Hodinkee
Editors' Picks: Three Watches That Dazzle From Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X
A trio of pieces that caught my eye in advance of tomorrow's sale.
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SJX Watches
Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part II
Here’s part II of highlights at Phillips’ Double Signed auction – you’ll find the first part here – including a lovely Audemars Piguet “Gobbi” chronograph with a green gold dial, as well as a gorgeous Patek Philippe Ref. 1463 “pink on pink” that’s more affordable than usual, for a reason. Lot 35 – Patek Philippe ref. 2499 in pink gold “Trucchi” The most valuable lot in the sale, with an estimate over 1.2m francs, is the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 third series in pink gold. It’s one of only six pink gold third series watches known; in fact, the total number of ref. 2499s in pink gold across all four series totals just 23. And this is the only one with the “Trucchi” signature on the dial, having been sold by the retailer in Naples that’s still in operation today. According to Phillips, it was sold by Trucchi to an Italian-American doctor in 1972, who then sold it to the consignor who sold the watch at auction in 1999 at Antiquorum in Geneva. It sold for almost 700,000 francs then, making it one of the most expensive watches in the world at the time. The watch is in exemplary condition, albeit with one quirk: the crystal is sapphire instead of PlexiGlas as is standard for the third series. Found only on fourth series ref. 2499s, the sapphire crystal and accompanying bezel was presumable installed by Patek Philippe in the 1980s according to Phillips, since the watch already had a sapphire crystal when it was sold in 1999. Lot 50 – Patek Phili...
SJX Watches
Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part I
Phillips’ thematic auction this season is titled Double Signed: A Celebration of the Finest Partnerships Between Manufacturers and Retailers, with a catalogue composed of watches with retailer signatures mostly on the dial, but occasionally on the case back. Though a retailer signature in itself does not make a great watch, many watches in the sale are already superb watches, but made even more special by the retailer’s mark, like the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 below. More broadly, Double Signed is more historically evocative than most other thematic auctions, because many of the retailers cited within represent a particular time and place that is long gone, even if the retailer remains in business. Examples include Serpico y Laino of Caracas, which no doubt prospered during Venezuela’s good times that are now long forgotten, or Le Palais Royal of Havana that was the island’s premiere retailer before the Communist revolution. Here’s part one of the roundup of highlights from the sale. (And part II is here.) Lot 11 – Vacheron Constantin tourbillon pocket watch ref. 92244 “Asprey” One of the most proper examples of haute horlogerie in the sale is this Vacheron Constantin pocket watch that contains an observatory-certified tourbillon movement from the 1940s, though the watch was only finished and sold in 1992. It’s believed that in the 1990s, Vacheron Constantin discovered a small number of tourbillon movements that had been tested and certified as chronomet...
SJX Watches
Hands-On: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked “Only Watch”
At Only Watch 2017, Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in black ceramic – but with a one-off blue dial – sold for a whopping 800,000 Swiss francs, with two phone bidders driving it to nearly seven times the high estimate. It was the third most expensive watch in the sale. This year’s contribution is no Royal Oak – far from it – but it’s surprisingly worthy of a second look. In fact, it’s probably the best-looking watch to emerge from the brand’s often criticised Code 11.59 line. Amidst the flak heaped upon it, the Code 11.59 range had a couple of standouts, including the Tourbillon Openworked. And that’s where AP started for Only Watch 2019. The Tourbillon Openworked Only Watch retains the slim, beautifully finished skeleton movement, eschewing the contentious Code 11.59 dial altogether. And the movement has a two-tone finish that smartly highlights the most important mechanical components. To match the movement, the Only Watch edition features a two-tone case that does justice to the Code 11.59 construction in a way the uniform colour of the standard models simply couldn’t. Superbly constructed In terms of size, the case is identical to the standard model – 41mm by 10.7mm. Beyond immediate impressions, the case is wonderfully constructed with a subtle and intriguing mix of shapes and finishing made obvious by the two-tone materials. The octagonal case middle is pink gold, while the rest of the case, including the lugs, are white gold,...
