Time Instruments
including automata
See also : Clocks Mechanical craft ca 1800 Jaquet-Droz and followers Patek Philippe Development of Patek Philippe Super watches Watches II Switzerland before 1940 Louis XVIII to 2nd Empire
Chronology : 1820-1829 1830-1839 1933 1939 1968 1983
Chronology : 1820-1829 1830-1839 1933 1939 1968 1983
1820 The Singing Birds of Geneva
2011 SOLD 45.5 MHK$ including premium
Geneva got an important place in art history for its jewelry and its precision mechanical crafts. The pair of singing birds created circa 1820, attributed to Frères Rochat, for sale by Christie's in Hong Kong on May 30, is exceptional.
These automata are pistol shaped and their barrels house the hundreds of mechanical components. The decor is exquisite and the materials are precious: gold, enamel, agate, pearl, diamond. They are shown on the release shared by Artdaily.
When the trigger is pulled, the colorful bird leaves at the end of the barrel, turns, opens and closes its wings and beak, sings. After such a work, it returns home.
They are in exceptional condition, as demonstrated by a video on the website of Christie's. Singing bird pistol automaton are very rare, and these are the only remaining specimens that have been kept as a pair. The auction house admits that it is difficult to predict the price of such an absolutely unique lot, and advances a very open estimate range: HK $ 20 to 40M.
POST SALE COMMENT
The prices of lots that are unique of their kind have no limit. Excellent result for this one: HK $ 45.5 million including premium.
I invite you to play the video shared on the web by Christie's :
These automata are pistol shaped and their barrels house the hundreds of mechanical components. The decor is exquisite and the materials are precious: gold, enamel, agate, pearl, diamond. They are shown on the release shared by Artdaily.
When the trigger is pulled, the colorful bird leaves at the end of the barrel, turns, opens and closes its wings and beak, sings. After such a work, it returns home.
They are in exceptional condition, as demonstrated by a video on the website of Christie's. Singing bird pistol automaton are very rare, and these are the only remaining specimens that have been kept as a pair. The auction house admits that it is difficult to predict the price of such an absolutely unique lot, and advances a very open estimate range: HK $ 20 to 40M.
POST SALE COMMENT
The prices of lots that are unique of their kind have no limit. Excellent result for this one: HK $ 45.5 million including premium.
I invite you to play the video shared on the web by Christie's :
1835 The Clock of the Duc d'Orléans
2012 SOLD 6.8 M$ including premium
The most extraordinary ancient timepiece that was recently sold at auction is the clock of the duc d'Orléans, reaching $ 5.8 million including premium at Sotheby's in New York on 2 December 1999. It is listed again on December 4 by the same auction house. Here is the link to the catalog.
In 1795, Abraham-Louis Breguet imagines the combination of a clock and a watch. This outstanding inventor manages later to achieve this stupendous set known as Breguet Sympathique.
After being used during the day, the watch is repositioned in a cradle at the top of the clock. At midnight, the clock triggers a mechanism that enters the watch, measures and rectifies the error. After a few days, the value of the error is integrated into the beat of the watch and its adjustment becomes automatic.
When Breguet died in 1823, five copies have been made. Only kings can afford to own such an expensive mechanism.
Being an extremely remote cousin of Charles X, Louis Philippe I becomes King of France after a revolution. His eldest son, the duc d'Orléans, is a brilliant prince who would like to live again in the luxury of the Ancien Régime. He commissions his sympathique clock to the Breguet workshop. It is completed in 1835.
Luxury adds to technical feat. 58 cm high, the piece is made in the imitation of Boulle style which is so fashionable in that time, in a cabinet by Bellangé and with Denière bronzes on a design by Questel.
The clock and the watch of this set have not been separated. Having been restored to operation by George Daniels, it provides an exceptional demonstration of one of the most advanced ideas of automatism.
POST SALE COMMENT
Again a great and deserved price for this fabulous clock: $ 6.8 million including premium.
In 1795, Abraham-Louis Breguet imagines the combination of a clock and a watch. This outstanding inventor manages later to achieve this stupendous set known as Breguet Sympathique.
