Time is the true measure of one’s possessions, the value of which can be marked by centuries of careful preservation, decades of innovation and years of craftsmanship. Building a collection whether of Picasso paintings or Patek Philippe vintage watches - takes time, dedication and patience, and timepieces symbolise the amplitude of such pursuits both literally and figuratively. They express a collector’s identity and style impeccably, a portable measurement of significant moments across lives, their allure lying in the stories current owners can add to such sagas. In 1997, Sotheby’s pioneered the transformative movement
Discovering Time with Sotheby’s of historic horology collecting with the world’s first stand-alone watch auction in Asia, eventually developing the region into a major auction centre. With an esteemed heritage dating as far back as 1744, watch auctions by the oldest auction house in the world now cover the expanses of Hong Kong, New York, Geneva and London. In 2013, the Hong Kong market alone totalled US$58.8 million – more than double of 2012 – the highest annual aggregate for this category in Asia. Time waits for no man – undoubtedly, profound interest in heritage timepieces is growing at exponential speed.
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Fast forward to 2014, where serious aficionados are eagerly awaiting the return of the celebrated Henry Graves Supercomplication to Sotheby’s at the Geneva sale of Important Watches on November 14. This ultimate timepiece is widely regarded as a horological masterpiece, a then-unimaginable piece of art by Patek Phillipe finally completed in 1933, eight years after its commission by the New York banker it is named for. The Swiss master watchmaker’s
The Holy Grail
of Watches
meticulous handiwork is said to be the most complex watch ever made entirely by human hand; among its 24 horological complications are a perpetual calendar, moon phases, a power reserve and notably, the night sky of New York City. It will not be the first time this timepiece has found its place at Sotheby’s, having once sold at the house for US$11 million in 1999. Coinciding with Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary, the Supercomplication returns with a presale estimate of US$16.8 million. “The list of superlatives which can be attached to this icon of the 20th century is truly extraordinary,” remarked Tim Bourne, Sotheby’s Worldwide Head of Watches. “Indisputably the ‘Holy Grail’ of watches, the Henry Graves Supercomplication combines the Renaissance ideal of the unity of beauty and craftsmanship with the apogee of science.” 058 059
Breaking New
Visit a Sotheby’s watch auction and try not to blink – even the most seasoned connoisseurs cannot help but marvel at the repertoire of glittering timepieces personifying precision in unison. Each watch’s moment of shining on centrestage only hints at the extraordinary generations it embodies, and will encompass. In recent years, wristwatches by marques such as Patek Philippe, Cartier and Richard Mille, and ornate clocks by Patek Philippe, Jean-Pierre Bellin, Vacheron Constantin and Daniel Roth have been displayed for Sotheby’s most eminent patrons. One of its most spectacular catalogues to date showcases the work of George Daniels, the greatest watchmaker of the last 250 years, each of his pieces more compelling than the last for their increasing complexity and uniqueness. Given this rich history, the November 6, 2012 sale of this unparalleled collection was a lavish affair, befitting the rarefied status of this exceptional individual. The auction room was tightly packed with Europe’s most respected dealers and collectors for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own one of Daniels’ revered watches; in particular, the Space Travellers’ Watch was the day’s most keenly anticipated stunner. This was a truly
Records at Auctions seminal work of art for its sheer audacity and brilliance, an indulgent personal project by Daniels to explore beyond the boundaries of his own imagination. The result of this experiment in design is a stratospheric trajectory to where no manmade machine had gone before, with complications that vary from mean solar to sidereal time, and effortless transitions from moon ages and phases to equation of time indications. The maestro’s final curtain call took watch auctions to new dimensions, justifying a lifetime of boundless invention and mercurial innovation, horology’s own moon landing. 060 061
Discerning collectors know that Sotheby’s watch auctions are events not to be missed. A one-day auction in 2012 attracted attendees from as many 70 countries, yet another milestone in an illustrious transcript of industry records spanning London, New York and Hong Kong. An international team of horology experts and professionals rigorously assess every timepiece presented to Sotheby’s to ensure only the finest make the auction block. Thus, the house’s lineage is distinguished by rare timepieces like the Patek Philippe Ref. 5002P
Once A Collector
Always A Collector Skymoon Tourbillon, sold in Hong Kong for a never-seen-before US$1.5 million in April 2008 and the Duc d’Orléans Breguet Sympathique clock that found a new home to the tune of US$6.8 million in December 2012, New York. Man has always known that time is precious; Sotheby’s has made it invaluable. Text = Nicole Chan
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