Hodinkee
Editors' Picks: Four Pilot's Watches From Phillips Double Signed Auction
A look at some special pieces from the November 9th sale.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Patek Philippe Ref. 3652 Minute Repeater “Golay Fils & Stahl”
The most intriguing watch in Phillips’ upcoming Double Signed auction is by far the smallest watch in the sale – it’s the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 that’s just 31mm in diameter. In fact, the ref. 3652 is a dead ringer for a Calatrava ref. 96 from the 1930s. But – the ref. 3652 is a unique reference produced during a brief period when Patek Philippe is known to have made a handful of remarkably interesting, one-off timepieces. All were powered by vintage movements, and some were vintage watches freshly re-cased. One example is the ref. 3651, a chronograph re-cased in the late 1980s of which only a handful are known. Most of these watches are now in its museum; some of them were made for Philippe Stern himself, who was then running the company alongside his father, Henri. The ref. 3652 was one such reference, created as a custom watch for a client. It’s a minute repeater made in 1985, but powered with a ladies’ watch movement from the early 20th century. And it has a fired enamel dial signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” – which was a watchmaker itself a century before. At 31mm, the watch is tiny by any standard. That’s compounded by the fact that the lugs are set widely apart, making the case seem even smaller. If not for the slide on the case, it would easily pass as a ref. 96, the quintessential Calatrava model that Patek Philippe produced for some four decades until 1973. But the ref. 3652 is neither a ref. 96 nor a vintage watch, which is why it’s inte...
Revolution
Povey’s Picks – Sotheby’s Important Watches November 12th 2019
Ross Povey presents some of the highlights among the impressive range of watches that Sotheby’s has assembled for its Novemeber 2019 sale.
Revolution
Povey’s Picks – Phillips Double Signed and The Geneva Watch Auction: X
Ross Povey presents some of the highlights among the impressive range of watches that Phillips has assembled for its Novemeber 2019 sale.
Revolution
Povey’s Picks – Christies Rare Watches 11th November 2019, Geveva
Ross Povey presents some of the highlights among the impressive range of watches that Christie’s has assembled for its 11th Novemeber 2019 sale.
SJX Watches
Rolex Unicorns Part III – Ref. 6062 Triple Calendar “Stelline Gordon Bethune”
The third important vintage Rolex – in my opinion – at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction, after the ref. 4113 split-seconds chronograph and mint ref. 8171 “Padellone”, is the ref. 6062 “Stelline” triple calendar that once belonged to Gordon Bethune, the executive best known for turning around Continental Airlines during his decade-long tenure starting in 1994. The watch a sterling example of the ref. 6062 – and will sell for well over a million dollars – but it is also notable for what it says about the development of the vintage watch market. Now 78 and retired, though he pops up regularly on CNBC to comment on the airline industry, Mr Bethune accumulated his watch collection over two decades. He sold the bulk of it in 2012, but remains probably the only famous business executive known to have collected watches in a serious fashion (another is perhaps former Hollywood talent agent Michael Ovitz, though he more widely regarded as an important collector of contemporary art). Mr Bethune’s collection was inclined towards great, even some of the best, examples of important, uncommon and desirable watches, rather than extraordinarily or unique models. So he owned one of the best-preserved, all-original examples of the ref. 6062s “Stelline”, rather than say a well-worn ref. 6062 with a black, diamond-marker dial. It was a cold day in December… The Gordon Bethune Collection of Fifty Exceptional Vintage Wristwatches took place in December 2012 at Christi...
SJX Watches
Christopher Ward Introduces the Military Collection
Founded in 2004 and selling its watches solely online, Christopher Ward has done some interesting watches at affordable prices, most notably the hand-wound, mono-pusher chronograph of 2017. But its latest is more straightforward: a range of watches inspired by vintage British military-issue timepieces. Unusally, the new models are licensed by the British Ministry of Defence to bear “the insignia of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force” for public sale. While not actual military-issue watches, the line draws on well-known watches once supplied to the arms of the British armed forces, with the army and air force models managing to best capture the look of the originals. Christopher Ward, admirably, cites the exact vintage inspiration for each of the new watches, so the new dive watch, for instance, is loosely based on the Omega Seamaster 300 supplied to the Royal Navy. All three new watches have a “glass box” sapphire crystal, and are powered by a COSC-certified Sellita SW200, a robust and cost-efficient automatic movement. Each model is named after the respective training academy for the service arm, starting with the C65 Dartmouth. It’s named after Britannia Royal Naval College, which sits beside the port of Dartmouth in southern England. The case is steel, 41mm, and rated to 150m. According to the brand, it is modelled on the Omega Seamaster 300 “Big Triangle”, a specific type of the dive watch that Omega supplied to the Royal Navy...
