Lately, I’ve noticed that there seems to be a real lack of watch auction coverage around the internet. Sure, some publications have their “5 watches worth watching at X auction” (e.g. the sale of Andy Warhol’s Rolex garnered some headlines, but that’s little more than clickbait) Where’s the in-depth research, coverage and scholarship?
Say what you want about watch auctions, but they still bring some much-needed transparency to the market, help identify and define trends, and help advance scholarship, especially on rare and unique watches. And on a selfish level, learning about watches up for auction forces me to take the time to understand these new pieces and argue why one is worth highlighting in an article over another.
So, I’ll be making a concerted effort over the rest of the year to cover all the watch auctions I have can. The first step in this is gathering up all the auctions from the larger houses to make sure they’re on my radar for the second half of 2019. So they’re on your radar too, here are the upcoming watch auctions from the major houses.
June
June 11-25: Christie’s Watches Online: Time to Travel
June 13-20: Sotheby’s Jewels and Watches Online
June 19: Bonhams Fine Wristwatches (London)
June 24: Bonhams Travelling in Time, A Private Collection of Modern and Vintage Wristwatches (Hong Kong)
June 25: Bonhams Vintage American Wristwatches (Hong Kong)
June 27: Bonhams Classic Vintage Wristwatches (Hong Kong)
June 27: Fortuna Auction “June Exchange” (NYC)
July
July 2: Sotheby’s George Daniels Auction (London)
July 3: Sotheby’s Treasures (London)
July 5 (begins): Heritage Auctions Summer Auction Online
July 8-17: Sotheby’s Watches Online
July 9 (ends): Fortuna ‘No Reserve’ Watches (online and NYC)
July 16: Antiquorum Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces (Monaco)
July 17: Monaco Legends Exclusive Timepieces (Monaco)
July 18: Artcurial Fine Watches Auction (Monte-Carlo)
July 19: Sotheby’s Omega Speedmaster Auction
July 20: Watches of Knightsbridge Auction (London)
July 30-August 13: Christie’s Watches Online
August
August 13: Fellow’s The Watch Sale (London)
August 30-September 9: Sotheby’s Watches Online
September
September 10: Bonhams Watches and Wristwatches (London)
September 12-19: Sotheby’s Watches Online
September 24: Sotheby’s Watches (London)
October
👉 October 8: Sotheby’s Important Watches (Hong Kong)
October 15: Fellows Watch Sale (London)
October 16: Bonhams: The Art of Time (New York)
October 22: Heritage Auctions Signature Auction (New York)
October 27: Antiquorum Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces (Hong Kong)
October 28-November 6: Sotheby’s Jewels and Watches Online
November marks the real “auction season”, with the three big auction houses hosting events in Geneva, Hong Kong, and in December, New York. I’ve pointed to (👉) the “signature” auctions for the three big auctions houses (plus Antiquorum).
November
November 9: Christie’s Only Watch (Geneva)
November 9: Phillips Double Signed (Geneva)
👉 November 9-10: Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X (Geneva)
👉 November 10: Antiquorum Important Timepieces (Geneva)
👉 November 11: Christie’s Rare Watches (Geneva)
November 11: Sotheby’s Masterworks of Time: Adolf Lange (Geneva)
👉 November 12: Sotheby’s Important Watches (Geneva)
November 16: Watches of Knightsbridge Auction (London)
November 19: Bonhams Watches and Wristwatches (London)
November 19-26: Sotheby’s Watches Online
November 23: Bonham Hong Kong Watches 3.0
November 24: Sotheby’s Watches (Dubai)
👉 November 25-26: Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction Nine
👉 November 27: Christie’s Important Watches (Hong Kong)
November 29-December 5: Sotheby’s Watches Online
December
December 7: Monaco Legends Exclusive Timepieces (Monaco)
December 10: Heritage Auctions Signature Timepieces (New York)
👉 December 10: Phillips Game Changers Auction (New York) (the “Marlon Brando auction”)
👉 December 11: Sotheby’s Important Watches (New York)
December 11: Bonhams Watches and Wristwatches (London)
December 11: Heritage Auctions Signature Auction (New York)
👉 December 12: Christie’s Important Watches (New York)
December TBD: Antiquorum Important Timepieces (Hong Kong)