SJX and Brandon Moore kick off episode seven of the SJX Podcast with the relaunch of Urban Jürgensen (which includes a tribute to Derek Pratt’s Oval pocket watch), discussing why this time might be different.

Also on the docket is a recap of the spring auction season, which included strong prices for hot names in independent watchmaking, though other “indies” waned, surprising showings from hitherto esoteric clocks and pocket watches, and some value buys with out-of-vogue timepieces. Lastly, we recap Breguet’s 250th anniversary launches so far, which have met with a mixed reception, but demonstrate signs of life for a historic brand.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

As the Hong Kong auctions have wrapped, we move to the final sales of the spring season in New York City. Phillips will offer a healthy mix of new and old, common and rare, across 144 lots. The sale includes many of the expected top-of-the-line offerings, with the headline lot a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold, and staples like a pair of ref. 5004s. But there are plenty of interesting watches to be down catalog too, including some fresh faces and value buys.

Highlights include the best of English watchmaking made by Charles Frodsham a century apart, the auction debut of American independent Keaton Myrick, an unusual F.P. Journe Résonance, along with a Cartier pocket watch made by complications specialist THA. We round up these and a few more from The New York Watch Auction: XII, which takes place from June 7-8, 2025.

The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com.

Lot 11 – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph “2022 Best of Show, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este”

Since 2012, A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, a classic car shown that takes place in spring on the picturesque shores of Lake Como. Each year, the owner of the event’s best car is presented with a unique Lange watch.

While past winners have received a fairly conventional Lange 1 Time Zone, the brand upgraded the prize in recent years to a striking 1815 Chronograph.

In 2022, the winner was Andrew Pisker with a Bugatti 57 S from 1937. He received this white gold 1815 chronograph with a salmon dial and dark brown registers.

Perhaps more interesting is the solid, hinged caseback, a feature the brand reserves for special occasions. The watch is otherwise the same as a normal 1815 Chronograph, and is powered by the landmark L951 also found in the Datograph.

Mr Pisker being presented the watch by Lange chief executive Wilhelm Schmid. Image – BMW

Only a handful of these 1815 Chronographs have been awarded at present, and this is the first to hit the auction block. The estimate is US$100,000-200,000.

Lot 24 – Charles Frodsham Split-Seconds Minute Repeating Tourbillon for J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan, a devotee of English watchmaking, ordered 20 split-second minute-repeating tourbillon pocket watches from Charles Frodsham, which he gifted to friends, family, and business associates, and are sometime known as “Morgan caliper” watches.

This one, made in 1916, is fresh to market and in excellent condition. Nicole, Nielsen & Co. supplied the movements – which were built on Swiss ebauches – as was the case with many fine English watches of the period. While the Swiss hesitated to combine tourbillons with complications, the English were eager, even putting them in super complications that rivaled the Patek Philippe made for Henry Graves Jr.

The firm was, and remains, known for chronographs, unsurprisingly as founder Adolphe Nicole invented the chronograph as we know it today.

The chronograph in the present watch is distinctive; it uses an oscillating pinion to mesh directly with the one-minute tourbillon cage to drive the chronograph seconds, while the chronograph minutes is similarly driven directly from the second wheel.

Image – Phillips

While the tourbillon and possibly chronograph are of English make, the repeating works are almost certainly Swiss, likely from Capt et Cie in Le Solliat, which specialized in the English style. The case, made by Frodsham, is the typical English fare with a stepped profile and recessed repeater slide, as is the white enamel dial.

Despite the watch’s interesting provenance and undeniable quality, the estimate is a mere US$70,000-140,000.

Lot 25 – Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer “Tribute to George Daniels”

More than a decade in the making, the Double Impulse Chronometer was the first wristwatch launched by the modern-day firm of Charles Frodsham. Surprisingly, the modern iteration of Charles Frodsham is not a revival brand like so many others, as the company never ceased operation.

After the decline of English watchmaking, the company subsisted primarily on retail, private label clocks, and restoration work—the latter preserved much of the know-how, equipment, and material used to make the Double Impulse Chronometer in its own workshops. In fact, this movement likely has less Swiss content than the J.P. Morgan watch above.

The escapement is based on the work of George Daniels and is essentially a natural escapement, except each escape wheel is driven independently by its own train (of solid gold wheels) and mainspring. Respectably, Frodsham eschewed anglage, remaining faithful to the English tradition, and putting all focus on the balance and escapement. The three-spoke balance bridge is beautifully polished and carries a massive free-sprung balance on a hand-folded overcoil hairspring. A subtle case back power-reserve indication adds further visual interest.

The London-made case is simple but of the highest quality and made from a 22k gold alloy, which has been work hardened to increase its durability. The dial is also an unusual material, zirconium dioxide ceramic rather than traditional enamel, and complements the fired-blue hands and dial furniture well.

The Daniels second hand.

In addition to being possibly the finest English watch currently made, this example was ordered with a custom seconds hand in the style of George Daniels that replaces the drop-shaped counterweight on the regular production version. The estimate is a fair US$120,000-240,000.

Lot 32 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3945/2 “First Series”

While the ref. 3945/1 is fairly common, the 3945/2 is vanishingly rare. In fact, this is the only one known to the market, and doesn’t appear in dealer catalogues from the period. It will probably also be one of the value buys in the sale, given the niche appeal of the ref. 3945 compared to the more common ref. 3940.

The difference between the two lies in the bracelets. Ref. 3945/1 features a bracelet woven from gold wire, which cannot be adjusted non-destructively. A jeweler can only shorten its bracelet by excising a section adjacent to the clasp and welding it back together, while extra length must be woven in, with care to match the gauge and tone of the original gold wire.

The 3945/2 variant has a beads-of-rice bracelet instead. The less intimidating, link-based construction means it should be easily adjustable by any reasonably skilled jeweler.

Image Phillips

Bracelet aside, it’s the same as the ref. 3945/1: modestly sized and classically styled. The dial hails from the first generation of ref. 3940 with sharply sunk subdials and more vintage typography. The movement, cal. 240 Q, is still in production today with only minor changes and powers the Nautilus perpetual calendar ref. 5740/1, among others.

Image – Phillips

The estimate of only US$25,000-50,000 isn’t a bad deal for an extremely rare, complicated, and handsome Patek Philippe.

