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Results for Sotheby's Important Watches

20,292 articles · 166 videos found · page 221 of 682

Glashütte Original Debuts Senator Panorama Date And Senator Panorama Date Moonphase Watches Revolution
Glashütte Original Debuts Senator Panorama Date Mar 26, 2013

Glashütte Original Debuts Senator Panorama Date And Senator Panorama Date Moonphase Watches

Dear all, I’m very pleased to show two new editions of the Senator. Glashütte Original continues to engage with the art of design, presenting quintessential expressions of the manufactory: the Senator Panorama Date and Senator Panorama Date Moon Phase. The in-house design team of Glashütte Original made a number of changes to achieve a stunning new look that is both […]

Due To The Growing Importance of the Asian Market, Fondation De La Haute Horlogerie will Revive the Large Scale Watches & Wonders Exhibition, This Time in Hong Kong! Revolution
Jan 26, 2013

Due To The Growing Importance of the Asian Market, Fondation De La Haute Horlogerie will Revive the Large Scale Watches & Wonders Exhibition, This Time in Hong Kong!

Long overdue and a natural step to respond to the growing importance of the Asian market in the luxury watch industry, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie will bring the most prestigious international watch exhibition outside Switzerland to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center this September. The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is the organiser behind the massive […]

Sneak Preview: Cartier watches SIHH 2013 Revolution
Ulysse Nardin Dec 13, 2012

Sneak Preview: Cartier watches SIHH 2013

Carole Forestier-Kasapi, director of fine watchmaking at Cartier has been an industry trailblazer since her tenure at Ulysse Nardin. Having overseen the high profile ID concept watch project, Forestier-Kasapi has addressed some of haute horology’s nagging issues namely- lubrication and energy loss in geared movements. Since production of the exemplary Cartier Astrotourbillon and the Rotonde […]

Rare Watches: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité with a gorgeous mother of pearl dial Deployant
F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité Aug 24, 2012

Rare Watches: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité with a gorgeous mother of pearl dial

Francois Paul Journe. A talented watchmaker. I had the pleasure of meeting with FP way back when he was yet a nobody…and had just made his first tourbillon remontoir d’egalité. The original looked like it was made in his garage, and indeed it was. But recently, I had the pleasure of spending a week withRead More

Fratello On Air: Wishes For Watches And Wonders 2025 Fratello
Mar 25, 2025

Fratello On Air: Wishes For Watches And Wonders 2025

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we share our hopes and dreams (not really) for what should be an epic Watches and Wonders 2025. After a blah 2024, we’re expecting some cracking releases. We discuss some of our wishes and the event in general. For our listeners, the watch content starts […] Visit Fratello On Air: Wishes For Watches And Wonders 2025 to read the full article.

Hands On: Breguet Four-Minute Tourbillon No. 1890 SJX Watches
Breguet Four-Minute Tourbillon No 1890 Nov 7, 2025

Hands On: Breguet Four-Minute Tourbillon No. 1890

In the coming weekend, one of the most important watches of this auction season will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s Breguet’s 250th anniversary thematic sale November 9 – Breguet no. 1890, a pocket watch with tourbillon and natural escapement made by the firm by Breguet while Abraham-Louis Breguet himself still helmed the company. The gilt dial with a regulator-style layout might seem familiar – the recent Classique 7225 reproduces this dial design. In fact, Breguet no. 1890 isn’t the only watch in this style; it belongs to a series of pocket watches all equipped with a four-minute tourbillon and échappement naturel from the early 19th century that were among the finest watches of the time. Breguet built just eight four-minute tourbillons with natural escapement, all of which thankfully survive, and only three with gold dials. King George III ordered the most famous example – almost identical to this watch – during the Napoleonic wars. For context, that would be like Churchhill (who owned a Breguet himself) ordering an A. Lange & Söhne watch during the Second World War. As such, it was signed Recordon, Breguet’s London agent, to disguise its French origins. Whirling About Regulator Almost 225 years ago, the French Ministry of the Interior granted A.-L. Breguet a patent for his most famous creation, the tourbillon – a clever exercise in lateral thinking. For a mechanical watch to keep the same time across all vertical positions the combined balance, st...

