Auctions
One of the rarest Rolexes comes up for auction.
Read More
Alton Brown is auctioning off 2 watches for charity because he's the man
Auctions
Alton Brown is auctioning off a couple of his personal watches to help food service workers that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read MoreSpring watch auction preview: Antiquorum and Watches of Knightsbridge
Auctions
While some of the larger auction houses don’t have their showcase “Important Watches” auctions until later in the season, there are a couple upcoming sales from Antiquorum and Watches of Knightsbridge worth highlighting. Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting lots.
Read MorePicks from Christie's spring online auction
Auctions
The beginning of the calendar year is always a bit slower for auctions. Collectors and houses are coming down from the high of the fall auction season and trade shows have historically dominated the earlier months of the year. But, there are always great finds if you look in the right places
Read More
Watch auctions: Calendar for the first half of 2020
Auctions
With the new year upon us, it’s time to take a look at all the upcoming watch auctions from the auctioneers across the world. As auction houses provide more details on their auctions (dates, times, catalogs), we’ll update this page with information and links, so be sure to bookmark it for reference.
Read More
Recommended: In the room for the Phillips Game Changers Auction
Auctions
I always love the “in the room” or “on the ground” reports rom big events. Whether it’s the Kentucky Derby or the Super Bowl, reporters who are there get all kinds of perspectives and insight that the TV or livestream just doesn’t show. That’s why I was so excited to see an In the room report from the Phillips Game Changers Auction from Brendan Cunningham over at Time + Time.
Read More
Brando GMT sells for $1.952 million, and other results from Phillips 'Game Changers'
Auctions
Perhaps the most-hyped watch up for sale this auction season was the Rolex GMT-Master Reference 1675, worn by Marlon Brando in the film Apocalypse Now. On Tuesday night, it sold for $1,952,000 including buyer’s premium at Phillips’ Game Changers auction in New York.
Read More
Jack Nicklaus Day-Date sells for $1.2 million
Auctions
At Phillips’ Game Changers auction in New York, one of the headlining celebrity watches of the event, Jack Nicklaus’ yellow gold Reference 1803 Day-Date has sold for $1,220,000 including buyer’s premium. It’s a huge win for charity, as the proceeds will go to Nicklaus and wife Barbara’s Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation.
Read More
Do auction houses keep some lot estimates private for tax reasons?
Auctions
Something was bothering my friend Professor Brendan Cunningham (Horolonomics) and me — and likely other enthusiasts — as we paged through the Phillips Game Changers catalog: why were there no public estimates for the two highlights of the auction, the Marlon Brando GMT and the Jack Nicklaus Day-Date? Both of these watches with celebrity provenance, hyped as much as any in the past few auction seasons, had estimates that simply read “available upon request.”
Read More
Phillips Gamechangers Auction Preview
Auctions
Phillips’ Gamechangers auction is being held in New York today. It’s the “Brando auction” the watch world has been abuzz about for the past six months. I’ll spare you any more ink on the Brando Rolex GMT, and let you read Phillips’ article on the piece if you haven’t yet; Phillips has an amazing marketing team, and there has been plenty of content and promotion around this auction.
Read More
Fall 2019 Geneva auction results
Auctions
In the run up to the Geneva auctions, we posted our preview of some of the best lots from the three big auction houses, featuring (1) under the radar lots (under $10,000), (2) next up (under $100,000), and (3) top lots. With the results in, it’s time to take a look at how all the lots performed.
We already took a look at the results from Phillips’ Geneva Auction X, but below is a more comprehensive look at the results from Geneva’s big week.
Additionally, you can find the results for every vintage Rolex Daytona up for auction from Phillips, Christie’s and Sotheby’s here.
In general, I was glad to see some under-the-radar (at auctions at least, not amongst the collector community more generally) chronographs perform particularly well. Below, you’ll see a Zenith A386 El Primero, Movado 95M and Grana Split Seconds that all out performed estimates.
Read MoreRolex Daytona auction results: Fall 2019
Auctions
Before the fall 2019 Geneva auctions, we posted our 2019 Daytona database, compiling a list of every Rolex Daytona up for auction at Christie’s Phillips and Sotheby’s this November (sorry, Antiquorum). Now that the results are in it’s time to take a look at how the Daytona faired.
As you’ll see, four Daytonas failed to sell this season (and one earlier era chronograph, a reference 2508). If you look at these lots, you’ll notice all have some imperfections that make them less than desirable: polishing, missing lume plots, etc. This is not to say that all the lots that did sell are perfect; however, collectors have become rather discerning in what they’re willing to shell out six figures for nowadays. And, as prime examples are increasingly difficult to find on the market, the premium paid for such examples continues to grow.
Read More
Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X: Results
Auctions
We previewed all of the big Geneva auctions a couple weeks back, and now that results are coming in, it’s time to look back at how certain lots performed.
Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X took place on November 10, and with over 180 lots up for auction, there are a lot of takeaways. Below are a few general thoughts, as well as the watches we highlighted from our preview and what those pieces ultimately sold for at auction.
While not completely surprising, it’s impressive that the pink gold Rolex Ref. 6062 “Stelline” matched the Ref. 4113 split seconds chronograph (both pictured above) with a sale price of $1.940 million. It’s particularly impressive considering there are thought to be 50 Ref. 6062 models manufactured in pink gold, and only 12 Ref. 4113 models made in stainless steel.
Read MoreOnly Watch 2019: 'The most expensive watch in the world', and why that sucks
Auctions
On November 9, Christie’s played host to the biennial Only Watch auction, raising money for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Some of the most renowned manufacturers create unique pieces for the auction (with F.P. Journe even developing a unique movement for his pieces). Much of the speculation around this year’s auction was around the unique Patek Phillipe Grandmaster Chime in stainless steel: would it become the most expensive watch in the world? Of course, Paul Newman’s Paul Newman had set the record for most expensive wristwatch at $17 million in 2017, while the Patek Phillipe Henry Graves Supercomplication pocket watch held the record for the most expensive watch, having sold for $24 million in 2014.
Well, the Grandmaster Chime blew away both watches, hammering for CHF 31 million. The watch is polarizing, mainly because … it’s kind of ugly. One can acknowledge the technical accomplishment of building this watch, but still be disappointed that this watch now carries the mantle of “most expensive watch in the world,” and will become representative of watch collecting as a whole in many ways.
Read MoreGPHG 2019: The winners and the upsets
News
Whether you like to call it the Oscars of watches or not, the fact remains that the GPHG is the watch world’s biggest awards event of the year. The prizes are highlighted by the “Aiguille D’Or” prize.
Let’s first acknowledge the problems with GPHG: Winning watches tend to be expensive and not necessarily representative of what people are actually buying from Switzerland; and because brands self-nominate, Patek and Rolex do not participate (they can’t handle the risk of losing!). That said, it’s still a wonderful evening to highlight some of the best of what’s come out of the manufacturers in the past year.
Read More
Previewing the fall 2019 Geneva auctions
Auctions
With the fall 2019 Geneva auctions fast approaching, it’s time we give a preview of what’s to come over the auctions from Christie’s, Phillips and Sotheby’s from November 10-12. There are roughly 200 lots per auction, meaning there’s quite a bit to get through. As such, we’ll divide this preview into three categories: (1) Top Lots, (2) Next Up (pieces with estimates under $100,000) (3) Under the Radar (pieces with estimates under $10,000 or so).
We’ve already created our “Vintage Daytona Database” highlighting all vintage Rolex Daytona (and pre-Daytona chronographs) up for auction this fall, so we’ll largely eschew discussing those in this preview, though some are too good not too highlight.
While most previews start at the top and move down, we’ll do the opposite, starting with watches that are flying under the radar. Unlike in past previews, I’m giving quick hits of each piece, instead of going in-depth on a smaller subset of watches.
Read More
Daytona database: Fall 2019 auctions
Guides
The fall 2019 auction season is here, with the Geneva auctions from the three major auction houses — Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s — scheduled for November 10-12. Much of the auction market is driven by interest in Rolex, and much of the interest in Rolex continues to be driven by the Daytona.
So, I have created a database of every vintage Daytona (Ref. 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, 6265) up for auction this fall. I have also added some other vintage Rolex chronographs and “pre-Daytonas” on offer because they are just as cool, and perhaps the watch of the season is a Rolex Ref. 4113 split-seconds chronograph from the pre-Daytona era.
Read MoreHindman Auctions Sells a Couple Pateks for $20,000
Auctions
Who says you can have a decent watch auction in Chicago? While the rest of the world is gearing up for the fall watch auction season, Hindman Auctions hosted a watch auction of its own last week, headlined by a couple Pateks and some other modern gems. Here’s a look at just a few of the pieces that sold in the West Loop last week.
Read MorePreviewing Sotheby's September 2019 Online Auction
Auction
As a lead up to the fall auction season, Sotheby’s is holding an online watch auction through September 10. There are over 100 lots on offer, mostly in the mid-priced to downright affordable range, so it’s an opportunity to pick up a new fall watch. New season, new watch, I always say. Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting lots.
Read MoreWatches of Knightsbridge August Online Auction Preview
Auctions
Every month, London’s Watches of Knightsbridge hosts an online auction. Typically the lots are nothing too expensive; just good honest watches from a trustworthy house. This August’s online auction features about 50 lots, ranging from a Rolex GMT-Master 16750 Pepsi on the high end to a few little dress watches from Longines and Omega on the low end. It’s a great way to start paying attention to auctions (perhaps even picking something up) without being scared away by blow-out-your brains prices.
Let’s take a look at a few of the best lots from Watches of Knightsbridge’s August online auction. We’ve got a couple Rolexes and the world’s first wristwatch without a crown.
Read More