After being used during the day, the watch is repositioned in a cradle at the top of the clock. At midnight, the clock triggers a mechanism that enters the watch, measures and rectifies the error. After a few days, the value of the error is integrated into the beat of the watch and its adjustment becomes automatic.
When Breguet died in 1823, five copies have been made. Only kings can afford to own such an expensive mechanism.
Being an extremely remote cousin of Charles X, Louis Philippe I becomes King of France after a revolution. His eldest son, the duc d'Orléans, is a brilliant prince who would like to live again in the luxury of the Ancien Régime. He commissions his sympathique clock to the Breguet workshop. It is completed in 1835.
Luxury adds to technical feat. 58 cm high, the piece is made in the imitation of Boulle style which is so fashionable in that time, in a cabinet by Bellangé and with Denière bronzes on a design by Questel.
The clock and the watch of this set have not been separated. Having been restored to operation by George Daniels, it provides an exceptional demonstration of one of the most advanced ideas of automatism.
POST SALE COMMENT
Again a great and deserved price for this fabulous clock: $ 6.8 million including premium.
1902 Fabergé Egg
2007 SOLD 9 M£ including premium by Christie's
Surtout connu pour ses œufs, le légendaire joaillier #Fabergé a également été un pionnier dans le travail de l’email https://t.co/jX2LfcNu0D pic.twitter.com/w2yPxpTyd4
— Christie's Paris (@christiesparis) May 23, 2017
1933 Supercomplication for the Use of New York
2014 SOLD for CHF 23.2M including premium
Patek Philippe knew to listen to their wealthy private clients. The Geneva brand remains for that reason since over a century the pioneer of miniaturization accompanied by an increasing number of complications in pocket watches and later in wristwatches.
By 1900, the Palmer specimen was a pocket watch with minute repeater, months, days of the week, split-second chronograph, grande and petite sonnerie and the phases of the moon.
James Ward Packard, the car industrialist, was one of the most demanding customers of Patek Philippe. In 1916, he obtained a pocket watch with sixteen complications, and in 1927 he had a celestial chart added to nine other complications in a single watch.
When Packard died in 1928, the New York banker Henry Graves Jr. had already ordered the world's most complicated pocket watch, with 24 complications divided into two dials including the night time sky from New York City.
Completed in 1932, the Supercomplication is a unique piece for which Patek Philippe had mobilized their best specialists. The assembly of its 920 components in a case 74 mm in diameter and 36 mm thick is a technical feat that will remain unmatched until the era of computer-aided design.
The Supercomplication was delivered to Graves on 19 January 1933 for CHF 60K, nearly five times the price of the ultimate Packard watch. It was sold for $ 11M including premium by Sotheby's on December 2, 1999. It is for sale by Sotheby's in Geneva on November 11, lot 345.
I invite you to play the video shared by Sotheby's.
By 1900, the Palmer specimen was a pocket watch with minute repeater, months, days of the week, split-second chronograph, grande and petite sonnerie and the phases of the moon.
James Ward Packard, the car industrialist, was one of the most demanding customers of Patek Philippe. In 1916, he obtained a pocket watch with sixteen complications, and in 1927 he had a celestial chart added to nine other complications in a single watch.
When Packard died in 1928, the New York banker Henry Graves Jr. had already ordered the world's most complicated pocket watch, with 24 complications divided into two dials including the night time sky from New York City.
Completed in 1932, the Supercomplication is a unique piece for which Patek Philippe had mobilized their best specialists. The assembly of its 920 components in a case 74 mm in diameter and 36 mm thick is a technical feat that will remain unmatched until the era of computer-aided design.
The Supercomplication was delivered to Graves on 19 January 1933 for CHF 60K, nearly five times the price of the ultimate Packard watch. It was sold for $ 11M including premium by Sotheby's on December 2, 1999. It is for sale by Sotheby's in Geneva on November 11, lot 345.
I invite you to play the video shared by Sotheby's.