Live from London: George Daniels Space Traveller I Sells for US$4.56m SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Jul 2, 2019

Live from London: George Daniels Space Traveller I Sells for US$4.56m

The George Daniels Space Traveller I, one of the most important watches of the 20th century, has just sold at Sotheby’s in London for  £3.62m, or about US$4.56m, all fees included. That makes the Space Traveller I the most expensive watch sold in 2019 so far – though it will doubtlessly be eclipsed by the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime in steel for Only Watch – and the most expensive watch ever by an independent watchmaker. A big boost to Sotheby’s market share in watch auctions, the record-setting Daniels was the final lot in the first auction of Masterworks of Time, the sale of a collection of over 800 pocket watches owned by Erivan Haub, the late German supermarket tycoon. The last time the Space Traveller was sold was in 1988, where Haub paid  220,000 Swiss francs for it at Sotheby’s in Geneva. Prior to that, the watch was been sold by London antique watch dealer Bobinet in 1982 to a collector by the name of Jay Lennon. In almost forty years, the Space Traveller has had only three owners. The auction Having concluded just over an hour ago, the auction took place on a pleasant summer’s day in London, but it was slow going in the half-filled room. The average age of the attendees was notedly higher than that for a wristwatch auction, reflecting the niche nature of pocket watch collecting. But a crowd started to form as soon as it came to the Space Traveller, and the atmosphere perked up. Bidding started out as a tussle between an absentee bidder...

It is About Effing Time you watched the three amigos’ Watches & Wonders coverage Time+Tide
May 15, 2023

It is About Effing Time you watched the three amigos’ Watches & Wonders coverage

If you have yet to hop on the About Effing Time train, you are really missing out. Cause if anything, it is not even a train – it is a full-on party bus. Three horological Avengers assembled after a fateful encounter at Watches & Wonders 2022, where our very own Andrew McUtchen, George Bamford of … ContinuedThe post It is About Effing Time you watched the three amigos’ Watches & Wonders coverage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Edward R. Murrow’s Gold Bulova Chronograph Hits the Auction Block Next Month Worn & Wound
Bulova Chronograph Hits 4 days ago

Edward R. Murrow’s Gold Bulova Chronograph Hits the Auction Block Next Month

There are rare occasions in this line of work when you encounter real history that resonates with you. I’ve been fortunate enough through the years to handle a number of important vintage watches, owned by notable people, or simply incredibly rare and historic markers for their makers. These watches are visible and tangible links between the past and present and it’s always a thrill to be able to bear witness to one of these objects, even if only for a moment.  But let’s face it, most of the time when we’re talking about historically important vintage watches, we’re talking about watches that are historically important to the watch industry itself, and the history of watchmaking. New Hampshire’s Jones & Horan auction house, which specializes in horological auctions and has a knack for finding all kinds of unique and genuinely important pieces, will be selling a watch in their October auction that feels genuinely significant, and hits that Venn Diagram overlap of so many of my personal interests.  The gold Bulova chronograph seen here was owned by Edward R. Murrow, the famed CBS newsman, who influenced countless journalists and broadcasters and reshaped his industry multiple times. The watch is spectacular, incredibly well preserved, and interesting on a number of levels simply as a horological object. Adding Murrow’s incredibly well documented ownership of the watch into the mix makes it that much more special.  There are many photographs of Murrow wearing...

Introducing - Breguet Updates its Marine 5517 and Marine Chronograph 5527 with More Refined Dials Monochrome
Breguet Updates 4 days ago

Introducing - Breguet Updates its Marine 5517 and Marine Chronograph 5527 with More Refined Dials

While Breguet is mostly known for its classic watches adorned with guiloché dials and the numerous inventions of its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, the venerable manufacture nevertheless holds two sportier collections: one intended for aviation (the Type XX), the other for naval exploration (the Marine). And both are actually inspired by important historical moments in the […]

Complicated Collectors: Lord Sandberg SJX Watches
Sep 21, 2026

Complicated Collectors: Lord Sandberg

This weekend’s results at Sotheby’s Hong Kong typify contemporary interest in independent watchmaking, and in special editions of series-produced watches. In contrast, the Sandberg Collection, assembled by former HSBC chairman Baron Michael Sandberg, paints a picture of another era of watch collecting, when elaborately decorated pocket watches and exotic automata ruled the auction room. The latest chapter in our Complicated Collectors series explores some of the most emblematic pieces of this extraordinary collection. Before it was dispersed at Antiquorum in 2001, the Sandberg Collection ranked among the most ambitious private assemblies of horological art formed in the latter half of the 20th century. Comprising over 400 timepieces, it reflected sustained engagement with both the mechanical and symbolic dimensions of watchmaking. Lord Sandberg, in his office in Hong Kong. Image – South China Morning Post The holdings spanned time and geography, from Geneva enamels and French musical complications to English automata and Islamic and Chinese adaptations, alongside early German and English forms, yet they build a coherent whole.  Instead of building around a single school or brand, Sandberg assembled a collection participating in a larger conversation: between European and Oriental markets, between religious and secular symbolism, and between utility and ornament. Lord Sandberg’s long residence in Hong Kong likely shaped both his access and his perspective. Chinese...

