Antiquorum ‘s December auction has always been a crucial event for enthusiasts and collectors. Not only because it closes the year by celebrating the collectible watch market, but because it often offers catalogs of surprising richness, capable of igniting international discussions, re-evaluating forgotten models and consecrating new wristwatch myths.
The December 12, 2025 edition promises to be one of the most eclectic and fascinating in recent years: high school complications, pop icons, vintage rarities, precious metals, exotic shapes, and references almost never seen on the market.
Antiquorum presents a diverse, intelligent selection, calibrated between watches that speak to the purest connoisseurs and models with irresistible aesthetic appeal. Here I will show you a collection that seems to chronicle the very evolution of contemporary collecting: more aware, more attentive to provenance, more sensitive to design, and much more willing to reward true rarity.
Be careful though; you will not find estimates for these masterpieces here, as I do not like to talk about figures when dealing with vintage watchmaking and it has much more to tell than the zeroes that accompany them in auctions. Just linger, contemplate the beauty that the effects of time have had on these iconic timepieces. Are you ready?
Lot 6 – Hamilton Bomb Timer Watch
The first relevant lot is an object that blends history, technology, and period spirit: the1940 Hamilton Bomb Timer, a military piece created for aviation needs, when timekeeping was a matter of precision and survival.
These timers, initially mounted aboard aircraft on pilot consoles to support pointing and computation operations, represent one of the most authentic testimonies to American instrumental watchmaking during World War II.
The growing interest in mid-twentieth-century military instruments could make this lot a surprise of the auction: few pieces convey the energy of history with the same immediacy.
Lot 30 – Patek Philippe “Bag”
Not a watch, but an object that speaks the language of Patek Philippe elegance: two fabric and leather travel bags with a matching beauty case included.
These are rare accessories, sought after by collectors who like to complete their timepiece sets or own watches that originally came with similar travel packs.
The growing culture of the “extended full set” makes these items more desirable than ever. This is not a record lot, but it is a connoisseur’s lot: true collectors know how much these details affect the overall value of a piece.
Lot 33 – Franck Muller Perpetual Calendar ref. 2850QP
Franck Muller, before becoming a brand with bold aesthetics, was one of the greatest contemporary masters of complications. The ref. 2850QP, a perpetual calendar framed in the typical Cintrée Curvex case, perfectly recounts this golden age.
The perpetual movement, the curvature of the case, the sensuous proportions of the tonneau, and the very strong identity of the house make this lot a classic of the watchmaking renaissance of the 1990s.
Lot 61 – IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Blue ref. IW3752
IWC’s Da Vinci line is a staple in the world of modern perpetuals, especially thanks to the contribution of the legendary Kurt Klaus. Reference IW3752 immediately stands out for its deep blue dial, one of the most elegant for this series.
The complication is legible, technical, and engineeringly unique. In recent years, Da Vinci perpetuals are experiencing substantial revaluation: the combination of aesthetics, history, and engineering makes them objectively undervalued compared to more expensive alternatives.
Lot 67 – Cartier Baignoire Yellow Gold ref. 57869 / 028456
The Cartier Baignoire is one of the most iconic forms of art deco reinterpreted. In its yellow gold version, it represents the quintessential Parisian style: light, chic, instantly recognizable.
The reference in the catalog is elegant, well-proportioned, shot through with the purest Cartier DNA: minimalist dial, sensual elliptical shape, jewel-like presence rather than just a watch.
The market is increasingly rewarding Cartier’s vintage female and unisex references: strong competition is expected for this lot.
Lot 71 – Cartier Crash Paris Dial
The Crash needs no introduction. It is one of the most iconic objects ever created by Cartier, a watch that looks like something out of a Dalí painting and perfectly represents the creative ambition of the fashion house in the 1960s. For the uninitiated, the Cartier Crash has a rather bizarre history. The idea for this “wacky” design came from a Cartier watch model Baignoire or Maxi Oval that was brought in for repair after being involved in a serious car accident and deformed by the heat of a fire. Jean-Jacques Cartier was fascinated by the distorted shape and decided to reproduce it in a new watch model. To say the least, it was ingenious.
