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Watch market is like a microcosm of the art market - Sotheby's
10 May '10
6 min read
Rare “Genevois” Enamel Dials soar above estimate:
One of the many exceptional features of the Shepherdess automaton was its fine enamelling. The craft of the enameller was further celebrated tonight in a rare group of 37 enamel dials. Illustrating the art of 20th-century Geneva enamelling at its very best, the collection (lot 157) came to sale direct from a descendant of the last owner of the celebrated dial-making company Hugeurin et Cie. The rarity of such dials, combined with their provenance, sent the final price to CHF 146,500/ US$ 135,467 - many multiples of the CHF 6,000-8,000 pre-sale estimate.
Desk Clocks make their mark:
Desk clocks secured strong bids in this evening's sale. Among the key pieces offered was a Cartier Yellow Gold, Platinum Rock Crystal, Onyx, Mother of Pearl and Diamond Mystery Clock from 1928 (lot 162). Estimated at CHF 280,000-350,000, this fine example of the legendary “mystery clock” design realised CHF 338,500 / US$ 313,008.
This was complemented by lot 156 – a silver gilt diamond desk clock (est: CHF30,000-50,000), made by Boucheron and presented to the French President Charles de Gaulle to celebrate the launch, some fifty years ago, of the great transatlantic liner “France” – then the largest , most glamorous and technically advanced liner in the world. Its rarity and provenance proved irresistible to many bidders who pursued it to a final price of CHF 98,500 / US$ 91,082
Enamel Pocket watches perform beyond expectations:
Pocket watches – the subject of increasingly fierce competition in recent Sotheby's sales – continued to attract strong competition, with high prices fuelled by on-line bidding and bidding from the Middle East.
A group of twenty, largely 18th-century, enameled pocket watches from a single estate (lots 69-89) made a combined total of CHF 368,125 / US$ 340,402 – some three times the high estimate for group (CHF 79,000-121,000 / US$ 73,051-111,887).Among the highlights in the collection was a fine three-colour gold and enamel half-hunting cased verge watch made in Switzerland for the Turkish market (lot 89). Estimated at CHF8,000-12,000, it made CHF 56,250 / US$ 52,014
Rolex watches perform well:
Provenance and rarity also belied the strong competition for another historical piece in the sale. Fitted with one of the rarest dials Rolex ever produced, lot 155, a yellow gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch (c. 1950), formerly belonged to his Highness Mohammed Lamine Bey, last Bey of Tunis. Estimated at CHF50,000-60,000, it sold for CHF 99,700 / US$92,192.
This watch headlined a group of some 24 Rolex watches (lots 130-154). All but three of these found buyers, many of them (some 57%) at prices in excess of high estimate. Among these was lot 136, a 'Paul Newman' 1985 Rolex, which made CHF 110,500.
Modern watches
Among the modern limited edition timepieces in the sale was an oversized Pilot Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry watch by IWC (lot 45). The entire proceeds from the sale of which (CHF62,500) will now be donated to charity by IWC Schaffhausen.
One of the many exceptional features of the Shepherdess automaton was its fine enamelling. The craft of the enameller was further celebrated tonight in a rare group of 37 enamel dials. Illustrating the art of 20th-century Geneva enamelling at its very best, the collection (lot 157) came to sale direct from a descendant of the last owner of the celebrated dial-making company Hugeurin et Cie. The rarity of such dials, combined with their provenance, sent the final price to CHF 146,500/ US$ 135,467 - many multiples of the CHF 6,000-8,000 pre-sale estimate.
Desk Clocks make their mark:
Desk clocks secured strong bids in this evening's sale. Among the key pieces offered was a Cartier Yellow Gold, Platinum Rock Crystal, Onyx, Mother of Pearl and Diamond Mystery Clock from 1928 (lot 162). Estimated at CHF 280,000-350,000, this fine example of the legendary “mystery clock” design realised CHF 338,500 / US$ 313,008.
This was complemented by lot 156 – a silver gilt diamond desk clock (est: CHF30,000-50,000), made by Boucheron and presented to the French President Charles de Gaulle to celebrate the launch, some fifty years ago, of the great transatlantic liner “France” – then the largest , most glamorous and technically advanced liner in the world. Its rarity and provenance proved irresistible to many bidders who pursued it to a final price of CHF 98,500 / US$ 91,082
Enamel Pocket watches perform beyond expectations:
Pocket watches – the subject of increasingly fierce competition in recent Sotheby's sales – continued to attract strong competition, with high prices fuelled by on-line bidding and bidding from the Middle East.
A group of twenty, largely 18th-century, enameled pocket watches from a single estate (lots 69-89) made a combined total of CHF 368,125 / US$ 340,402 – some three times the high estimate for group (CHF 79,000-121,000 / US$ 73,051-111,887).Among the highlights in the collection was a fine three-colour gold and enamel half-hunting cased verge watch made in Switzerland for the Turkish market (lot 89). Estimated at CHF8,000-12,000, it made CHF 56,250 / US$ 52,014
Rolex watches perform well:
Provenance and rarity also belied the strong competition for another historical piece in the sale. Fitted with one of the rarest dials Rolex ever produced, lot 155, a yellow gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch (c. 1950), formerly belonged to his Highness Mohammed Lamine Bey, last Bey of Tunis. Estimated at CHF50,000-60,000, it sold for CHF 99,700 / US$92,192.
This watch headlined a group of some 24 Rolex watches (lots 130-154). All but three of these found buyers, many of them (some 57%) at prices in excess of high estimate. Among these was lot 136, a 'Paul Newman' 1985 Rolex, which made CHF 110,500.
Modern watches
Among the modern limited edition timepieces in the sale was an oversized Pilot Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry watch by IWC (lot 45). The entire proceeds from the sale of which (CHF62,500) will now be donated to charity by IWC Schaffhausen.
Sotheby's Holdings Inc
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