First Look - The Blancpain Lady B, a Small, Spherical and yet Mechanical Wrist-Worn Jewel Monochrome
Blancpain Lady B Sep 17, 2026

First Look - The Blancpain Lady B, a Small, Spherical and yet Mechanical Wrist-Worn Jewel

With its motto of never producing quartz watches, its manufacturing capabilities and its rich heritage in dive watches, Blancpain is often spontaneously associated with technical, masculine watchmaking. But this overlooks an important chapter in the brand’s history. In the middle of the 20th century, its development was driven by Betty Fiechter, a remarkable figure at […]

First Look - Panerai Celebrates 100 Years in Florence with the Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01734 and PAM01794 Monochrome
Panerai Celebrates 100 Years Sep 10, 2026

First Look - Panerai Celebrates 100 Years in Florence with the Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01734 and PAM01794

In 2026, Panerai celebrates 100 years of its boutique in Piazza San Giovanni, Florence. Originally opened in 1926 as “Orologeria Svizzera”, the boutique became an important part of the Panerai family’s history, a place where watches were sold but also assembled and repaired. The preserved location, reopened to the public in 2001 following the renovation, […]

Seiko Revisits the 1913 Laurel With New Enamel and Urushi Presage Models HCC005 and HCC006 WatchRider
Seiko Revisits Aug 13, 2026

Seiko Revisits the 1913 Laurel With New Enamel and Urushi Presage Models HCC005 and HCC006

Seiko has introduced two new Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship watches that return to one of the most important designs in its history. The HCC005J1 uses a handmade white enamel dial while the HCC006J1 takes a darker route with black Urushi lacquer and a yellow-gold-coloured case. Both were announced on 13 August 2026 and are scheduled to reach Seiko boutiques and selected retailers in September 2026. These are not simple colour changes. Each model uses a traditional Japanese dial technique and each has its own character. The white version is the clearer tribute to Seiko’s original Laurel wristwatch from 1913. The black model keeps the same basic layout but changes the mood completely through lacquer, gold details and a warm case finish. A Return to the 1913 Laurel The Laurel is important because it was Japan’s first wristwatch. Its white enamel dial, expressive Arabic numerals and red 12 became a clear visual signature. Seiko has used those details before, but the HCC005J1 brings them together in a convincing modern package. The red numeral at 12 immediately catches the eye while the curved black numerals and blue hands keep the design easy to recognise. The new watches also add a 24-hour display at six o’clock. It gives the dial a little more depth without disturbing the balance of the numerals. This is not an independently adjustable second-time-zone function. It follows the main time and shows whether the watch is indicating the first or second half of the day...

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Pocket Watch Hodinkee
Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Pocket Watch Just Jul 27, 2026

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Pocket Watch

Just last week, we published a Reference Points video on the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch. The complication itself—a.k.a. the rattrapante—is incredibly important in the brand's history, forming the backbone for some of its greatest and most coveted watches of all time. However, you can't talk about the history of the split without understanding Patek's pocket watches. It's a story that eventually led to one of the brand's most meaningful relationships with a supplier that helped it grow into a powerhouse, a relationship that would last over a century. Instead of going deep in the weeds on pocket watches in our main Reference Points, we're spinning it off into this secondary article—an addendum of sorts—for those who want a bit more background. The story won't be exhaustive; Patek continued to make split-second pocket watches long after they began making the same complication in wristwatch form, and some such watches deserve (and have had) their own standalone stories. There are also many different versions because Patek, at the time, didn't make things in batches the way they would starting in the 1930s. You could probably write 20,000 words on these pocket watches, but rather than go that deep, here's an overview of Patek's split-seconds pocket watches, with a focus on Victorin Piguet's movements. Understanding Patek's History of Split-Seconds Pocket Watches (1878 to 1970s) and the Importance of Victorin Piguet If you read the first part of our story, y...

Hands-On: the Beaucroft Arc Worn & Wound
Beaucroft Arc There’s genuine horological Jul 10, 2026

Hands-On: the Beaucroft Arc

There’s genuine horological history in the home of Beaucroft Watches, the independent brand founded in 2020 in Cambridge. England was once the heart of the world’s finest watchmaking, a legacy that dated back to the 16th century. Some of the most important innovations originated in these early epochs, up until Switzerland took the mantle in the mid-1800s: complex clocks meant for royalty, and instruments for gauging the stars and the sea alike. Thomas Tompion, the “Father of English Clockmaking,” pioneered the hairspring as a viable means of regulating time, clockmaker Thomas Mudge invented the lever escapement in 1755, and John Harrison’s marine chronometer solved the problem of determining longitude once and for all.  Zoom forward about five centuries. Some of the most exciting, historically-minded efforts in independent watches are emerging from British watchmakers, many of whom are attempting to evoke this proud tradition. For Beaucroft, whose latest watch is the Arc, there’s no lack of influence to draw from among Cambridge’s stone archways, pointed Gothic windows, and the ancient towers that loom over King’s and Trinity Colleges.  The Arc is an evolution of Beaucroft’s last release, 2023’s Seeker, which laid the groundwork for the watchmaker’s design language. Namely, pill-shaped baton markers with unique markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 that feature round pips at the end, resembling automotive gauges. Diamond-cut hour and minute hands are shaped li...