The presence of a Paris dial, with the inscription most sought after by collectors, exponentially amplifies the importance of the piece.
The Crash is extremely rare, highly desirable, and has registered staggering figures in recent years. This lot will in all likelihood be among the most watched lots in the entire auction.
Lot 74 – Universal Genève Tri-Compax ref. 181102
Universal Genève is experiencing an impressive revival, and the Tri-Compax is the house’s signature model. Reference 181102 brings together chronograph, astronomical indications and great 1940s-60s elegance.
The vintage charm is intact: indexes, tricompax configuration, subtle proportions.
It is a watch that tells the story of watchmaking from a different point of view than that of the great dominant Swiss maisons: more artisanal, more human, more romantic.
Lot 99 – Patek Philippe Nautellipse ref. 3770/11JA-SCI
The Nautellipse is an ingenious cross between the elliptical purity of the Ellipse and the sporty coolness of the Nautilus.
Reference 3770/11JA-SCI is a grail for those who love Pateks outside the box.
Double material, 1980s aesthetic, a shape that remains etched in memory.
It is the perfect Patek for those who want to stand out from the usual “Calatrava-Nautilus” pairing: a rare piece, with character, intended for a very precise but very passionate niche.
Lot 111 – Omega Speedmaster Tropical Dial ref. CK2915/1
Lot 111 stuns. One of the most historic and important pieces in the entire auction: theOmega Speedmaster CK 2915/1 with tropical dial. We are talking about the first generation of Speedmasters, the one from which descends the whole genealogy that will lead to the Moonwatch. The presence of a dial veered in tropical hue gives the piece an even greater rarity, turning it into a valuable testimony to the natural evolution of materials over time. The CK 2915/1 is an epoch-making model with a steel bezel and Broad Arrow hands, the beating heart of a myth that still transcends watchmaking.
Lot 123 – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Square ref. 6005ST
The Royal Oak Square is among the least known but most fascinating chapters in the history of the model. The ref. 6005ST offers a striking geometric reinterpretation: octagonal bezel meets square case, creating a unique presence on the wrist.
These variants are sought after today precisely because of their controlled eccentricity: collectors who “already have it all” look for models like this to add depth to their collections.
Lot 145 – Patek Philippe 1463 “Bronze”
The Patek Philippe 1463 is already one of the most beloved and mythologized chronographs of vintage production.
But a “Bronze” version is something totally different: an absolute rarity, a collector’s unicorn.
The 1463 is famous for being the only vintage Patek chronograph with a water-resistant case and pump pushers. To see it in this extremely rare variant is an event.
One of the most important lots not only in the auction, but in the entire 2025 market.
Lot 179 – Rolex Day-Date Blue Stella Dial ref. 18206 / 18200
Stella dials are the colorful myth of Rolex: vivid, lacquered, bold.
In platinum, then, they become pure magic. References 18206 / 18200 with Blue Stella dials represent an extremely sought-after combination: the coolness of platinum, the power of color, the iconicity of Day-Date. Forgive the pun but, it will be a lot destined to fly… all the way to the firmament.
Lot 181 – Rolex Daytona Paul Newman ref. 6241 14K gold
The Paul Newman 6241 is already one of the most desired Daytonas in the world. But in its 14K gold version, intended primarily for the American market, rarity skyrockets.
Low production figures, magnetic aesthetics, exotic dial, and the most mythical Daytona of all.
A “last page of the catalog” lot: a natural candidate to become the top lot of the auction.
Conclusions
In short, the December 12, 2025 Antiquorum auction appears as a perfect compendium of the many souls of watchmaking: from military instrumentation to complicated masterpieces, from design icons to vintage rarities, from highly technical pieces to those that represent the aesthetic spirit of their time. Each lot tells a different story, helping to build an extremely rich panorama that is deeply representative of the historical moment in collecting.
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