Lot 73 – Keaton Myrick “1 of 30”

This lot marks the auction-house debut of Oregon-based American independent Keaton Myrick. Like many, many other independents, Mr Myrick chose the Unitas 6497/6498 pocket watch movement as his canvas.

He replaced the split-three-quarter plate indigenous to the caliber with a single three-quarter plate made of German silver. The dial is also german silver to match the movement, with rose gold hands and indices. Also note a second appearance of the Daniels style seconds hand.

Image – Phillips

Image – Phillips

Crucially, the balance wheel is Myrick’s own work, and is free-sprung with four rose gold cams to adjust the rate. The delicately figured balance bridge is also rose gold, and exposes the engine-turned main plate and blindingly high polished locating pins for the pallet fork bridge.

Another addition is the click, which has been replaced by a stationary ratchet wheel within the crown wheel. Notice how the screws retaining the ratchet wheel sit in slots rather than holes, to let the mainspring relax slightly after being fully wound.

Image from a different watch in the series.

Image from a different watch in the series.

The estimate is on the low end, US$15,000-30,000, due to the steel case and limited information. To sweeten the deal, Myrick has offered to exchange the 42 mm case for a 40.5 mm one, if so desired.

Lot 84 – Harry Winston and F.P. Journe Opus One Chronomètre à Résonance Piece Unique

Not long after being tapped to lead Harry Winston’s watchmaking division, Maximilian Büsser introduced the Opus series. Each year from 2002 to 2015, the brand collaborated with an independent watchmaker, with the goal of boosting the brand’s credibility in fine watchmaking, while supporting independent watchmaking, similar to Louis Vuitton’s recent collaborations with Akrivia and Voutilainen.

Mr Büsser approached the then fresh-faced François-Paul Journe for the inaugural series, which launched in 2002. Six unique pieces were made based on the Tourbillon Souverain, Chronomètre à Résonance, and Octa Réserve de Marche, for a total of 18 watches.

All were housed in the Premier design language created by Jean-Claude Gueit for the Bi-Retrograde Perpetual Calendar, itself a collaboration with independents, in the late 1980s.

Only two of the six watches made for each model are diamond-set. And, unlike the Tourbillon Souverain, F.P. Journe has never offered the Chronomètre à Résonance as part of the brand’s Joaillerie Collection, meaning this single watch represents half of all (known) gem-set Résonance models.

The estimates is US$300,000-600,000.

Lot 102 – Cartier 150th Anniversary Mysterieux pocket watch ref. CRHPC0009

This “mysterious” pocket watch was launched in 1990s when Cartier revived the mystery concept originally developed by Maurice Couet for the brand’s famous clocks. To recreate the floating display, Cartier turned to the watchmakers of THA, who would later go on to become stars.

While the ordinary gold-cased versions of the mystery pocket watch are encountered often enough, this example is exceptionally rare. The case is white gold and panelled in lapis lazuli set with diamonds that form the Big Dipper on one side, and the Little Dipper on the other.

Front, with the Big Dipper. Image – Phillips

Reverse, with the Little Dipper. Image – Phillips

The watch is powered by cal. 81003 S MC, developed by Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA), the complications specialist founded by François-Paul Journe that counted Denis Flageollet and Vianney Halter amongst its ranks.

The relevant components have been arranged in a crescent around the aperture. The hands sit on clear sapphire plates, giving the illusion of being suspended in air, and allowing you to see straight through the watch.

Image – Phillips

This is an interesting value buy, as the estimate of US$12,000-24,000 is only a fraction of the watch’s original retail price of US$115,000.

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will take place at Phillips in New York.

Preview
Open daily June 4-6, 2025, from 10:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
June 7 – 10:00 am (Session I lots 1 – 68)
June 8 – 10:00 am (Session III lots 69 – 144)

(All times are local to New York, Eastern Daylight Time or GMT-4)

432 Park Avenue
New York, NY, 10022
United States

For the auction catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction encompasses excellent complications at a range of price points. Highlights at the top end include the controversial Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a massive Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon, a skeletonized Credor chronograph, and a special-order Patek Philippe that was presumably a gift from parent to son.

Also on the block are fine pocket watches for the Chinese market on the first day of the sale, while the second and third sale days include notable examples of independent watchmaking. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX takes place from May 23-25, 2025.

The full catalogue, and more, is available on Phillips.com.

Lot 839 – A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split

In 2004, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Double Split, a chronograph with both split-seconds and split-minutes–a feat previously only accomplished in pocket watches. Never one to stand still, Lange added split-hours into the mix with the Triple Split in 2018.

The case is the brand’s typical fare, with distinctive stepped-out lugs, and continues its tradition of placing the split-button in the case band, rather than in the crown, as is the convention for wristwatches. This rose gold variation, of which only 100 were made, is matched with a handsome blue and silver dial.

To create the Double Split, Lange built on the landmark L951 movement of the Datograph, adding a pair of rattrapante mechanisms, one for seconds and the other, minutes. From there, Lange added an hour totalizer and a third rattrapante to the dial side of the movement, creating the Triple Split.

When a rattrapante is engaged, friction between the split-second lever and heart cam steals energy from the balance; the issue compounds with two rattrapante mechanisms in the same movement, and even more with three.

To solve this, Lange added isolators to each rattrapante, similar to the systems used by Patek Philippe and Frederic Piguet, which results in the balance amplitude marginally increasing when the chronograph is split, rather than significantly decreasing.

Despite the isolators, Lange still increased the strength of the mainspring to deliver even more torque, and a Triple Split is noticeably and impressively stiffer to wind than a Datograph.

The estimate is HK$650,000-1 million [US$83,300-128,000].

Lot 857 – Patek Philippe ref. 5004G-013 – Single Sealed

When launched by Patek Philippe in late 1994, ref. 5004 was the brand’s first serially produced rattrapante wristwatch in decades. The 5004’s case wears larger than the 3970, which has no doubt contributed it its popularity. This “single sealed” example is still encased in plastic, which is fantastic.

Image – Phillips

Image – Phillips

The 5004 enjoys a few advantages over its successor. For instance, the day, date, month, and moon phase can all be advanced in sync using one pusher, and the 2.5 Hz beat-rate means the 1/5 second graduations on the dial match the frequency of the movement. Normally, the limited torque of the Lemania movement would rule out the possibility of adding a rattrapante. To address this, ref. 5004 uses a unique isolator system designed by Jean-Pierre Musy that uses an “octopus wheel” on the rattrapante column wheel to engage the isolator.

