After the auctions held in Geneva, watch enthusiasts and collectors are now turning their attention to Hong Kong. Here, between the end of May and the beginning of June, some of the leading auction houses-Phillips, Antiquorum and Christie’s-will sell some outstanding specimens, with a focus on the interests of the Asian market.
In this article, we will present some of our favorite pieces that we think will particularly stand out during the auctions.
Phillips
In Geneva, the auction house run by Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo once again confirmed the leading role it has in this market, being able to provide the many collectors with a wide variety of watches, exceeding previous expectations and riding on market trends.
The first watch we want to highlight in this auction is a spectacular Patek Philippe in rose gold, reference 1463, known among enthusiasts as “Tasti Tondi” because of the distinctive shape of its chronograph buttons.
Lot 895 turns out to be particularly incredible because of its configuration; of the 720 examples of Round Keys produced by Patek, only 49 are known to be in rose gold. In addition, it turns out to be particularly incredible the bracelet on this specimen, produced by Gay Frères, considered by many vintage enthusiasts to be the best bracelet maker of the era.
The same specimen was sold 13 years ago by its first and then only owner. For the upcoming auction, it has a sale estimate of €240,000 to €480,000, and with good chance it will garner considerable interest from enthusiasts in Hong Kong.
A second lot that caught our attention is number 883, a magnificent example of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700 in white gold. The uniqueness of this lot lies in the dial: in fact, at six o’clock, we can see the Khanjar royal logo, which means that it was commissioned by the Sultan of Oman to be given as a gift. A similar example was sold in this year’s April auction by Monaco Legend Group, with the only difference being the material, being in yellow gold, reaching the sale price, including auction fees, of €812,500.
The present lot turns out to be even rarer, as only three examples in white gold have appeared on the market, unlike the five in yellow gold. The sale estimate is between €480,000 and €959,000, and again we are sure that many Patek Philippe collectors will try to get it.
As the last lot we would like to draw your attention to No. 993, a stunning aqua watch produced by Cartier in 1929. This magnificent specimen was made using a remarkable variety of fine materials, including jade, marble, coral, aventurine, pearls and precious metals. It is also embellished by the presence of the outfit of the time and the fact that it has been photographed in several publications of important books concerning the Cartier world.
In this case, the auction house expects a sale price of no less than €250,000.
Christie’s
As for Christie’s auction, it will be lot 2256 that will attract considerable interest to itself, most likely achieving the highest sale price of all the auctions.
The watch is estimated to reach between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000, given its preciousness and importance in the history of Patek Philippe.
We will tell you more about this extraordinary piece in a dedicated article.
Another watch in the auction that particularly caught our attention was lot 2335, a magnificent specimen born of the collaboration between François-Paul Journe and Harry Winston, at the time managed by Max Busser, belonging to the 2001 Opus collection.
This watch retains the stylistic features of the renowned independent watchmaker as far as the dial is concerned, immediately calling to mind his Tourbillons with Remontoire d’Ègalité, the big difference lies, however, in the now iconic Opus case.
Only 18 pieces were born from the collaboration: six tourbillons, six with the Chronomètre à Résonance caliber and six automatics with five days of power reserve. Each piece is unique in its dial configuration from the other five.
The watch is estimated to reach between $250,000 and $500,000.
Antiquorum
Regarding the auction to be held by Antiquorum on June 1, we would like to bring to your attention the cover lot, a fantastic Rolex ref. 6062 “Stars.”
The name given by collectors to this watch comes from the unique configuration of the dial, with star-shaped markers.
The optimal condition of the watch, combined with this particular configuration of the dial, which has acquired a fascinating patina with the oxidation it has undergone over the years, makes it a piece that many collectors will seek to add to their collections.
The estimate given by the auction house is between US$ 360,000 and US$ 540,000.
Although the Geneva auctions are the benchmark for watch auction sales for many enthusiasts, those in Hong Kong, as well as other occasions throughout the year, are always worth keeping an eye on.
In fact, numerous enthusiasts from those countries sell important pieces from their collections every year, making these auctions must-attend events for collectors around the world.
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