Time+Tide
NEWS: Vacheron Constantin opens first Australian boutique in Melbourne
Vacheron Constantin is one of the grand dames of Genevan watchmaking - tracing their lineage and continuous operation back to 1755, or 260-odd years. Shortly after Vacheron Constantin’s founding, Captain Cook set sail for Australian shores, claiming it as British sovereign territory in 1770. It took Vacheron Constantin a little longer to make its way … ContinuedThe post NEWS: Vacheron Constantin opens first Australian boutique in Melbourne appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED WATCHING: René Beyer on Beyer double-signed dials
In their upcoming auction, Phillips is focusing their attention on the finest examples of highly coveted double-signed dials. A double-signed dial is where a brand has allowed the name of the retailer that will sell the watch to appear on the dial, alongside the brand’s name. Retailers that have had the opportunity to showcase their … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: René Beyer on Beyer double-signed dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Aten-shun! The Longines Heritage Military is on parade
Editor’s note: From a purely real estate perspective, the dial is the most important part of the watch. It’s what you look at most of the time, and it’s the functional heart and soul of the watch. And while I’m willing to admit that other parts of the watch might play a role, let’s roll … ContinuedThe post Aten-shun! The Longines Heritage Military is on parade appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Povey’s Picks – Sotheby’s London 24th September 2019
Ross Povey picks out his favorite lots from Sotheby’s watches sale catalogue, to be held at London on September 24th, 2019.
Hodinkee
Bring a Loupe: A 1970 Rolex Turn-O-Graph Ref. 1625, A Heuer Chess Champion, And An IWC Cal. 83
The watches for sale on the web that you need to know about.
Hodinkee
Bring a Loupe: A Wittnauer Alarm, A Gilt Doxa Chronograph, And An IBM Master Clock
The must-know watches for sale from around the web.
Hodinkee
Bring a Loupe: A 1966 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 1013, A Wittnauer Professional Ref. 242T, And A Cartier 'Guillotine' Ref. 1200
Your weekly round-up of the watches you should know about for sale on the web.
SJX Watches
Interview: David Newman, Chairman of The George Daniels Trust – Part II
A watch and car man very much like George Daniels himself, David Newman – above in a recent picture with his Porsche 911 – is now the chairman of the George Daniels Educational Trust. Capitalised entirely by the proceeds from the sale of Daniels’ estate, the trust funds students in the United Kingdom, including those pursuing watch- and clockmaking. Mr Newman has overseen the trust since its inception, and shows no signs of slowing down. In the second part of my interview with him, he discusses how the trust came about, what it does today, and some of its upcoming projects. And Mr Newman talks about Roger W. Smith, the protege of Daniels and the torchbearer of his horological legacy. This is part two of the interview. Remember to finish part one before continuing on below. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. Tell us about how the trust and its charitable works came about. In the last ten years of George’s life, he was very occupied with what would happen when he passed away. He wanted to make sure everything was in place. I used to go to the island every three weeks. His kitchen had a very long table usually covered in correspondence and paperwork, and we spent hours there. He told me about the future and what he wanted to happen to his estate – his cars, motorbikes, clocks – which was important because he’d seen friends pass away and their collections dissipated. He was very aware that he was going to be passing away at some time and h...
Time+Tide
Why Edouard Meylan sells watches smarter
Editor’s note: Many executives in the Swiss watch industry are boring. They went to finance school, and they sell watches by looking at a balance sheet, never finding any of the watches in their own catalogue inspiring, and therefore never inspiring anyone to buy one. This could not be further from the truth for Edouard … ContinuedThe post Why Edouard Meylan sells watches smarter appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
See the George Daniels Space Traveller II at London’s Science Museum
Almost exactly a month ago at Sotheby’s in London, the George Daniels Space Traveller I sold for £3.62m, or about US$4.56m at the time, including all fees. It became the most expensive English watch ever sold, breaking the record set by the second Space Traveller that sold in the same venue two years earlier. After the landmark 2017 sale, the Space Traveller II disappeared into private hands somewhere in the United Kingdom. Now it has reemerged at the Science Museum in London, where it will be on display for at least three years. Made entirely by hand, as were all his watches, the Space Traveller II was produced after Daniels had sold the first version of the watch, which he greatly regretted. Along with the Grand Complication, the second Space Traveller was worn by Daniels until the end of his life. The first Space Traveller The first Space Traveller was conceived to commemorate the Moon landing of 1969, which is why it displays both mean solar time – the usual 24 hour day we use on Earth – as well as sidereal time, which is time based on the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. Once Daniels embarked on making the second Space Traveller to replace the first, he endeavoured to make it more complex, incorporating his proprietary “compact chronograph” mechanism. But it is no ordinary stopwatch, because the chronograph in the Space Traveller II can switch between mean solar time and sidereal time thanks to a clutch mechanism. “It is fitting that this stunning ...