Image – Phillips

The most common metal by far was platinum, followed by rose and yellow gold, with white gold being the rarest–excluding the stainless steel swan-song models. However, white gold remains less desirable than platinum; the estimate is HK$1,500,000-3,000,000 [US$192,000-385,000].

Lot 890 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3970EJ-029

The ref. 3970 was long an under-appreciated watch, living in the shadows of both what came before, and what came after. While the reference was officially discontinued in 2004, Patek Philippe continued to produce new watches as special orders for their most important clients.

This example is one of them. The watch was sold new in 2019, and the black dial has been customized – it features an applied Breguet “12” and tachymeter scale

In general, the ref. 3960 is a nostalgic watch; the mid-sized case and Lemania-based caliber can’t be found in the brand’s current catalog since the ref. 5004 was discontinued in 2011.

Complete with its all-important original certificate describing the dial, this example is not unique as another was sold just two years ago, but it is rare, with only a handful made. That is reflected in the estimate of HK$3,000,000-5,000,000 [US$385,000-641,000] that far exceeds a normal ref. 3970.

Lot 913 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 ‘Senza Luna’

The ref. 3448 “Padellone” represents perhaps the best of Patek Philippe’s post-war watchmaking, at least in terms of perpetual calendars.

With sharp lines on the case and an uncluttered dial, the watch has a distinctive midcentury aesthetic that looks modern even today. The 37.5 mm diameter case has kept pace with contemporary sizing, making it even more compelling.

This example, however, is no ordinary ref. 3448, but is “Senza Luna”, Italian for “without moon”, as the dial lacks a the moon phase aperture. How a handful of ref. 3448s came to be without a moon phase aperture is unknown.

The moon-less dials are certainly real, but whether the watches originally left the factory in this configuration is less clear. There are five other “Senza Luna” examples like this, however, only one (case number “1’119’585”) has the moon-less dial explicitly mentioned in the archive extract.

There is precedent for moon-less versions of existing references, most famously the unique ref. 3448 made for former Patek Philippe sales head Alan Banbery had its moon phase removed in favor of a leap year indicator in 1975. And Tiffany & Co. sold a ref. 699 pocket watch with a power reserve indication instead of moon phase in 1960.

Unlike those watches with modified movements, the present lot still has a moon phase hidden underneath the dial, as the movement is identical to that of a standard ref. 3448.

The base movement is the automatic cal. 27-460 that was cutting-edge for the time, with a free-sprung Gyromax balance, overcoil hairspring, an unusually high 2.75 Hz beat rate, and bi-directional winding. Though technology has since advanced, it remains one of the best-looking automatics ever made.

This particular example also has another intriguing aspect to its history. The archive extract notes that the case was changed by the Henri Stern Watch Agency, Patek Philippe’s American distributor in 1978, possibly when the moon-less dial was added.

Patek Philippe was more amenable to customization in the past than today, routinely making changes to watches at the behest of important clients. For example, one specimen of the ref. 3448 had its yellow gold case exchanged for a platinum one, and another in platinum had a sapphire-index dial installed in 1997.

The “Senza Luna” with its dial confirmed by the archive extract sold for HK$10 million [US$1.3 million] at Sotheby’s in 2021. The present example has an estimate of HK$1.2-2.4 million [US$154,000-308,000].

Lot 933 – Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5970P-013 Double Sealed

Like the ref. 5070, the ref. 5970 was initially viewed as a stop-gap measure to keep up with enlarging case sizes during the early 2000s until a new chronograph movement could be deployed. However, the ref. 5970 has managed to outshine both its successor and predecessor, with its balanced 39 mm case size, well-proportioned dial, and charismatic Lemania caliber.

Image – Phillips

To make a much-loved watch even more interesting, this platinum ref. 5970P was a special order. Instead of the black dial found on the standard model, this has a dark metallic grey dial with contrasting red hands.

Image – Phillips

And on the back, “A Mon Fils”, which translates as “to my son”, printed on the sapphire window. Notably, this particular watch was one of several special-order Patek Philippe watches with the same grey-and-black livery.

Image – Phillips

The watch remains double sealed, so it has never been touched since it left the factory. The estimate reflects the unique nature and unworn condition of the watch, HK$4-8 million [US$513,000-1,030,000].

Lot 981 – Seiko Credor Skeleton Chronograph GBBL993

Long before the Micro-Artist Studio, and the Credor Eichi, Seiko already produced top-of-the-line mechanical watches with artisanal decoration, but available solely in Japan, and styled accordingly. As a result, they are rarely seen and even less known today. And unlike the current Credor flagship models that are Swiss inspired, these earlier watches are more distinctively Japanese in style.

One such example is the Credor Skeleton Chronograph ref. GBBL993, perhaps the ultimate serially-produced Credor chronograph. It’s powered by the skeletonised, finely decorated, cal. 6S99, while the platinum case has straight lugs and a beaded edge to the bezel, a familiar element found on other Credor Signo models of the period.

The dial is sapphire, giving the illusion that the iridescent mother-of-pearl subdials are floating above the movement. The Credor signature printed on the underside of the crystal, the sharply inclined chapter ring, and skeletonized movement further accentuate the dial’s depth.

The manual-wind cal. 6S99 is the most upmarket version of the 6S chronograph family, which is based on the 9S family of movements used in the Grand Seiko brand. One of Seiko’s idiosyncrasies is that manually wound movements typically command a premium over their automatic equivalents.

The cal. 6S99 was one of the most elaborately decorated movements Seiko produced at the time, and even today it stands out. The bridges and plate are skeletonized and decorated with a distinctly Japanese “amoni wave” pattern while the chronograph levers carry a hand-applied perlage finish.

The steel springs, while comparatively plain-looking, are finely grained, beveled, and comparable to what you’d find on the best Swiss and German chronographs. The eye-catching blue screws done the traditional way, with a torch, as evidenced by their slightly inconsistent coloring.

Image – Phillips

The watch is freshly serviced. It is an interesting value proposition – with the platinum case and highly-decorated movement, it has an estimate of only HK$60,000-125,000 [US$7,700-16,000].