1939 Platinum Patek Philippe 1415 HU World Time
2002 SOLD for CHF 6.6M (worth at that time US $ 4M) including premium by Antiquorum
1943 Steel against the Wear of Time
2016 SOLD for CHF 11M including premium
Until the second world war and a little beyond, the use of stainless steel is exceptional in the high-end wristwatches made by Patek Philippe. Owners identify luxury with gold or platinum. Steel watches are produced on special request from customers who fear some wearing related to their own heavy use.
The Reference 1518 is in production from 1941 to 1954. In the following of some pre-war prototypes, it is the first commercial model to offer altogether these two appealing complications which are the chronograph and the perpetual calendar, in addition to the moon phases.
It is ahead of its time and patrons do not rush. 281 watches are built in this reference which is an average of 20 per year. Most are in yellow gold. 34 of them are in pink gold : one of them previously discussed in this column was sold for $ 795K including premium by Antiquorum on April 10, 2013 ; another one, made in 1948, is for sale in Geneva by Phillips on November 13, lot 196.
The 1518 in stainless steel are extremely rare : only four are known. This is not really surprising : we must indeed recognize some contradiction between the need for a perpetual calendar and the fear of wear.
The first two 1518 in stainless steel were manufactured in 1943 and sold together to a same customer in February of the next year. One of them remaining in an immaculate condition had probably been intended by him as a spare. It is for sale by Phillips in Geneva on November 12, lot 38. The press release of September 22 is announcing an estimate in excess of CHF 3M.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM :
Stainless steel : SOLD for CHF 11M
Pink gold : SOLD for CHF 1.47M
The Reference 1518 is in production from 1941 to 1954. In the following of some pre-war prototypes, it is the first commercial model to offer altogether these two appealing complications which are the chronograph and the perpetual calendar, in addition to the moon phases.
It is ahead of its time and patrons do not rush. 281 watches are built in this reference which is an average of 20 per year. Most are in yellow gold. 34 of them are in pink gold : one of them previously discussed in this column was sold for $ 795K including premium by Antiquorum on April 10, 2013 ; another one, made in 1948, is for sale in Geneva by Phillips on November 13, lot 196.
The 1518 in stainless steel are extremely rare : only four are known. This is not really surprising : we must indeed recognize some contradiction between the need for a perpetual calendar and the fear of wear.
The first two 1518 in stainless steel were manufactured in 1943 and sold together to a same customer in February of the next year. One of them remaining in an immaculate condition had probably been intended by him as a spare. It is for sale by Phillips in Geneva on November 12, lot 38. The press release of September 22 is announcing an estimate in excess of CHF 3M.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM :
Stainless steel : SOLD for CHF 11M
Pink gold : SOLD for CHF 1.47M
1943 Continuous Improvement at Patek Philippe
2010 SOLD 6.25 MCHF including premium
The market for luxury wristwatch is characterized by the overwhelming dominance of Patek Philippe. This is due to the care taken to improve the models, the miniaturization of movements, but also the aesthetic awareness.
The model 2499, introduced in 1951, is a star of the sales of watches, and it would be tedious to report all its millionaire results. Before it, for ten years, the flagship of the luxury line was the 1518, which I have not yet discussed in this column.
This is neither the one nor the other but a 1527 that is estimated 1.5 MCHF by Christie's, for sale in Geneva on May 10. Fitted with chronograph, perpetual calendar and moon phases, this watch has the features of the best models of its time, 1943, but its barrel ("tonneau") shape made it a precursor to future refinements.
1527 was manufactured in two copies only. So it is a kind of prototype or custom order carefully kept in mind by the designers of the firm in Geneva waiting for better post war times.
It was unknown to the experts before the sudden appearance of the copy of Christie's on the market 20 years ago. The other copy, simpler (no chronograph), was a surprise six years ago when the son of a former owner of Patek Philippe gave it to the museum of the brand.
POST SALE COMMENT
I warned it more than once: 2010 is a great year to be attentive to exceptional lots. This unique Patek Philippe is an important link in the history of the brand, and in the history of wristwatches as a whole.
The price obtained is as fabulous as the piece: 6.25 MCHF including premium.
Christie's was able to convince the rather closed circle of the collectors of top watches. I say "closed circle", because I had not seen any newspaper article on this lot. The auction house is proud of the result: they posted on Twitter without waiting for completion of the sale (which is also not yet finished at the time of my comment).