Revolution
Povey’s Picks – Omega Speedmaster: To The Moon And Back
To celebrate of 50 years since the moon landing, Sotheby’s have curated a monothematic sale dedicated to the Speedmaster, the first watch worn on the moon.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s Presents Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Auction
To mark the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing – and the Omega Speedmaster’s moment of greatness – Sotheby’s has put together a Speedmaster-only auction that’ll take place in New York on July 19, 2019. A compact sale of just 50 lots, Omega Speedmaster: To the Moon and Back is dominated by vintage Speedmasters, including examples of every mainstream reference, meaning there is something for every budget – the most affordable watch in the sale is lot 31, a Speedmaster ref. 145.022 with a low estimate of just US$3000. Notably, all the watches in the sale have been “vetted by the manufacture”, and are accompanied by archive extracts. And the estimates are generally modest, reflecting the fact that the watches are mostly in good or strong condition, as opposed to being mint or “new old stock”. The top lot is an example of the first Speedmaster ever, the ref. 2915-1. Appearing quite worn but honest in the catalogue photos, it is lot 10 and has an estimate of US$150,000-200,000. And the watch is one of two ref. 2915-1 in the sale, with the other having a lower estimate in keeping with its condition. Lot 10 – Speedmaster ref. 2915-1. Photo – Sotheby’s Other “straight lug” Speedmasters in the sale include a few 2998s, as well as examples of the uncommon 105.002 and the more common 105.003 “Ed White”. With a lower estimate than the 2915-1 but but probably more interesting is the Speedmaster “Alaska III” prototype from 1978. One...
Revolution
Povey’s Picks: Monaco Legend Group 17th July 2019
This July’s ‘Exclusive Timepieces & Jewels’ sale at Monaco Legend Group’s purpose-built space in Monaco is the first under the new ownership of renowned dealer Davide Parmegiani.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: 5 highlights from Bremont’s 2019 collection
When Bremont burst onto the scene more than 10 years ago they were disruptive outsiders in a staid and often slow-moving industry. Since that time, the brand has gone from strength to strength - something that’s reflected in the solid, no-nonsense watches they make. And the Bremont 2019 collection is no exception, as we found … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: 5 highlights from Bremont’s 2019 collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Rolex GMT-Master II Meteorite Ref. 126719BLRO-0002
In the Rolex sports watch hall of fame, the GMT-Master II is arguably the most practical. It is a relatively affordable, dual time zone watch; and there are, after all, more people who travel than those who dive or race or sail. At the same time, the GMT-Master has always been available in precious metal, in 18k Everose for instance, and also lavishly bejewelled like the popular sapphire and ruby “SARU”. The new meteorite dial GMT-Master II, on the other hand, is bling meets functionality without the gemstones, making it an unusual and compelling watch. And it’s also the first time Rolex has used meteorite in a watch other than the Daytona or Day-Date. In fact, the meteorite GMT-Master probably the most practical ultra-luxe travel watch out there. And it costs only about US$1600 over the standard white gold GMT-Master with a blue dial, making it a worthwhile upgrade. Maybe “Pan Am” Rolex has not revealed what inspired the meteorite GMT-Master, but the GMT-Master “Pan Am” or “Albino” is obvious. Reputedly made in small numbers for executives at Pan American Airways – the company credited for the creation of the GMT-Master – the GMT-Masters fitted with white dials are either the refs. 6542 or 1675. A handful are known and have sold for well into six figures, but the white dial examples are controversial and often accompanied by unending questions as to whether they are legit. A jewel of a watch In contrast, the modern day equivalent of...
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED READING: Can you get rich from collecting watches?
While antique categories such as art, furniture and artefacts have long been recognised as stores of value, watches are a relative newcomer to the game of “buy low, sell high”. And this poses an interesting question – can watches help you get rich? It seems like every auction season, old records are broken, and new … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Can you get rich from collecting watches? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The ultimate watch glossary – beginner’s edition, from bezels to bracelets
Editor’s note: Watches can be intimidatingly confusing things, full of obscure parts with funny names. In this first part of our ongoing series ‘The ultimate watch glossary’, we start things off nice and slow with some entry-level terms. Even if you’re all over these terms, this page is perfect for sharing with your watch-curious buddies … ContinuedThe post The ultimate watch glossary – beginner’s edition, from bezels to bracelets appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Australian launch of the Longines Legend Diver at Time and Tide HQ in Melbourne was our blackest event yet
At long, long last we were able to host the Australian launch of the Longines Legend Diver Black at our headquarters in Cremorne, Melbourne this week. It heralded the watch officially going on sale in our shop, where it will be available for the next two months exclusively in Australia. To say that the moment … ContinuedThe post The Australian launch of the Longines Legend Diver at Time and Tide HQ in Melbourne was our blackest event yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED READING: 5 watchmaking manufactures you need to know
‘Manufacture’ is one of those watchmaking buzzwords you hear fairly frequently. Basically, it’s a fancy word for factory, but in the slow-moving and hallowed halls of horology it’s so much more. Think airy, well-lit rooms with highly skilled watchmakers investing countless hours on minute details most will never see. A far cry from the typical … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: 5 watchmaking manufactures you need to know appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.