Lot 998 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2

The brainchild of independent watchmaker Eric Coudray, who was then at JLC, the Gyrotourbillon was one of the first multi-axis tourbillon wristwatches. Originally launched in a round case, the second iteration Gyrotourbillon evolved into the Reverso format.

Its tourbillon is composed of two cages with perpendicular axes of rotation. The outer cage rotates once per minute, while the inner cage rotates once in only 18.75 seconds.

Inside is a free-sprung balance, made of gold to increase inertia while remaining compact, on a cylindrical balance spring. Note the use of an anachronistic stopwork to protect the delicate tourbillon from excessive torque. There is also a subtle 24-hour indicator (not a second time zone) to add visual interest.

While the extremely complex aluminum cages could only be developed using CAD tools and required a five-axis CNC mill to cut, there is still plenty of traditional watchmaking present.

JLC’s movement finishing, even on many tourbillons, is often quite industrial. That is not the case here, the movement has been painstakingly hand-decorated, with smooth rounded beveling, pyramide guilloche, and plenty of sharp interior angles.

The massive platinum case is also impressive, almost 16 mm in height, 36 mm in width, and 55 mm across the wrist. It’s even larger than the Reverso Quadriptyque, and the case has so much inertia that JLC found it necessary to add a locking slide to prevent it from flipping open during sudden wrist movements.

Reversing the watch lets you enjoy the tourbillon from a different perspective and reveals a power reserve indicator.

This landmark Reverso carries an estimate of HK$470,000-930,000 [US$60,300-119,000].

Lot 1006 – Patek Philippe Chiming Jump Hour Ref 5275

In 2014, Patek Philippe celebrated 175 years with six limited editions, only two of which were powered by entirely new movements: the Grandmaster Chime ref. 5175, limited to seven pieces, and the more accessible (relatively speaking) Chiming Jump Hour ref. 5275, limited to 175 pieces.

The Chiming Jump Hour is clearly inspired by ref. 3969, another jump hour in a similar case shape, launched to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary, which was in turn inspired by watches from the 1920s.

The platinum case has a floral pattern in relief along the flanks, which carries onto the (stamped) dial. It’s rather large for a shaped watch, as was the taste at the time, but was dwarfed by the Grandmaster Chime.

Unlike the Grandmaster Chime, which returned as the regular production ref. 6300 a few years later, the movement in the ref. 5275 remains unique over a decade later. It combines jumping seconds, jumping minutes, and jump hours with a sonnerie au passage, which strikes once on the new hour.

Patek Philippe took four years to develop the cal. 32-650 HGS PS inside the ref. 5275, and its development put the brand’s investments in silicon technology to good use. Silicon was employed in several mechanisms, including the jumping seconds system, which was reused on the Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301.

With only 175 made, the ref. 5275 is an uncommon sight. The estimate is HK$2.3-3 million (US$295,000-385,000).

Lot 1054 – Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520P

Launched in 2019, this polarizing, octopus-like multi-complication is Patek Philippe’s idea of the ultimate travel watch. It combines the brand’s Travel Time complication with an alarm – that strikes on a gong rather than against the case – in a platinum-case, pilot-style package.

The aviation-inspired design language was controversial when it debuted on the Calatrava Pilot Travel time ref. 5224  back in 2015, but has since become a key part of the catalogue. There is some historical precedent to the design, as Patek Philippe does have a connection to pilots’ watches, albeit a modest one, in the form of two prototypes housed in its museum.

The Alarm Travel Time uses a unique, self-winding base movement not found in any other reference, and is one of the few complicated Patek Philippe watches with sweep seconds.

The alarm is one of the most advanced on the market, able to be set in 15-minute increments using a digital display. Unlike most alarm watches, it can differentiate between day and night.

The alarm hammer strikes a gong, as was the case with Patek Philippe’s historical alarm watches, rather than against the case, as is the case on more pedestrian alarm watches. It also uses a near-silent centrifugal governor, as found on the band’s minute repeaters and clock watches, to pace the chimes; the result is a very pleasing sound.

Despite its rarity, the ref. 5520P can still be had for under its retail price, which is high due t its complexity. In this case the estimate is HK$950,000-1.5 million [US$122,000-192,000)].

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will occur at Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Preview
Open daily May 16-25, 2025, from 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
May 23 – 6:30 pm (Evening Session I lots 801 – 816)
May 24 – 2:00 pm (Session II lots 817 – 933)
May 25 – 2:00 pm (Session III lots 934 – 1058)

(All times are local to Hong Kong, GMT+8.)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

For the auction catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Phillips.

Christie’s continues its spring season in Hong Kong with an unexpected single-owner trilogy – three separate collections of timepieces owned by one collection going on the block – The Chronicle, The Generations, and Stories in Time.

The Generations collection will be sold on May 28, and focuses on sports watches from Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Slated to be sold on the same day, The Chronicle collection is more eclectic but focuses on traditionally styled watches. Thirdly, Stories in Time will hit the block on May 29, and features notable vintage Rolex watches – including a fine mid-century cloisonné Oyster – stunning Cartier clocks, and avant-garde creations by independents.

One of the top lots in the sale is the Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 with a cloisonné enamel dial that is only now reemerging publicly after having last been sold in 1990

Concurrently, watches from The Legacy Collection, including rare watches from Richard Mille and gem-set Patek Philippe complications, will be on show from May 22 to 28 (though that are not part of the auction).

We round up five fine and fascinating watches, and one clock from the upcoming sale. Online bidding and the catalogue for the May 28 sale and the May 29 sale, and the catalogue in PDF format for both sessions, are available on Christies.com.

Lot 2277 – Seiko Credor Eichi I

Unveiled in 2008, the Credor Eichi I was the second product of Seiko Epson’s elite Micro-Artist Studio, after the Credor Sonnerie of 2006. The run of only 25 watches took until 2011 to complete, with the case for this example being built in May 2009. The watch was then replaced by the Eichi II that remains in the catalogue today. (We covered the differences between this and its successor in great detail here.)

The platinum case is only 35 mm in diameter, making the Eichi the smallest Spring Drive model so far; the straight lugs and thin bezel are reminiscent of the vintage Seiko Lord Marvel, the very watch that inspired the Eichi’s creator.