First Look - The 2026 Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB001, HCB002 and HCB003 Monochrome
Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB001 Jul 7, 2026

First Look - The 2026 Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB001, HCB002 and HCB003

There’s no denying that Seiko’s collection is vast, ranging from accessible, sporty watches in the Seiko 5 Sports collection to professionally-oriented tool watches from the Prospex line. Also important for the Japanese manufacturer is the Presage range, itself to be divided into several sub-collections. The highlights are, without a doubt, the Craftsmanship Series that pays […]

First Look - The New 37mm Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA Lake Suwa SLGB015 Monochrome
Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA Lake Jun 24, 2026

First Look - The New 37mm Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA Lake Suwa SLGB015

Back in April 2025, as the highlight of Watches and Wonders, Grand Seiko unveiled an important new duo of models for its Evolution 9 collection: the titanium SLGB003 and the platinum SLGB001. A new 37mm case, an unprecedented and appealing new dial texture, finally a micro-adjustment on the clasp and, most importantly, the launch of the new calibre 9RB2, also known […]

Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection Fratello
Grand Seiko Launches Four New References Jun 24, 2026

Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection

Here we are, just a couple of short months after Watches and Wonders 2026, and Grand Seiko is pressing the launch button in a major way. Today, we’ve got live photos of the refreshed Evolution 9 collection, which encompasses five new Spring Drive and four new Hi-Beat models. This is one of the most important […] Visit Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection to read the full article.

Introducing: The Barrelhand Monolith Has Landed Hodinkee
Omega s Speedmaster ultimately earning May 28, 2026

Introducing: The Barrelhand Monolith Has Landed

After six years in development, Barrelhand is formally launching the Monolith, a watch that represents a new generation of the tool watch genre built explicitly for the space age. Watches have played an important role in the history of human space travel, but few have actually been designed and engineered to meet ISO aerospace standards, NASA material guidance, and EVA/IVA testing protocols consistent with the needs of a crewed deep-space mission. The Monolith represents exactly that, with Barrelhand going to great lengths to meet a standard that tool watches are rarely held to these days. At the dawn of the Apollo program, with five years of learning from the Gemini program under their belt, NASA issued a memorandum outlining the need for a standard flight-crew wrist watch. The story that follows is a widely known part of watch lore, with Omega's Speedmaster ultimately earning the coveted "Flight Qualified" status, and thus a spot on every crewed flight of the Apollo program from 1968 to 1972. The testing protocols developed by NASA put a handful of commercially available watches through a battery of tests that included exposure to extreme temperature, pressure, and shock, and while none would ace the testing, the Speedmaster came out the other end in arguably the best shape. It's important to note that none of the watches selected by NASA's Procurement and Contracts Division were built with these tests in mind. The Speedmaster and the Daytona were both built with automot...

Highlights: Exotic Mechanics at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Chronomètre À Résonance Brass May 22, 2026

Highlights: Exotic Mechanics at Christie’s Hong Kong

A menagerie of exotic movements features in Christie’s upcoming Hong Kong auction, Important Watches: Featuring “Kronos: Titans of Time”, “The Eternity” and “The Chronicle” Collections, from Double Splits and double movements to torque management and monitoring. Lot 2352 – F.P. Journe Chronomètre À Résonance (Brass Movement) While the current iteration of the Chronomètre À Résonance is far more elaborate, using a differential to split the trains — each of which contains its own constant force device — this early F.P. Journe Chronomètre À Résonance with its 18k pink gold dial was much more ambitious in its time, developed by an upstart restorationist from Paris in a market that was hostile to independent brands compared to today. Resonance timepieces, or more accurately, those using coupled oscillators, can be traced all the way back to Christiaan Huygens, also known for inventing the pendulum clock and many, many contributions to mathematics and the sciences. He described the coupling of his pendulum clocks as an “an odd kind of sympathy” and sought to exploit this dampening effect to make pendulum clocks viable at sea, though this was ultimately unsuccessful. It would take more than a hundred years for Abraham-Louis Breguet — often hailed as the greatest watchmaker — to bring this phenomena to a watch, and then almost two hundred more for arguably the greatest living watchmaker to bring it to the wrist. That was, of course, François-P...