ON INTERNATIONAL TOUR:

DUBAI 03 – 04 OCTOBER

BANGKOK 11 – 12 OCTOBER

HONG KONG 22 – 23 OCTOBER

TAIPEI 25 – 26 OCTOBER

BEFORE BEING AUCTIONED IN GENEVA ON 12 NOVEMBER

Geneva – Christie’s autumn Rare Watches auction will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva on 12 November 2018. Offering 234 unique watches, spanning most periods from the late 18th century to the present day, many of which have been consigned by private collectors and are fresh to the market. With estimates ranging from CHF2,000 to CHF2,000,000 the sale offers watches for both new and established collectors and is expected to realise in the region of CHF 12 Million.

PATEK PHILIPPE

The top lot of the sale is unquestionably one of the most significant watch discoveries of the year. This first series Patek Philippe reference 2499 was purchased by the late father of the present owners in the early 1960s in Caracas, Venezuela, and is entirely fresh to the market. It is distinguished by its superb original overall condition and the signature SERPICO Y LAINO, CARACAS, to the combined date and moon phases dial. The outside of the case back displays the stamps "S.&L." and "18K", the calendar discs for day and month are in Spanish. To date, no other ref. 2499, all four series combined, retailed by Patek Philippe’s celebrated representative in Venezuela is known to exist (estimate: CHF/US$1,500,000-2,500,000 – illustrated above left). The case furthermore impresses, particularly for the period, with its large diameter of 37.6 mm. It was made by Wenger, one of Geneva’s most accomplished case makers at the time, indicated by the key symbol numbered 1 to the inside of the snap on back. The cases of the very first references 2499 were supplied by Vichet (hallmark key 9), featuring a smaller diameter of 36.2 mm., a concave case back and more elongated lugs. Complementing the top lot are two further world-class vintage Patek Philippe watches. Another newly discovered Patek Philippe reference 2438-1, made in 1959, one of the firm’s rarest perpetual calendar, was consigned by the family of the original owner, who have kept it in very good condition as well as all the paperwork and certificate of the watch (estimate: CHF/US$280,000-450,000 – illustrated above centre). The property of another important private collector and the second exceptional Patek Philippe reference 2499 in the auction, is a fourth series reference 2499/100. This example, made in 1981, is one of the "legends" of the reference – with tachymeter scale dial – possibly unique with this dial layout (estimate: CHF/US$550,000-950,000 – illustrated above right).

ROLEX

Important Rolex watches naturally feature strongly in this auction, led by a stainless steel Paul Newman "Panda" reference 6263 with Mk I dial. Consigned by the family of the original owner it carries an estimate of CHF300,000 to CHF500,000. Rolex watches with cloisonné enamel dials are always a highlight. One of the most beautiful and rare examples is the cloisonné enamel "Neptune", reference 8382, possibly unique on this reference. It has been consigned by an important private collector, the estimate is CHF350,000 to CHF550,000. Another great Rolex rarity is a hardly ever seen pink gold example of one of Rolex’s world time watches with Louis Cottier’s system, circa 1945, one of only three known to exist to date (estimate CHF/US$85,000 -125,000).

POCKET WATCHES

A highlight of the 26-lot strong pocket watch section is from the property of the late Claude Nobs, founder of the famous Montreux Jazz Festival: a Patek Philippe enamel watch entitled “Apollon et Issé” decorated with a unique enamel painting after François Boucher created by master enamellist G. Menni in 1985, who worked for Patek Philippe on several commissioned pieces throughout the 80s. Accompanying the watch is a magnificent and unique gold and enamel Patek Philippe watch stand named “Le Lion” with an impressive gold weight of over 1 kilo. This ensemble was part of the interior of Nobs’ mystique chalet “Le Picotin” and admired by countless musicians and artists he entertained over decades (estimate for the set is CHF/US$150,000-250,000).

Additional pocket watches with famous provenance include the great American industrialist Walter P. Chrysler’s Audemars Piguet pocket watch, with 9 complications, including a minute repeating perpetual calendar as well as a split seconds chronograph, which enables to read the timing of two events at the same time, for instance two cars racing, and has a 60-minute counter for single events of longer than one hour in duration. It was gifted to Mr. Chrysler by his friend and business partner James C. Brady, owner of Maxwell Motor Company in 1922, estimate CHF/US$100,000-200,000.

Over the past few years Christie’s has offered the most important masterworks by the legendary watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet to come to the market and will continue by presenting Breguet no. 3105 this autumn, consigned by a descendant of the watches original owner, the 2nd Earl of Lucan. The watch is an extremely fine and important, possibly unique, minute repeating on gong and quarters à toc, jump-hour watch with equation of time chart, estimate CHF/US$50,000-100,000.