The Eichi I was powered by the cal. 7R08 that belongs to the family of manually wound Spring Drive movements launched back in 1999, but is nearly unrecognizable due to the high degree of decoration. The barrel has been gilded and skeletonized with a bellflower pattern, while bridges are in untreated German silver and beveled by hand using files and gentian wood, as it is done in Swiss haute horlogerie.

A novel Torque Return system siphons off extra power to rewind the mainspring during the first 35 hours of the power serve, allowing the watch to run for over 60 hours on a 48-hour-long mainspring.

Image – Christie’s

The high level of execution extends to the dial and case. The porcelain dial and crown insert were made by noted Japanese chinaware manufacturer Noritake. All markings, including the dial code at the bottom, are painted free-hand by an artisan using only a brush and skill.

Credor’s trademark “24-7” motif is hidden on the dial, painted in matte white enamel so it only appears from certain angles. The stack of thermally blued steel hands is capped off to hide the seconds pinion.

Image – Christie’s

The estimate is conservative at HK$160,000-320,000 (US$20,000-40,000), considering another sold for HK$1.80 million at Phillips last November.

Lot 2291 – F.P. Journe Sonnerie Souveraine

The Sonnerie Souveraine was F.P. Journe’s flagship, and most complicated, model for over a decade. According to Francois-Paul Journe, the Sonnerie Sourverine was one of his most challenging undertakings, as it needed to be reliable enough to chime 35,040 times per year without failure, while remaining compact enough to fit well on a wrist, without sacrificing sound quality.

Like all of F.P. Journe’s other striking watches, the Sonnerie Souveraine is equipped with the brand’s signature flat gongs and hammers that reside under the dial. They give a distinctly crisp, if subtle, sound through the stainless steel case compared to traditional wire gongs.

Image – Christie’s

The rose gold movement has been inverted, allowing the hammers and gongs to be on the front while the striking works remain on the back. The striking mechanism itself builds on concepts pioneered in Cesar Racine’s simplified grande sonnerie designs, while introducing new safety features, all without sacrificing the petite sonnerie mode.

Instead of using two separate barrels like most clock watches, the Sonnerie Souveraine employs a clever construction with a single, central barrel that unwinds from both sides to power the timekeeping and strikes. On a full wind, the watch can run for five days, but is reduced to two days with 24 hours of grande sonnerie striking.

Image – Christie’s

Like the subsequent Astronomic and FFC, each Sonnerie Souveraine is engraved with the name of its first owner instead of a serial number, and comes with a replacement crown, stem, hands, mainspring, balance complete, and escapement to ensure the watch can be repaired if factory parts are unavailable. F.P. Journe will replace the case back with one bearing the new owner’s name, but it costs a good five-figure sum to do so.

While Mr Journe has hinted that the grande sonnerie as a complication is likely to return at some point, the Sonnerie Souveraine will not. For a flagship complication, with only mid double-digit produced, the estimate of HK$3.8-7.8 million (US$490,000 – 1.0 million) seems surprisingly reasonable.

Lot 2501 – Cartier Mystery Clock

Cartier made its first Mystery Clock back in the 1910s, with the help of French watchmaker Maurice Couet. The maison continues to build its famous Mystery Clocks for its most important clients to this day; this example was sold as recently as 2022. An identical one was exhibited by Cartier back in April 2016 at a six-day event in Taipei.

Image – Christie’s

This example, reference number H1000024, is made of 18k white gold, silver obsidian, and onyx. The legs are topped with chrysoprase accents and sit on topaz hemispheres. It’s quite large, standing 125 mm tall, with an 85 mm by 57 mm footprint. It also has a ruby accented sibling, H1000013, which is not on the block–yet.

Images – Cartier

The hands, which are made of gold and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, are attached to clear glass plates, giving the illusion of being suspended in air, and faceted lead-glass crystals on the front and back allow you to see straight through. The dial sits in a square frame, with baguette diamonds to mark the hours and brilliant cut diamonds filling the space between. This is encircled by a second diamond-set frame, with emeralds and Roman numerals on the four cardinal directions.

Concealed in the base is caliber 6002 MC, which Cartier uses in most of their modern mechanical clocks. It can be wound and set using a pair of white gold knobs on the bottom, and will run for eight days between winds.

Image – Christie’s

The estimate is HK$300,000 – 600,000 [US$40,000 – 75,000], probably a mere fraction of its original retail price.

Lot 2527 – Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Technique Blue

The Double Tourbillon 30° Technique is an impressive watch in many ways. First is the sheer size, at 47.6 mm in diameter, it’s larger than many pocket watches.

More impressive still is Greubel Forsey’s exacting finishing–something few can match, and none that can surpass. On this version, the plates have been given a blue PVD finish, likely by Positive Coating, the same company responsible for the “atomic orange” on the MB&F.

Image – Christie’s

As the name suggests, there are two tourbillons, the outer rotates at a leisurely rate of once every four minutes and carries a wandering four-minute display. Inside is a second tourbillon that once per minute.

Note that the entire inner tourbillon is inclined by 30°, not just the balance. It also has an up/down indicator and discrete running seconds, important features for a chronometery-focused watch.

Image – Christie’s

The movement develops five days of power reserve from four stacked, fast-rotating to prevent main spring adhesion, mainspring barrels. Greubel Forsey was one of the few brands brave enough to (publicly) submit their watches to the ill-fated Concours International de Chronométrie, where another Double Tourbillon Technique set a record of 915 out of 1000 points in 2011.

More special still, this example is numbered “1/11”. This extraordinary watch carries an estimate of HK$1.2 million – 2.4 million [US$150,000 – 305,000], and comes with a free factory service that can be redeemed within six months of purchase.

Lot 2536 – MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO

Max Büsser enlisted his friend, Irish constructor Stephen McDonnell, to bring MB&F’s first in-house complication to life. While Mr McDonnell’s design looks like a conventional grand lever-based system at first glance, it’s actually far more interesting as it’s a retrograde system in disguise with numerous safety mechanism built-in.

The EVO, short for “Evolution”, is a more rugged variant of the original Legacy Machine Perpetual. Besides the rubber strap, the water resistance is increased from 30 m on the normal model Legacy Machine Perpetual to 80 m, and the movement is protected by the brand’s FlexRing shock absorber.

