2021. We round up eight of the most notable, a selection that naturally includes a Tourbillon Souverain “Souscription”, as well as several limited editions, ranging from Ruthenium to a Tokyo-boutique special. The full catalogue and registration to bid are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2085: Octa Réserve de Marche with brass movement Originally the entry-level model for the brand, the Octa Réserve de Marche is today a stealth watch of sorts since it is still a simple watch, but an unusually valuable one. Launched in 2001, the Octa Réserve was part of the original trio of watches launched by Francois-Paul Journe, coming after the tourbillon and Resonance. Despite being the brand’s entry-level wristwatch at the time, it still boasted a proprietary movement with an impressive five-day power reserve, though the running time was originally envision was eight days, hence the “Octa” moniker. The cal. 1300 developed for the Octa Réserve would then go on to be the base movement for the entire Octa collection. The best part of the Octa Reserve is its asymmetric dial. Showing the time, date and power reserve, the d...

Highlights: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Watch Auction

With its auctions earlier in the year having been delayed due to the pandemic – and supplemented by weekly online sales – Sotheby’s has resumed its traditional schedule and the fall auction season in Hong Kong is now in full swing. Preceded by sales of wine, art, and jewellery, Important Watches takes place in Hong Kong in two days – at 4:00 pm on October 9. Made up of just over 180 lots, the catalogue encompasses independent watchmakers like Philippe Dufour – there are two Dufour Simplicities in the sale – who are notable and known, and also some who are less prominent today, like Antoine Preziuso and Svend Andersen. And the sale naturally the usual suspects, with the headline watch being a possibly-unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” with a lapis lazuli dial, and perhaps the most intriguing being a quartz Rolex Beta 21 in white gold that might be one of a kind. Here’s a look at a couple of interesting lots, and the complete catalogue is available here. The lapis Daytona The white gold Rolex Beta-21 Lot 2062 – Andersen Geneve Secular Perpetual Calendar Known for his inventive complications and unique bespoke watches, Svend Andersen was a pioneer in independent watchmaking. He established his own brand in 1979 and cofounded the AHCI in 1986. Four decades on, he continues to produce watches using artisanal and traditional methods. A good example of his mechanical creativity is the secular perpetual calendar that made its debut in 1996 – the first of its...

The Mysterious Rolex Daytona Zenith “Luna Rossa” at Sotheby’s

The most talked-about watch at Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches auction in Hong Kong is lot 2300, a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona powered by a Zenith El Primero movement that’s described as “a possibly unique… chronograph wristwatch with a red dial”. And as with all high-profile watches, the auctioneers have given the watch an Italian nickname, “Luna Rossa”, which translates as “red moon”. The reason the “Luna Rossa” is controversial is because such a red dial has never ever been seen before. Usually unicorns are known and whispered about, even if seldom seen, but the “Luna Rossa” has surprised everyone. Experts and insiders I approached have neither encountered nor heard of such a dial, which makes it quite a revelation. But they all agree it is correct – in the sense that all elements are identical to known Rolex dials of the period – though of unknown origin. Sotheby’s itself hasn’t provided much background about the watch, either officially or unofficially. Unlike the unique platinum Daytona “Zenith” that Sotheby’s sold last year, setting a record price for a modern Daytona, which had a backstory that was I managed to uncover, the “Luna Rossa” remains a mystery. The dial is glossy red lacquer, with gold indices and sub-dials When such unusual dials emerge, the immediate question is one of authenticity. The “Luna Rossa” passes the test – the dial is correct in its details. The element usually regarded as crucia...

Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches

Seiko’s and Japan’s very first wristwatch, the 1913 Laurel, is one of the prettiest watches I have ever seen. More than a century after its conception, it still looks fresh. It’s also, as you can imagine, a rather important watch. To underline that and make it possible to wear a watch that honors the beginning […] Visit Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches to read the full article.

Auctions: Buzz Aldrin's Watches Are Coming To Auction

This story has been republished from our friends at Hodinkee Australia.   Amongst the lots in Sotheby's New York's latest Space Exploration auction, I found some interesting things. In fact, I found 24 of them. Watches - all owned by none other than retired Brigadier General of the U.S. Air Force, and second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. The astronaut, born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., has listed a large portion of his watch collection, primarily Omegas, but there's a smattering of watches from other brands amongst the spacefaring lots. It's no surprise that Buzz's Apollo 11-flown Omega Speedmaster Professional isn't present; that watch is still lost, stolen on the way to the Smithsonian after its sojourn to the moon in 1969 (and it still technically belongs to the U.S. government). Buzz Aldrin in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, wearing that aforementioned lost Omega Speedmaster ref. ST105.012. Image courtesy of NASA There’s a range of Omegas that are meaningful to Aldrin that he’s acquired through decades of collecting, including dive watches he relied on as an experienced scuba diver and a big box of souvenir watches. There’s no denying the man is a collector and a true watch enthusiast. Bidding is open online right now before live bidding sessions begin on July 15th in New York - here are some of the highlights. Jaeger-LeCoultre Shark Deep Sea Chronograph Image courtesy of Sotheby's This is the most interesting watch in the sale that isn’t an Omega: Aldrin’s JLC Shar...

Watches & Wonders Announces 2027 Dates and New Exhibitors

Watches & Wonders, the world’s most important luxury watch fair, will return in 2027 from April 5-11 in its traditional venue of Palexpo, the cavernous exhibition complex beside Geneva’s airport. The event takes place over a week, with Monday to Thursday being invite-only days open to members of the trade, while Friday and the weekend are ticketed public days. All of the major luxury brands will return for the fair, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Tudor, and Chanel, alongside a range of independent marques. But 2027 will also see new exhibitors, including Breitling, Gallet and Universal Genève, the trio that make up the House of Brands, the entity set up to contain the three brands led by Georges Kern. Notably, niche Italian jeweller Damiani will also exhibit at W&W; 2027, joining giants like Cartier, Bulgari, and Van Cleef & Arpels.