While the watch industry is recovering from the excitement of Watches and Wonders, the auction world is gearing up for a busy week when over 1,000 vintage watches will be going under the hammer. In terms of value, the pre-owned watch market is worth just over half of the value of the primary market and is predicted to reach CHF 35 billion by 2030 (Deloitte 2022).
The watch brands will be monitoring the weekend’s activities very closely as auction sales can be a good indicator of the health of the watch market in the larger sense as collectors open their purse strings, or not, as the case may be. Whether you are planning on bidding or not, the weekend is going to be full of rare watches to discover, so let’s take a closer look at what is on the programme.
Only Watch – 10th May at Palexpo Congress Centre at 2 pm
The main show of the weekend will be at Palexpo for the 10th edition of Only Watch. Over 50 one-of-a-kind timepieces (all new in this case) are being auctioned to raise funds for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. After being postponed last year, the Only Watch auction is most definitely back on and WorldTempus will be there every step of the way relaying information directly from the auction room, so stay tuned to worldtempus.com for live updates.
Christie’s Rare Watches – 10th to 12th May at the Four Season Hôtel des Bergues at 2 pm
In this fascinating sale, Christie’s will be auctioning eight unique and very rare watches from Formula 1 racing legend Michael Schumacher’s personal collection. Two of the timepieces were Christmas presents offered to him by Ferrari team principal Jean Todt, who had them specially made for his star driver. Timepieces in the sale include models from Audemars Piguet, F.P. Journe, and Rolex.
Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XIX Featuring the Guido Mondani Collection – 11th to 12th May at Hotel President at 2 pm
The upcoming sale by Phillips will include 215 lots, 44 of which come from renowned Italian collector, Guido Mondani. Mondani is selling the very first wristwatch he ever bought – a Cartier – along with timepieces from Eberhard, Longines, Patek Philippe, and Rolex. Highlights include a 1985 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6269 in 18-karat yellow gold and set with diamonds (Estimate of CHF 600,000 to CHF 1.2 million) and a 1944 Ref. 1485 square stainless steel Patek Philippe with “Freccero” signature (Estimate: CHF 10,000 to CHF 20,000).
Sotheby’s Important Watches Part I – 12th May at the Mandarin Oriental at 11 am
Sotheby’s will be presenting a large selection of timepieces for its Geneva auction with models from Rolex’s iconic Daytona, GMT, and Submariner lines, as well as legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak models, Patek Philippe Aquanaut and Nautilus pieces, along with Cartier, Omega, and IWC timepieces.
Antiquorum – May 8th to 12th at the Beau Rivage Hotel
A number of historic pieces are being sold by Antiquorum, including this Charles Ducommun automaton pocket watch called The Prophet Moses. This timekeeper was a present bestowed upon Field Marshal Sir Lintorn Simmons by Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napolean III. (Estimate CHF 200,000 to 400,000). Other pieces include Patek Philippe Heures Universelles and Rolex Cosmographs.
So, If you are looking for something to do this bank holiday weekend, the Geneva Spring Watch Auctions are going to be a lot of horological fun. Don’t forget to register for the individual auctions in advance on the auction house websites, however, to ensure your seat for the action.