Image – Christie’s

MB&F has offered the EVO model in titanium and zirconium, with this example being the latter. Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) ceramics are widely used in the industry, but metallic zirconium remains rare. It’s dark, lustrous, and lighter than steel, making it an attractive titanium alternative.

The quadruple subdials pop against the “atomic orange” PVD finish on the movement’s dial side. The calendar works are left exposed, as is the balance, which is suspended from a curved and specular polished steel bridge. While busy, the symmetry of the dial keeps it from devolving into chaos, and mirroring the power reserve with the leap year indicator is a nice touch.

The movement is jarringly traditional from the back, and quite well finished. It’s dominated by two large barrels, though the bridges gave a clear view of the going and power reserve trains in action.

The estimate is HK$800,000 – 1.6 million [US$100,000 – 205,000].

Lot 2565 – Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 “Dragon” Cloisonné

Rolex watches with enamel dials always make a splash when they come to auction, and this ref. 6100 is no different. Rolex, as well as Patek Philippe and Universal Geneve, sourced their enamel dials from the famous Stern Feres, who worked with local artisans like Nelly Richard.

Image – Christie’s

The cloisonné enamel dial is made from a solid gold blank, and partitioned by thin gold wire, which is shaped by hand before being welded to the dial.

These cloisons, or partitionings, are then filled with enamel, and fired over and over again as more colors are added. All cloisonne dials are unique by nature, but this is also the only known ref. 6100 with a dragon dial.

Image – Christie’s

Image – Christie’s

Besides the dial, and being 18k yellow gold, it is a classic Oyster Perpetual. A–presumably very high–estimate is available on request for this very special Rolex.

The Legacy Collection Exhibition

Several watches from The Legacy collection are on display, but not (yet) for sale. Highlights include a Patek Philippe Ref. 5104/10P-010, a variant of the 5104 with an invisible set bauggete diamond bezel. While not unique, the diamond set variant is exceedingly rare. Also on display is a, possibly unique, black and rose gold ‘Jackie Chan’ edition RM057 Tourbillon, with an intricately sculpted dragon on the dial.

Image – Christie’s

Preview and auction details

All lots will be on show during the preview in Hong Kong. Both the preview exhibition and sale will be at The Henderson.

The Henderson
6/F
2 Murray Road
Central, Hong Kong

Preview (open to the public)
May 22-27, 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
May 28 10:30 am – 12:00pm

Auction
May 28, 2:00 pm (“The Chronicle” and “The Generations” Collections)
May 29, 2:00 pm (“Stories in Time”)

The Legacy Collection
May 22–27, 10:30am – 5:30pm
May 28, 10:30am – 12:00pm

All times and dates are local to Hong Kong (GMT+8).

For viewing appointments, and online bidding, visit Christies.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Christie’s.

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction is a three-day affair that starts with enamelled Chinese market masterpieces of the 18th and 19th century, followed by a two-day main sale that includes several notable examples of independent watchmaking.

Some, including watches from Greubel Forsey and Urwerk, might be value propositions and comparably accessible entries into the brands, while others will be six figures but arguably worth it – like the Piaget Gouvernor Grande Sonnerie that was produced by a young Francois-Paul Journe in the mid 1990s. We round up those and a few more indie highlights from The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX that takes place from May 23-25, 2025.

The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com.

The Piaget Gouvernour Grande Sonnerie with a movement made by François-Paul Journe in 1997

Lot 893 – Krayon Anywhere in pink gold & Lot 965 – Krayon Anywhere in white gold

The sale includes not one, but two examples of the Krayon Anywhere. Conceived by engineer Rémi Maillat, the Anywhere indicates sunrise and sunset times anywhere in world, thanks to a set of cams and levers that can be adjusted for a particular locale.

The chapter ring on the periphery of the dial is composed of overlapping discs that move with the seasons, indicating sunrise and sunset as well as the seasonal length of the day. A sub-dial at six indicates the calendar, which is linked to the sunrise and sunset indicator.

Hand finished to a high level by specialists in the Vallée de Joux, the manual wind movement inside is inspired by one section of Lake Neuchâtel, the body of water besides Krayon’s workshop, explaining the unusual, jagged outline of the barrel bridge.

Visible at the six o’clock position is the cam and u-shaped racks that control the sunrise and sunset discs. A lateral screw on the cam adjusts it position, allowing a watchmaker to customise the display for any latitude.

While the Anywhere has to be adjusted by Krayon for a specific location, the brand will do this without charge for the buyers of each of these watches.

A white gold Anywhere just sold at Phillips in Geneva two weeks ago, meaning that three examples have come to market within a short period of time. As a result, this might be an opportunity to land one at an attractive price.

Lot 893, the pink gold example. Image – Phillips

Both examples date to 2022 and were sold about six months apart. Each is complete with box and papers.

The version in pink gold is lot 893, while the white gold model is lot 965. The two have identical estimates of HK$700,000-1.4 million (US$89,700-179,000).

Lot 960 – F.P. Journe Vagabondage II

Still one of the quirkiest of Francois-Paul Journe’s creations, the Vagabondage was a trio of tortue-form watches with unusual time displays.

This is the second instalment in the series and shows the time with jumping hours and minutes in windows, along with the seconds power reserve. (The third, and final, watch in the series had jumping hours and seconds, along with sweeping minutes.)

Hours are indicated at 12 o’clock with a single disc, while minutes are shown just below with double discs. As with several other of F.P. Journe’s movements, the cal. 1509 of the Vagabondage II employs the brand’s trademark constant force mechanism, or remontoir d’egalite, to regulate the energy needs to the jumping display.

The double jumping displays consume enough energy that the power reserve of the movement is just 28 hours; unsurprising given its single, ordinarily sized barrel.

Launched in 2004, the tortue case is unlike the signature round F.P. Journe case. Its origin story is well known – the form was conceived for another brand – but the shape has since become synonymous with F.P. Journe as well thanks to the quartz Elegante.

Complete with box, papers, and a 2024 factory service, this example shows wear on the case, but appears to retain the original factory case finish with its sharp edges. The Vagabondage II has an estimate of HK$780,000-1.40 million (US$100,000-179,000).