The image of this watch is shared post sale by La Tribune de Genève.
The model 2499, introduced in 1951, is a star of the sales of watches, and it would be tedious to report all its millionaire results. Before it, for ten years, the flagship of the luxury line was the 1518, which I have not yet discussed in this column.
This is neither the one nor the other but a 1527 that is estimated 1.5 MCHF by Christie's, for sale in Geneva on May 10. Fitted with chronograph, perpetual calendar and moon phases, this watch has the features of the best models of its time, 1943, but its barrel ("tonneau") shape made it a precursor to future refinements.
1527 was manufactured in two copies only. So it is a kind of prototype or custom order carefully kept in mind by the designers of the firm in Geneva waiting for better post war times.
It was unknown to the experts before the sudden appearance of the copy of Christie's on the market 20 years ago. The other copy, simpler (no chronograph), was a surprise six years ago when the son of a former owner of Patek Philippe gave it to the museum of the brand.
POST SALE COMMENT
I warned it more than once: 2010 is a great year to be attentive to exceptional lots. This unique Patek Philippe is an important link in the history of the brand, and in the history of wristwatches as a whole.
The price obtained is as fabulous as the piece: 6.25 MCHF including premium.
Christie's was able to convince the rather closed circle of the collectors of top watches. I say "closed circle", because I had not seen any newspaper article on this lot. The auction house is proud of the result: they posted on Twitter without waiting for completion of the sale (which is also not yet finished at the time of my comment).
The image of this watch is shared post sale by La Tribune de Genève.
1952 The Whim of an Emperor
2017 SOLD for CHF 5.1M including premium
Bao Dai had been the Emperor of Viet Nam from 1926 to 1945. France attempts to rebuild its colonial policy by promoting the former emperor as head of state of the Etat du Viet Nam. The military reverses of the French army at Dien Bien Phu make the feasibility of the new state increasingly unlikely.
In the spring of 1954 the peace negotiations are held at the Hôtel des Bergues in Geneva. We easily understand that they are exhausting for Bao Dai. One day under an excuse of fatigue he leaves the conference, crosses the street and enters the shop of a retailer. He wants to take as a souvenir from Geneva a Rolex wristwatch that matches his high rank.
The employees are eager to satisfy this wealthy client but he refuses all the pieces that are brought to him. They manage to make him wait until the coming of a Rolex emissary with the most luxurious available watch of the brand, waiting for a customer in their headquarters since 1952. Bao Dai is happy to purchase this watch which now has on its case the slight wear of his frequent use.
This yellow gold Rolex 6062 features in its water-resistant Oyster type case a triple day-date-month calendar and the phases of the moon. Its black dial is embellished with the five indexes of even hours that are realized in diamonds. This is the only unit in this configuration. Two other watches are known with diamonds at the six odd indexes.
Directly coming from the family of the fallen emperor, the Bao Dai Rolex was sold for CHF 370K on 18 November 2002 by Phillips, de Pury et Luxembourg. It returns to the same auction house, now Phillips, on May 13 in Geneva, lot 93. The press release of March 27 announces an estimate in excess of US $ 1.5M worth CHF 1.5M.
In the spring of 1954 the peace negotiations are held at the Hôtel des Bergues in Geneva. We easily understand that they are exhausting for Bao Dai. One day under an excuse of fatigue he leaves the conference, crosses the street and enters the shop of a retailer. He wants to take as a souvenir from Geneva a Rolex wristwatch that matches his high rank.
The employees are eager to satisfy this wealthy client but he refuses all the pieces that are brought to him. They manage to make him wait until the coming of a Rolex emissary with the most luxurious available watch of the brand, waiting for a customer in their headquarters since 1952. Bao Dai is happy to purchase this watch which now has on its case the slight wear of his frequent use.
This yellow gold Rolex 6062 features in its water-resistant Oyster type case a triple day-date-month calendar and the phases of the moon. Its black dial is embellished with the five indexes of even hours that are realized in diamonds. This is the only unit in this configuration. Two other watches are known with diamonds at the six odd indexes.
