Geneva, November 11, 2007. Antiquorum second Geneva autumn sale realized an excellent result of SFr. 9,121,480 (US$ 8,125,495) in turnover. The catalogue comprising 307 lots realized sales of 80 % by lot and 124% by value. The two autumn Geneva sales have produced a combined auction turnover of SFr. 20,000,000.
The November sale of Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket Watches & Clocks was held in a filled-up ballroom at the Grand Hotel Kempinski where the collectors were competing against almost 300 registered on-line and telephone bidders. Strong international participation came from Asia, North America, Russia, UK, Germany and Italy. 15 % of the lots was sold via the Antiquorum on-line system.
Mr. John Tsukahara, CEO of Antiquorum said after the auction “ I am very pleased with the result of the sale and congratulate the Antiquorum team for an excellent accomplishment. I enjoyed assisting in the auction on Sunday and feeling the vigour in the saleroom. The market continues to strengthen and Antiquorum has, with one more sale to come this year, maintained its place as the market leader in the field of horological auctions”
The highlights of the sale were: lot 307 the Patek Philippe, Genève "Watch with 9 Complications, First Class Observatory Rating" Ref. 969 being one of only two examples, pocket chronometer sold for SFr. 402,500 to an american collector.
Lot 77 “Nobel Brother Petroleum Company Presentation Grande & Petite Sonnerie Clockwatch” sold for SFr. 233’000, an excellent result.
Lot 251 a Patek Philippe “Omani Jumbo Nautilus" in white gold obtained an exceptional price of SFr. 152,500 and lot 69 a Pink Gold Ref. 2526 Patek Philippe made the outstanding price of SFr. 175,500.
The interest for Rolex watches was again very strong. Lot 219 “Ref. 6234 Stainless Steel Pre-Daytona, Brown Color-Change Dial” sold for SFr. 256,000 and lot 259, a “Double-Red Sea-Dweller Submariner” made in 1967 as the patent was still pending, sold for more than 10 times its estimate at SFr. 135’250. Lot 116 “Black Dial Pre-Daytona” Ref. 6238 made in 1965.
Further outstanding prices have been paid for Lange & Söhne watches such as Lot 96, “Pour le Mérite” in platinum that was acquired for SFr. 335,300 by an italian collector as well as Omega watches that proved much sought after.
Highlights included in the November Geneva sale (for HIGH DEFINITION please click on the image)
Lot 307 Watch with 9 Complications, First Class Observatory Rating Patek Philippe, Geneve, No. 198336, case No. 2872513, Ref. 969. Movement made in 1929, completed and cased in 1993, sold on September 19, 2001. Sold including buyer's premium: 402,500 CHF
Lot 271 The Earliest Cartier Minute-Repeating Wristwatch Cartier, France, "Bracelet Montre Tortue Or", No. 20797, movement No. 30159. Entered into the Registers on August 2nd, 1928. Exceptionally fine and extremely rare, minute-repeating, tonneau-shaped, 18K yellow gold Art Deco wristwatch. Accompanied by a Cartier certificate. Sold including buyer's premium: 368,900
Lot 96 Pour le Mérite A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte I. SA., Tourbillon "Pour le Mérite", movement No. 317, case No. 110427, Ref. 701.005. No 27 of a limited edition of 50 examples. Made in 1996. Extremely fine and rare platinum wristwatch with one-minute tourbillon regulator, and 36-hour power reserve. Accompanied by fitted box, guarantee and instruction booklet. Sold including buyer's premium: 335,300 CHF
Lot 219 Ref. 6234, Stainless Steel Pre-Daytona, Brown Color-Change Dial Rolex, “Oyster Chronograph, Anti-Magnetic”, case No. 688586, Ref. 6234. Made in 1961, sold in 1962. Very fine and extremely rare, tonneau-shaped, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, tachometer and telemeter, with a stainless steel Rolex riveted expanding bracelet. Sold including buyer's premium: 256,000 CHF
Lot 77 “Nobel Brothers’ Petroleum Company Presentation Grande & Petite Sonnerie Clockwatch" Hy. Moser & Cie., Swiss, No. 4100. Especially made for the Nobel Brothers’ Petroleum Company, Baku (Azerbaijan), circa 1890. Very fine and extremely rare, trip-quarter-repeating, 18K yellow gold, polychrome enamel and rose-cut diamond-set, Grande & Petite sonnerie, keyless, hunting-cased, two-train clockwatch. Accompanied by a long 18K gold chain and the original fitted Moser box. Sold including buyer's premium: 233,000 CHF
Lot 94 Pour le Mérite A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte i. SA., Tourbillon "Pour le Mérite", movement No. 265, case No. 110258, Ref. 701.001. No. 8 of a limited edition of 150 examples. Made in 1996. Extremely fine and very rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, 36-hour power reserve and an 18K yellow gold A. Lange & Söhne buckle. Accompanied by a fitted box, guarantee and instruction booklet Sold including buyer's premium: 215,750 CHF
Lot 162 Ref. 5004 Yellow Gold Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 879651, case No. 4007802, Ref. 5004, first generation. Made in 1997, sold on November 6, 1997. Extremely fine, rare and important, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with coaxial round button split-seconds chronograph, registers, perpetual calendar, moon phases and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives. Sold including buyer's premium: 210,000 CHF
Lot 164 The Celestial Wristwatch Patek Philippe, Genève, The Celestial Wristwatch, movement No. 3328255, case No. 4292946, Ref. 5102G. Made circa 2002. Extremely fine, rare and unusual, astronomic, selfwinding, 18K white gold wristwatch with mean time indication, nocturnal sky chart of the Northern Hemisphere, moon phases and moon orbit, time of the meridian passage of Sirius and moon; with an 18K white gold Patek Philippe buckle. Sold including buyer's premium: 210,000 CHF
Lot 95 Pour le Merite A. Lange & Sehne, Glashutte I. SA., Tourbillon "Pour le Merite", movement No. 419, case No. 110360, Ref. 701.001. No 110 of a limited edition of 150 examples. Sold including buyer's premium: 210,000 CHF
Lot 69 Pink Gold Ref. 2526 Patek Philippe, Genève, retailed by Serpico y Laino, No. 761177, case No. 685310, Ref. 2526, 1st generation. Made in 1954, sold on March 29, 1955, Caracas, Venezuela. Very fine and extremely rare, early, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K pink gold wristwatch with enamel dial and the original 18K pink gold Patek Philippe gadrooned and tile-link bracelet. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives. Sold including buyer's premium: 175,500 CHF
Next auctions: Haute Horology for AIRC Milano, November 24 Prototypes and rare watches at auction in favour of cancer research Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket Watches & Clocks New York, December 5
About Antiquorum
Antiquorum is, unquestionably, the world’s leading watch auctioneer; Of the 62 watches ever sold publicly by major auction houses above SFR. 1,000,000, Antiquorum claims an impressive 44. In 2002, Antiquorum established the all-time world record price for a wristwatch at auction when it sold a platinum Patek Phililppe World Time Ref. 1415 from 1939 for an astounding CHF 6,603,500 (US$ 4,026,524). This record-breaking price more than doubled the previous world record price for a wrist watch at auction. Another record price for a modern watch was achieved in 2004, the unique white gold Calibre 89, also by Patek Philippe, was sold for SFr. 6,603,500 (US$ 5,002,652).