Lot 999 – Harry Winston Opus 4 by Christophe Claret

The fourth instalment in Harry Winston’s Opus series, this watch was created by Christophe Claret, then a leading maker of complicated movements, primarily for other brands. Harry Winston has halted the Opus series, while the Claret company is no more, making this something of an interesting historical curiosity.

More classical than the avant-garde Opus editions that came before and after, it is still a complex watch: the movement incorporates a minute repeater with cathedral gongs, one-minute tourbillon, oversized moon phase, and date, plus the time shown on both of its double faces.

The open-worked front showing the movement and time

Featuring an indirectly driven time display as well as the hammers and gongs, the open-worked front dial reveals this is the work of Claret, not only because of the engraving on the barrel bridge, but also with the tourbillon cage that was the brand’s signature.

The reverse has a conventional dial with a large central moon phase, along with a pointer date.

Thanks to swivelling lugs, this watch can be worn on either of its two faces. However, it is not a dual time zone as both sides show the same time.

The dial showing the time, moon phase, and date

Like many of the very complicated watches of its era, the Opus 4 is enormous. The case is 44 mm in diameter, and probably almost 20 mm high due to the thickness of the movement. Add to that the platinum case with chunky lugs, and the result is a watch with massive presence.

The Opus 4 has an estimate of HK$480,000-960,000 (US$61,500-123,000), which is not so much as such things go, making this something of a value proposition. Servicing costs, however, may be substantial at Harry Winston, so that should be factored into the buying decision.

Lot 1000 – Piaget Gouverneur Grande Sonnerie

In the early 1990s, Piaget (which had then just been acquired by Richemont) decided to produce the ultimate striking complication, a grande sonnerie.

The Geneva brand tapped an up-and-coming watchmaker named Francois-Paul Journe to construct and produce the movement. Mr Journe was then a freelance watchmaker, having just departed his prior company and not yet having established his eponymous brand.

The planned series of 10 watches apparently only resulted in six timepieces, each unique but all powered by a complex calibre of Mr Journe’s own creation. The cal. 1996P grande sonnerie movement was complex and fragile, but formed the archetype of the subsequently Sonnerie Souverain that F.P. Journe would launch in 2005.

Most notable are the flat hammers and gongs under the dial that Mr Journe would later employ in all his chiming watches. In the Gouverneur the gongs are concealed by the dial, but the two hammers are visible in an aperture.

This example has an 18k white gold case that’s just 37 mm in diameter. The two buttons in the case are for activating the minute repeater and toggling between chiming or silent mode respectively.

This example almost certainly requires a service going by the age and wear of the movement, but it is probably the most affordable grande complication by François-Paul Journe anywhere. The Gouverneur Grande Sonnerie has an estimate of HK$1.40-2.40 million (US$179,000-308,000).

Lot 1026 – Urwerk UR-220 “Miami Vibe”

Urwerk unveiled the UR-220 in 2020 as the latest iteration of its flagship satellite cube complication. In 2022, the model was discontinued (and recently replaced by the UR-230), and the UR-220 “Miami Vibe” served as its swan song. Now this UR-220 is a relatively well priced entry into Urwerk’s top-of-the-line complication.

Combining 18k red gold with a white rubber strap, the “Miami Vibe” stands in contrast to the all-black aesthetic that is more typical of Urwerk.

The time display, however, is classic Urwerk. The time is indicated by wandering hours that take the form of cubes that traverse the dial, while the minutes are shown with a retrograde points on an arc along the lower edge of the dial.

One of the more unusual features that was introduced in the UR-220 is its double power reserve that makes for a symmetrical dial. The power reserve at one o’clock measures the first 24 hours of power reserve, while the second indicator at 11 o’clock is for the second 24 hours. Once a watch is fully wound, the second indicator starts dropping and hits zero after a day. It’s followed by the first indicator that makes the same journey to zero.

The case back is also quintessential Urwerk, forming a “control panel”. Here it comprises a cylindrical service indicator that runs for 39 months, after which it stops to indicate a service is recommended. Notably, the service indicator only counts the time when the watch is running, and not when the movement is stopped.

Though the “Miami Vibe” is not a limited edition per se, the UR-220 model as a whole was limited to just 15 pieces a year across all its variants, meaning only a few dozen of them exist.

Complete with box and papers, this UR-220 has an estimate of HK$400,000-800,000 (US$51,300-103,000).

Lot 1029 – Greubel Forsey Balancier

Launched in 2017 as one of Greubel Forsey’s entry-level watches, the Balancier is functionally simple but nonetheless executed to the usual levels of finishing and construction that define the brand’s creations. While it does without the complexity of Greubel Forsey’s top-of-the-line tourbillon models, it captures the brand’s ethos at a more accessible price, relatively speaking.

The watch only shows the hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve, but is replete with decorative and technical details.  The hands, for instance, are in the usual Greubel Forsey style – domed, polished, blued, and equipped with mirrored countersinks on their hubs, even on the seconds and power reserve hands.

The Balancier is similar to Greubel Forsey’s tourbillon in terms of size, with a 43.5 mm case that is hefty and quite large. And like several of Greubel Forsey’s pricier tourbillon models, this has an aperture within a bulge on the case side, but instead of revealing a tourbillon regulator it shows off the balance wheel.

Though it is a merely balance wheel, it is anchored with a V-shaped bridge in polished steel similar to Greubel Forsey employs for its tourbillons.

Interestingly, the case back reveal the full plate of the movement that covers all of the movement parts, but still offers a lot of examine thanks to the “micro” relief engraving that is something of a Greubel Forsey hallmark. The French text is made up of words relating to Greubel Forsey’s philosophy, such as creativity and “guardian of time”.

This Balancier was sold in late 2024, making it relatively new and explaining its good condition. It includes the original box and papers. The estimate is HK$750,000-1.20 million (US$96,200-154,000).

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will take place at Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Preview
Open daily May 16-25, 2025, from 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
May 23 – 6:30 pm (Evening Session I lots 801 – 816)
May 24 – 2:00 pm (Session II lots 817 – 933)
May 25 – 2:00 pm (Session III lots 934 – 1058)

(All times are local to Hong Kong, GMT+8.)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

For the auction catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Phillips.