Directly coming from the family of the fallen emperor, the Bao Dai Rolex was sold for CHF 370K on 18 November 2002 by Phillips, de Pury et Luxembourg. It returns to the same auction house, now Phillips, on May 13 in Geneva, lot 93. The press release of March 27 announces an estimate in excess of US $ 1.5M worth CHF 1.5M.
1968 The Exotic Daytona
2017 SOLD for $ 17.8M including premium
Rolex launches in 1963 the Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239 for the use of drivers of endurance racing cars. The brand believes that other customers will be proud to own such a watch with high-end performance. Sales are disappointing. To revive the model in late 1966 Rolex offers more stylish dials with a choice in a range of pleasing colors and with better designed numerals. This model is referred as 'exotic'.
Paul Newman discovers the joys of car racing in 1968 when he plays with Joanne Woodward for the movie Winning which will be released in the following year. Joanne is his wife in this film and since 1958 in life. She is unfaithful in the film and madly in love in their privacy.
Joanne is worried about Paul's new passion for this dangerous sport. She offers him in 1968 a Daytona 6239 exotic on the back of which she has made inscribed the good advice "Drive Carefully Me".
Hyperactive and philanthropist, Paul is one of Hollywood's most popular personalities. Maniac in the accuracy of time, he is crazy about his 6239. Readers of magazines have fun to see Paul exhibiting regularly on his wrist this Rolex, recognizable from a distance by the simplicity of its design with the three sub-dials. Since the mid-1980s, exotic Daytonas have been nicknamed Paul Newman by the collectors without the intervention of the brand and without distinction of models (6239, 6241 and 6262 to 6265).
Paul is nice. One day when his daughter Nell's boyfriend forgot his watch, he gave him the 6239. Nell and James later separated without ceasing to cooperate closely. This eponymous watch to all the Daytona Paul Newman lineage is for sale by Phillips in association with Bacs and Russo on October 26 in New York, lot 8. Its consignor is James and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Nell Newman Foundation created by Nell in 2010 to continue the charitable work of her father.
This watch intensely used by Paul has never been modified or reworked. It joins the glamor of Hollywood with the beautiful story of the two generations of Newmans. Observers consider that its estimate at $ 1M will be exceeded.
It is the first of three watches of that next sale discussed by the auctioneer Aurel Bacs in the video shared by Hong Kong Tatler.
Paul Newman discovers the joys of car racing in 1968 when he plays with Joanne Woodward for the movie Winning which will be released in the following year. Joanne is his wife in this film and since 1958 in life. She is unfaithful in the film and madly in love in their privacy.
Joanne is worried about Paul's new passion for this dangerous sport. She offers him in 1968 a Daytona 6239 exotic on the back of which she has made inscribed the good advice "Drive Carefully Me".
Hyperactive and philanthropist, Paul is one of Hollywood's most popular personalities. Maniac in the accuracy of time, he is crazy about his 6239. Readers of magazines have fun to see Paul exhibiting regularly on his wrist this Rolex, recognizable from a distance by the simplicity of its design with the three sub-dials. Since the mid-1980s, exotic Daytonas have been nicknamed Paul Newman by the collectors without the intervention of the brand and without distinction of models (6239, 6241 and 6262 to 6265).
Paul is nice. One day when his daughter Nell's boyfriend forgot his watch, he gave him the 6239. Nell and James later separated without ceasing to cooperate closely. This eponymous watch to all the Daytona Paul Newman lineage is for sale by Phillips in association with Bacs and Russo on October 26 in New York, lot 8. Its consignor is James and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Nell Newman Foundation created by Nell in 2010 to continue the charitable work of her father.
This watch intensely used by Paul has never been modified or reworked. It joins the glamor of Hollywood with the beautiful story of the two generations of Newmans. Observers consider that its estimate at $ 1M will be exceeded.
It is the first of three watches of that next sale discussed by the auctioneer Aurel Bacs in the video shared by Hong Kong Tatler.
from 1983 A Collection of 4370 Swatch watches
2011 SOLD for HK$ 51M including premium by Phillips
from 1983 The Swatch Brand
2015 SOLD for HK$ 47M including premium
Swatch is a great Swiss success story that enabled the reconquest of the market of cheap watches against an overwhelming dominance of the Japanese industry. This brand was launched in 1983 after three years of development.
