Ineichen Auctioneers CEO Interview

WorldTempus talks to Artemy Lechbinsky, CEO of Ineichen Auctioneers

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WorldTempus was present at the Ineichen auction this weekend in Zurich for the sale of a watch, car and NFT (estimated at CHF 100,000-300,000 and sold for CHF 300,000), WorldTempus talks to Ineichen Auctioneers CEO Artemy Lechbinsky to discuss current sales, NFTs and future plans.

Artemy Lechbinsky © Ineichen Acutioneers

Today’s auction was about a Konstantin Chaykin's Joker watch, a Porsche 911 Joker restored by Aleksandr Markovsky and an NFT depicting the Joker driving to Gotham City in that same car. Did the auction meet your expectations? 
Yes, for sure. You always know that there is an estimation, and if you reach the higher estimate, that’s already good. I also received positive feedbacks from Konstantin Chaykin and Aleksandr Markovsky.

Konstantin Chaykin Joker © WorldTempus/Jordy Bellido

More and more people bidding online rather than going to the auction house. Is it something that has increased with the pandemic?
I see a difference. When the pandemic started, there was no other way than bidding online. And most of the bidders used their phone because it is more convenient. With online bidding, we were able to reach more people.

Porsche 911 Joker © Ineichen Acutioneers

Do you expect people to physically come back to the auction house in the future?
People definitely don’t want to go to auctions that last four or five hours. For smaller events like ours – that last approximately one hour– I think people may come because it is entertainment, it is fun to participate, it is not only about the sale but also spending time with people. But we have to put on something special to attract them.

Today, you have auctioned your second NFT. With the emergence of the metaverse and therefore a growing interest in NFTs, is this an area you are thinking of developing further at Ineichen Auctioneers?
We have some thoughts about that and we have a project we are discussing. We would like to be a part of this universe. We all understand that, at some point, the metaverse is going to happen, and people will want to wear watches in it. Buying a property in that universe is also something that we could potentially do.

NFT © Ineichen Acutioneers

Lately, the world has been shaken with what is happening between Russia and Ukraine. Is this situation affecting your business?
We are sourcing watches from all over the world, including Russia, that is an important country for us. Now, it is a more difficult regarding payment methods and logistics for example. Also, our IT team is located in Russia, so with all the sanctions that happened, it was a bit of a challenge to work with social media. But we have found solutions.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak © WorldTempus/Jordy Bellido

The upcoming auction will take place on May 28th. It will be dedicated to one of Gérald Genta’s most famous creations, that is actually celebrating its 50th birthday this year: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. What can we expect from this auction?
First, we hope that the Phillips auction will be a success so that buyers feel confident. On a more serious note, we tried to put on a well-thought catalogue instead of having anything we could get. I focused on 36 and 39mm watches, and I tried to get the best combinations of materials and colours, like black and rose gold or blue and titanium. I hope people will enjoy this collection.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Premier Limited Edition Ref. 26530ST and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie Premier Limited Edition Ref. 26591TI © WorldTempus/Jordy Bellido