: Antiquorum opened its 2004 auction season with a sale of
important collector's wrist watches, pocket watches and clocks at
the Grand Havana Room on March 24. The sale totaled $4,441,196 -
139 percent of the low estimate for lots sold.
Collectors from across the world bid against one another on the
Internet, on the telephone and within the auction room. The live
web broadcast by the auction company was followed by more than
4,500 collectors.
Many timepieces fetched double and at times triple their presale
estimates. Top prices were achieved by Breguet, Patek Philippe,
Vacheron Constantin and Cartier. The sale's star lot, a rare 18K
yellow gold Cartier minute-repeating Art Deco wrist watch from
the 1920s, fetched $640,500.
Rounding out the sale's top ten lots were: Patek Philippe &
Cie, Geneve, Ref 3939H, circa 2000, fine and rare,
minute-repeating, platinum wrist watch with one-minute tourbillon
regulator, $321,500; Vacheron & Constantin and F. Verger, "La
Caravelle," 1930s, keyless, platinum "bras-en-l'air" type
dress watch with diamond set dial retailed by Gubelin, $ 211,500;
and a Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, Ref 1518, 1st series,
1940s, astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wrist watch with
perpetual calendar, moon phases, square button chronograph,
register and tachometer, $211,500.
Patek Philippe & Cie wristwatch, $321,500.
A Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, Ref 1463, 1940s,
stainless steel gentleman's wrist watch with round button
chronograph, register and tachometer, sold for $141,100; Patek
Philippe & Cie, Ref 1463, 1940s, 18K pink gold wrist watch with
round button chronograph, register and tachometer, $118,000.
Also, Breguet à Versailles, Grand Complication Tourbillon
1801-2001, no. 10/28, large, half-hunter case-type, 18K pink gold
wrist watch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator,
$101,500; Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, officially certified
chronometer, Ref 6062, 1950s, tonneau-shaped, astronomic,
self-winding, 18K yellow gold wrist watch with triple date and
moon phases, $90,500; Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, Ref 1526,
2nd series, 1940s, astronomic, 18K yellow gold wrist watch with
perpetual calendar and moon phases, $85,000; and Breguet,
"Tourbillon Chronographe," Ref 3567, produced in 1997 to
commemorate the 250th anniversary of Abraham Louis Breguet's
birthday. Important, 18K yellow gold wrist watch with visible
one-minute tourbillon regulator, round button chronograph and
registers, $82,250.
Prices reported include buyer's premium.