The idea of the founders was to reduce as much as possible the number of components in order to minimize the production costs. The technical challenge was to maintain in these conditions the accuracy of the instrument while ensuring an acceptable operating duration.
The marketing has been very innovative, promoting fun illustrations and even unprecedented uses. The user can pin his Swatch watch on his jacket or tie with it her ponytail. In 1985, some limited editions are illustrated by artists. Swatch collaborated with Kiki Picasso and Keith Haring, without neglecting the popular themes such as movies and sports competitions.
On November 24, 2011, Phillips sold the Blum collection as a single lot for HK $ 51M including premium. Composed of a total of 4370 pieces, this set included 795 prototypes, some of them predating the 1983 original release.
On April 7 in Hong Kong, Sotheby's sells the Dunkel collection, lot 2189. This superlot consists of 5800 pieces including 45 prototypes, mainly from 1983 to 2008. Here is the link to the press release.
The idea of the founders was to reduce as much as possible the number of components in order to minimize the production costs. The technical challenge was to maintain in these conditions the accuracy of the instrument while ensuring an acceptable operating duration.
The marketing has been very innovative, promoting fun illustrations and even unprecedented uses. The user can pin his Swatch watch on his jacket or tie with it her ponytail. In 1985, some limited editions are illustrated by artists. Swatch collaborated with Kiki Picasso and Keith Haring, without neglecting the popular themes such as movies and sports competitions.
On November 24, 2011, Phillips sold the Blum collection as a single lot for HK $ 51M including premium. Composed of a total of 4370 pieces, this set included 795 prototypes, some of them predating the 1983 original release.
On April 7 in Hong Kong, Sotheby's sells the Dunkel collection, lot 2189. This superlot consists of 5800 pieces including 45 prototypes, mainly from 1983 to 2008. Here is the link to the press release.
1989 The Yellow Gold Calibre 89
2009 SOLD 5.1 MCHF including premium
2017 UNSOLD
PRE 2017 SALE DISCUSSION
The reference 989 by Patek Philippe better known as Calibre 89 was for many years the most complicated watch in the world and is still now the most complicated ever made by that prestigious brand. It is now overcome by another pocket watch, the unique specimen of Vacheron Constantin reference 57260 released in 2015 for a private customer.
The working prototype of the Calibre 89 was completed in July 1988 and the yellow gold copy was released only nine month afterward, in April 1989.
The yellow gold Calibre 89 was immediately offered in Geneva in a themed auction devoted to 'The Art of Patek Philippe' : that brand new watch fetched the equivalent of US$ 3.2M at Habsburg Feldman on April 9, 1989 which was at that time a world auction record for a watch.
This unit was sold for CHF 5.1M including premium on November 14, 2009, by Antiquorum successor to Habsburg Feldman. It is now estimated in excess of CHF 6.5M for sale on May 14 by Sotheby's in Geneva, lot 171.
I introduced the utmost importance of the Calibre 89 in the history of horology before the 2009 sale, as follows :
The best wristwatches are highly sophisticated masterpieces of miniaturization. Pocket watches, not limited by the size of the wrist, can do even better in terms of convened complications.
In 1989, Patek Philippe celebrates its one hundred fiftieth anniversary with the model Calibre 89, which had required more nine years of design, manufacturing and assembly.
According to the brand, it is the "most complicated watch in the world": double open faced with a dial for solar time and a dial for sidereal time, 33 complications, 24 hands, 1728 components. All of this fits in a case of 89 mm in diameter and 41 mm thick and weighs 1100 grams.
The Calibre 89 was produced in only four copies, respectively in yellow gold, white gold, pink gold and platinum. On April 24, 2004, Antiquorum sold for CHF 6.6M including premium then worth $ 5M the white gold watch.
Please play the videos shared by Sotheby's : the shorter one is an appealing introduction of that lot. The other video is cleverly showing the indexes related to the complications.
