NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s annual June auction of Important Watches concluded yesterday in New York with a robust total of $11.7 million. Interest from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States brought about a strong sell-through rate of 87% by lot. Ranging from intricate automata crafted in the early-19th century to daring contemporary wristwatches, top prices spanned hundreds of years of horological history:
SWISS MECHANICAL MARVELS PART II
Sotheby’s second and final offering of Swiss Mechanical Marvels totaled $4 million. The 20 enameled automata from the 19th Century were 100% sold, with over half of the lots purchased via online bidding. The collection was led by the Celebrated King Farouk Magician Box. One of six known question-and-answer Magician Boxes known to exist – three of which are housed in institutions – this fantastic example of Swiss craftsmanship from the early 1800s achieved $1,210,000. Attributed to Piguet & Meyland, with the goldsmith’s mark of Chenevard Jouvet & Cie Geneva, the interior showcases a magician, sagely waving his wand, providing answers to life’s great questions, such as ‘what is one’s greatest desire’.
AN EXTREMELY RARE ‘EURASIA’ WORLD TIME WRISTWATCH BY PATEK PHILIPPE
One of eight known examples of the Ref. 1415 featuring an enamel dial, of which only two depict a map of Eurasia, this highly-coveted World Time Wristwatch with an Enamel Dial by Patek Philippe fetched $730,000. Its sophisticated mechanism invented by Louis Cottier allows the wearer to set and view their home time by rotating the bezel, while simultaneously reading the current time in 41 world cities.
SEALED PATEK PHILIPPE WRISTWATCHES
The auction offered a fresh-to-market selection of wristwatches by Patek Philippe that remain in their original factory seal. The group was led by a Highly Important, Extremely Rare Pink Gold Minute Repeating Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Wristwatch, sold for $490,000. This Ref 5207, made circa 2012, incorporates leap year and day/night indications, as well as seconds and moon phases, in apertures on its black dial. With all of its complications, the watch required five years of research and development by Patek Philippe’s top-caliber engineers to complete.
INNOVATIVE DESIGNS
Innovative designs by Greubel Forsey and Audemars Piguet commanded top prices throughout the auction. Three double-tourbillon wristwatches by Greubel Forsey were all sold, led by a Very Fine and Rare White Gold Double Tourbillon Skeletonized Wristwatch that brought $175,000. With its four fast-rotating co-axial barrels and a 120-hour power reserve, this relative newcomer to the horological world is making a significant impact. An Extremely Fine and Rare Pink Gold and Forged Carbon Tourbillon Chronograph led a selection of wristwatches by Audemars Piguet, fetching $143,750. A contemporary version of the Royal Oak – an icon of the Audemars Piguet brand – this particular lot saw a flurry of bidding online and on the telephones.