In early September the first International Horology Forum took place at Christie’s London, including a round table discussion dedicated to British independent watch making. Following on, the Geneva sale will offer pieces by some of the most renowned Swiss independent watch makers, including superb pieces by Laurent Ferrier, Thomas Prescher, Maîtres du Temps “Chapter One” by Christophe Claret & Peter Speake-Marin, and Mermod Frères.

The impressive “Chapter One” by Maîtres du Temps is a tour de force of highly sophisticated yet practical functions and a world-first combination of complications made of 558 components: to date, no other wristwatch features a tourbillon with single button chronograph, retrograde date and retrograde GMT and furthermore rolling days of the week and moon phases displays. The offered watch is no. 1 of a limited edition of only 11 examples made (estimate: CHF/US$70,000-100,000). The “Chapter One” model is the result of a collaboration. It was designed and made by two legendary master watchmakers: Christophe Claret and Peter Speake-Marin. Christophe Claret’s exceptional movements are remarkable for their precision, reliability, and complexity. For Peter Speake-Marin, Chapter One expresses his knowledge of the historical tradition of fine watchmaking and to convey his belief in its future.

An incredible mechanical ingenuity is the “Primo 4 Jukebox” by Mermod Frères, which was made in a limited edition of 50 pieces in each white, pink and yellow gold in 2007. The Primo 4 is the only mechanical watch with a musical function that provides four tunes on four separate musical discs. The music, stored on four separate mini-discs located at the four points of the compass, is read using the principle of the juke box. To listen to a tune, it suffices to press the push button situated at 7 o’clock, which sets in motion the reading mechanism, moving the discs to the note comb. This operation can be repeated as often as wished (estimate: CHF/US$ 20,000-30,000).

The Tunes of the Primo 4 Musical Movement are as follows:

W.A. Mozart - The Magic Flute (Glockenspiel)

J. Pachelbel - Canon

J. Brahms - Hungarian Dance No. 1

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (Spring)

The first Thomas Prescher Tourbillon to be offered at public auction, consigned by the original owner, is a triple axis flying tourbillon with constant force mechanism and described by its maker as “a kinetic sculpture of time”. The genius of its design is that it allows the tourbillon to seem to hover in mid-air on its three flying axes. It is also the first wristwatch to feature a constant force mechanism within the tourbillon carriage itself. Furthermore, the movement powered by two barrels is crescent-shaped to allow the maximum amount of space to display the tourbillon to full advantage (estimate: CHF/US$150,000-250,000).

Thomas Prescher is a highly innovative modern watchmaker who has a particular interest in developing the multi-axis tourbillon for use within the challenging confines of the wristwatch. The “Tourbillon Trilogy” a series consisting of a single, double and triple axis tourbillon each with constant force mechanism was developed for Baselworld 2004 where the triple axis tourbillon was unveiled for the first time.

A superb selection of modern wristwatches including many of the most desired contemporary models are property of two important private collections.

The first, the Property of the Original Swiss Owner, showcases several iconic and special modern Patek Philippe wristwatches including a variety of Nautilus models, notably the extremely rare ref. 5711/1P; a unique reference 5960 with French calendar and white chronograph hand; a yellow gold reference 5004 split seconds chronograph and a platinum reference 5070 with blue dial. Entirely fresh to the market and purchased directly from Patek Philippe’s Geneva Salon, all the watches in the collection are accompanied by their original certificates and boxes. Estimates range from CHF12,000 to 200,000.

The second collection, the Property of an Important Swiss Private Collector, has been compiled over the last decade and comprises a variety of sought after brands and styles, the majority preserved in virtually new condition and sold with original certificates and boxes. Highlights of this collection include watches by Richard Mille and a selection of hard-to-get modern Rolexes including Cosmograph Daytona, Submariner and Sky-Dweller models. Estimates range from CHF 1,000 to 80,000.

CHRISTIE’S UPCOMING GLOBAL WATCHES SALES CALENDAR 2018:

RARE WATCHES | GENEVA 12 NOVEMBER
CHRISTIE'S WATCHES ONLINE | ONLINE 23 OCTOBER – 7 NOVEMBER
CHRISTIE'S WATCHES ONLINE/HGK | ONLINE 23 NOVEMBER 20 – 4 DECEMBER
IMPORTANT WATCHES | HONG KONG 26 NOVEMBER
CHRISTIE'S WATCHES ONLINE | ONLINE 27 NOVEMBER – 10 DECEMBER
WATCHES | NEW YORK 6 DECEMBER