The reference 989 by Patek Philippe better known as Calibre 89 was for many years the most complicated watch in the world and is still now the most complicated ever made by that prestigious brand. It is now overcome by another pocket watch, the unique specimen of Vacheron Constantin reference 57260 released in 2015 for a private customer.
The working prototype of the Calibre 89 was completed in July 1988 and the yellow gold copy was released only nine month afterward, in April 1989.
The yellow gold Calibre 89 was immediately offered in Geneva in a themed auction devoted to 'The Art of Patek Philippe' : that brand new watch fetched the equivalent of US$ 3.2M at Habsburg Feldman on April 9, 1989 which was at that time a world auction record for a watch.
This unit was sold for CHF 5.1M including premium on November 14, 2009, by Antiquorum successor to Habsburg Feldman. It is now estimated in excess of CHF 6.5M for sale on May 14 by Sotheby's in Geneva, lot 171.
I introduced the utmost importance of the Calibre 89 in the history of horology before the 2009 sale, as follows :
The best wristwatches are highly sophisticated masterpieces of miniaturization. Pocket watches, not limited by the size of the wrist, can do even better in terms of convened complications.
In 1989, Patek Philippe celebrates its one hundred fiftieth anniversary with the model Calibre 89, which had required more nine years of design, manufacturing and assembly.
According to the brand, it is the "most complicated watch in the world": double open faced with a dial for solar time and a dial for sidereal time, 33 complications, 24 hands, 1728 components. All of this fits in a case of 89 mm in diameter and 41 mm thick and weighs 1100 grams.
The Calibre 89 was produced in only four copies, respectively in yellow gold, white gold, pink gold and platinum. On April 24, 2004, Antiquorum sold for CHF 6.6M including premium then worth $ 5M the white gold watch.
Please play the videos shared by Sotheby's : the shorter one is an appealing introduction of that lot. The other video is cleverly showing the indexes related to the complications.
2015 Patek-Philippe 5016A-010 in stainless steel
2015 SOLD for CHF 7.3M with no applicable buyer's premium by Phillips for Only Watch
2017 Titanium and Triple Complication
2017 SOLD for CHF 6.2M in charity sale without premium
Organized every two years by the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, the OnlyWatch charity sale requires the offer by each participating brand of a watch guaranteed as unique of its kind. The 2017 event is entrusted to Christie's in Geneva on November 11.
Patek Philippe responds most often with a high-end model in a refractory metal unusual in its similar productions : titanium in 2007 and 2013, steel in 2011 and 2015. The Patek Philippe 5016A-010 sold by Phillips on November 7, 2015 fetched CHF 7.3M.
The titanium comes again in 2017 with the unique Patek Philippe 5208T-010, lot 12 estimated CHF 900K.
Released in 2011 with a platinum 5208P version, the 5208 is a triple complication watch : minute repeater, mono-pusher chronograph and perpetual calendar with apertures and phases of the moon taking into account the leap year. It is resistant to moisture and dust but not to water. Its removable back case can be replaced by a transparent back in sapphire crystal providing visibility onto the inside. It is assembled with more than 700 parts.
In the ever-improving range of the Patek Philippe complication watches, the 5208 is the first wristwatch whose triple complication includes a chronograph, unlike the 5207 released in 2008 with a tourbillon.
Patek Philippe responds most often with a high-end model in a refractory metal unusual in its similar productions : titanium in 2007 and 2013, steel in 2011 and 2015. The Patek Philippe 5016A-010 sold by Phillips on November 7, 2015 fetched CHF 7.3M.
The titanium comes again in 2017 with the unique Patek Philippe 5208T-010, lot 12 estimated CHF 900K.
Released in 2011 with a platinum 5208P version, the 5208 is a triple complication watch : minute repeater, mono-pusher chronograph and perpetual calendar with apertures and phases of the moon taking into account the leap year. It is resistant to moisture and dust but not to water. Its removable back case can be replaced by a transparent back in sapphire crystal providing visibility onto the inside. It is assembled with more than 700 parts.
In the ever-improving range of the Patek Philippe complication watches, the 5208 is the first wristwatch whose triple complication includes a chronograph, unlike the 5207 released in 2008 with a tourbillon.
