Here we are again, in the middle of May’s auctions weekend.
In the same city, the top three auction houses of all time – together with others – are proposing to the market some of horology’s most valuable treasures.
Here’s our editors’ Top 3.
George Daniels Grand Complication
Among all the watches proposed, this masterpiece couldn’t get unnoticed.
Due to rarity, it’s not every day for a George Daniels watch to be sold, but when an only-piece with such technical and historical importance is for sale at auction, it’s a real event.
For the ones who doesn’t already know, George Daniels was a very important self-taught British watchmaker that was able to develop highly advanced timepieces, with incredible quality and precision.
It’s mainly remembered as the inventor of the Coaxial escapement, one of horology’s most clever creations, widely adopted by Omega nowadays.
The watch you’re looking at features a perpetual calendar, retrograde date indicator, minute repeater, coaxial tourbillon, thermometer and equation of time. The last one is a complication that calculates the difference between the displayed time and Earth’s real time, allowing then to calculate sunrise and sunset.
It’s for sale along with another creation from the English master, but the public’s attention is definitely aimed at this unbelievable piece.
Such a watch, except for the intrinsic importance of the piece and the watchmaker that manufactured it, it’s something amazing. When have you had the chance to see all these functions in a single timepiece?
It’s even more astonishing if we look at its minimalistic aesthetics, that makes it almost look as a simple old-fashioned timekeeper.
Sold yesterday, Phillips’ Lot 34 has achieved 2.420.000 CHF including premium (2.129.680 €), with a starting bid of 1.000.000CHF. It’s a good result for a pocket watch, but we were expecting much more clamor for this watch during the auction.
Andrea C. – Chief editor
Universal Geneve Aerocompax
Phillips auctions are always a special event for watch collectors, a mix of amaze and enthusiasm dictated by rare and astonishing watches. Among the over 220 proposed lots, one stole my attention in particular, and it’s my absolute personal favorite: the Universal Genève Aerocompax.
To me, this watch embodies the perfect ideal of vintage chronograph.
The Aerocompax was born in 1936 under the name of Aviator’s Compact Chronograph.
Pump pushers, steel case… but the characteristic that immediately steals our attention is the little subdial at 12. It is actually a “memento dial”, meant to keep track of a specific time.
If you ask me, amongst all the timepieces that will be sold at auction, the Aerocompax is the one that represents the most the ideal of a collection’s watch with an incomparable history and charm.
The lucky buyer of this vintage chronograph won’t get it as an investment, but for the pleasure of wearing a masterpiece from last century’s horology.
Phillips Auction House’s Lot 93
Estimated price 10.000-15.000CHF (circa €8.800-13.100)
Sold for 12.500CHF (11.000€)
Vittorio M. – Editor
Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 “Polipetto”
Taking a look at the countless Phillips’ lots, you’ll notice that the level of this May’s auction watches is remarkable.
I’d like you to focus on the lot number 15 in particular, represented by a watch that might look fairly common, despite being one of the most sought-after and rare modern models: the Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 “Polipetto”.
The Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 “Polipetto” (Italian for “Little Octopus”) was presented in 2008 in limited edition, for the 50th anniversary of the Italian Police Sub Unit. (Limited edition of 78 pieces).
The name “Polipetto” comes from the little octopus we can find at 9, being the Crest of the Sub Unit.
As all military watches, we find the specific assigned engravings on the case back .
That being said, we need to make clear that, from the 78 examples, only 28 features the military patent engraved on the case back (in this case N.383, on the left) and the subaqueous use certificate, and only 3 of these 28 have a custom sign.
The remaining pieces can be found with the generic assignment, as pictured on the right.
An important detail that let us understand how rare this Sea-Dweller is, is that the “Polipetto” was a model delivered directly in the hands -or, better to say, on the wrist- of the lucky sub. They shouldn’t made it to the market.
The fact that only 78 pieces were manufactured and that were directly delivered to owners, makes this model very limited and difficult to find. We can only find it if the owner decides to give it away or if any seller convinced him before we did.
This specific example, sold yesterday as Lot 15, was delivered to the sub Mario Gianbalvo in December of 2008, and it’s one of the 28 with military assignment number (that you know it’s rare), beside its “unworn” conditions, amazing per se.
The winning price was pretty high. This time, Phillips estimated it to sell between 50.000 and 100.000 CHF (44.500-89.100€) and ended up with a last bid of 137.500CHF (121.005€) before premium, which underlines the huge interest collectors have in this watch.
Because of the Polipetto’s rarity and auction results, we can see it as a great investment for the future, hoping that the winner will eventually begin to wear it.
Alessandro M. – Editor
Patek Philippe 5271/12P-001
Beside the three previous pieces, we have a doozy for you.
You’re looking at one of Patek Philippe’s rarest modern chronographs ever.
Set with rubies and different gems in other versions, it’s one of the few editions reserved by the maison to its best clients around the world.
For a series of lucky events, I had the honor to see one in real life (the emerald version, you can find it on the page), and I can guarantee it’s something superb, for real.
Proposed by Christies in its Lot 84 with an estimate of 225.000-450.000 CHF (198.000-396.000€), it’s a difficult to find watch and represents one of Patek Philippe’s modern masterpieces, as well as a status symbol for the owner.
Andrea C. – Chief Editor
Actually, me and Andrea agreed on a Top 3. Being added the fourth, I feel compelled to add the fifth!
Pasha de Cartier perpetual calendar
In addition to Phillips and Christie’s, we can find Sotheby’s, the historical British auction house that from 1744 (yes, for 275 years) is auctioning some of the most important artworks, jewels, watches and many different collection pieces.
I’d be happy to feature another watch from the crown’s maison, there are a few Day-Date that I’m pretty sure you may find interesting…
…well, I must confess, they’re the lots 155, 165 and 183. It’s now an unofficial Top 8.
But let’s get serious, it’s now time for this weekend’s fifth watch. Not many knows that Gérald Genta, despite being the mind behind the Nautilus and the Royal Oak, breathe life to the Pasha de Cartier. Even though the master of horology was Swiss-italian, the Pasha has Moroccan origins.
This watch comes from a project by Louis Cartier (no pictures available, unfortunately) that built a similar watch for the Pasha of Marrakech in the 30s. In 1985, Genta reinterpreted it to be one the Parisian brand’s icons.
In this lot we find one of the most complicated versions (even diamond setted) from 20 years later. A perpetual calendar with moon phase, leap year indicator and minute repeater, signed by Gerald Genta, yellow gold 38 mm case, round-cut diamond set on the case front, lateral minute repeater switch and crown.
The key factor is the mother-of-pearl dial. Just look at the calendar’s elliptical subdials, the moon phase slot and the concentric circles originating from the center. To tell that it is a Cartier isn’t easy, if not impossible. The little print can be found at 6, below the date indication and just above the “swiss” print.
Particular, rather than beautiful, I’d say. It’s a shame that the front grid got lost, it would have been interesting to admire it in all its essence. Lot 113, estimated value of €26.661-44.436. Sold for €32.900.
Fabrizio B. – Co-Founder
We told all you needed to know about the 5 most interesting lots from three Geneva’s auction houses. All we can do now is to wait and keep an eye on the results!
Translated by Lorenzo Spolaor (@itsdoc_oclock)