The Geneva sales have wrapped up, but the spring auction season continues in Hong Kong, where Phillips will offer a collection of unexpected and wonderful pocket watches made for the Chinese market in the 18th and 19th centuries. As Europeans became enamored with Chinese goods such as tea, silk, and porcelain, the Chinese were equally enraptured by European watches and clocks, often adorned with miniature enamel painting, pearls, gemstones, and hand engraving.

Genevan enamelling, in particular, was world-leading and adorned some of the most elaborate timepieces of the 19th century. Proof of that can be found in the Patek Philippe Museum’s extensive collection of Chinese market watches and clocks.

Today, Chinese market watches seem alien in their lavish and ornate decoration. Collectors’ tastes have become homogenized over time, particularly today, which makes historical Chinese market watches stand out as a world unto themselves, both in style and mechanics. A mini collection of such watches will be sold during the first session of Phillips’ The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX at 6:30 pm on May 23, 2025.

The extraordinary miniature enamelling found on a clockwatch by L. Vrard & Co.

Lot 801 – Perfume Sprinkler Pistol by Moulinié & Bautte & Cie

Geneva historically specialized in the manufacture of oddly shaped “fantasy watches” watches during the early 19th century. Common forms include fruits, musical instruments, animals, and flowers. Some of the more exotic fantasy watches took the shape of firearms, and would react when the trigger was pulled. On some, this would activate a singing bird, this example produces a tulip that squirts perfume as its petals unfurl. The pistol isn’t signed, but can be attributed to Moulinié & Bautte & Cie. of Geneva based on its similarity to other works by the house.

The solid yellow gold fantasy firearm measures 111 mm from muzzle to grip. The barrel is finished in deep blue flinqué enamel and capped off with diamonds. Hunting motifs were common on such watches, like the engraved hound and hare, framed by diamonds, where the barrel and grip meet. Massive diamonds are set on either side of the hammer, which is pulled back to charge the perfume sprinkler.

The grip is even more elaborate, lined with cut pearls and decorated with red flinqué enamel. At the end of the grip are panels concealing a watch, one with a large emerald, the other an opal, both encircled by diamonds. In contrast, the movement inside is an unremarkable chain and fusee verge caliber.

The pistol comes in its original box with keys and a chain. As testament to its importance, there are a pair of nearly identical (sans diamonds) pistols in the collection of the Patek Philippe Museum.

Unsurprisingly, this pistol carries a higher estimate than the other watches, but is still very reasonable at HK$800,000 – 1,600,000 ($103,000 – 205,000).

Lot 803 – A Pair of Watches, Signed “Edouard Juvet”

Chinese market watches were often sold in pairs, though the rationale behind this is disputed. At one point, Europeans believed their Chinese clientele wore two watches at once. Based on the impeccable condition of these watches, it seems neither was worn at all.

A currently popular theory is that one watch would be able to stand in if the other were damaged, since sending the watch back to Europe would take at least a year–though there were watchmakers in Shanghai and Hong Kong able to effect the repair of even very complicated watches.

The Chinese idiom, 好事成双 , which translates literally as “good things come in pairs”, also comes to mind. The paintings, when identical, are almost always mirrored, suggesting the watches were meant to complement, rather than replace, each other.

This pair by Juvet, made around 1850, depicts Roman Emperor Titus and Jewish Queen Berenice. Note the use of red flinqué enamel to add interest to the background and tie it together with the decoration on the bezel.

Paired watches are desirable, so you won’t get a discount by buying in bulk. The estimate is HK$400,000 – 800,000 ($51,300 – 103,000)

Lot 804 – Open Face Watch, Signed “Ilbery”

This watch, from around 1820, is signed by William Ilbery, who, along with his mentor, English watchmaker William Anthony, is credited with the origination of the “Chinese Caliber”. It is only signed on the movement, as sterile dials were strongly preferred in the east, even as dial-side signatures became more common.

Ilbery relocated his movement production from London to Fleurier around 1836, likely to take advantage of the relatively cheap skilled labor in the area, while cases were still made in London and Geneva. Ilbery turned to artists based in Geneva for enamel painting, and watches still passed through England before making their way to China by sea on British-flagged ships.

Most pocket watch movements place the center wheel in the center to directly drive the minutes, while the fourth wheel, which carries the seconds hands, is relegated to the periphery. Since the Chinese favored center seconds watches, Ilbery instead put the fourth wheel of his “Chinese Caliber” in the center, while the hours and minutes are indirectly driven. This approach is very common today and is used in the ETA 2824, among many others.

As was common for the time, the movement is only lightly jewelled, though that includes a faceted diamond endstone. You can see some English heritage in the use of a single plate for the center, third, and fourth wheels, as well as some Swiss inspiration in the flying barrel. Most, though not all, Chinese market movements were engraved and sometimes decorated with champleve enamel.

Despite its historical importance and spectacular enamel work, the estimate is a modest HK$160,000 – 320,000 ($20,500 – 41,000).

Lot 805 – Open Face Watch, Signed “Edouard Juvet”

Edouard Juvet was one of the watchmakers in Fleurier who continued Ilbery’s work. This example is from around 1860 though the movement is essentially the same as the precious, other than the balance wheel which now has posing screws and weights.

The Chinese were slow to warm to keyless winding, which they allegedly viewed as less reliable. Some Chinese calibers use a special “crab-tooth” duplex escapement, which makes the seconds hand jump in one-second increments like a clock, however, this watch (and Chinese calibers covered here) use a normal duplex escapement.

The miniature enamel painting is attributed Jean-Louis Richter of Geneva. Richter excelled at landscape painting, from naval battles to rolling hills on music, snuff, and singing bird boxes.

However, when it comes to watches, Richter is known for his quaint “doll-like” faces and idyllic depictions of country life. Also notable, the dust cover is decorated with a compass rose motif seen on many Chinese market watches.

The estimate for this watch is again modest: HK$160,000 – 320,000 ($20,500 – 41,000).

Lot 807 – Grande et Petite Sonnerie Clockwatch, Signed “L. Vrard & Co.”

Laidrich & Vrard, founded by Swiss watchmaker Edouard Laidrich and his French associate Louis Vrard, was a major importer, retailer, and repairer of watches and clocks during the mid to late 19th century. Their first location was in Shanghai, before expanding to Tianjin and Beijing.

L. Vrard was an important distributor for names like Bovet, and sold watches under their house brand, Hengdeli (亨達利). Today, its successor, Hengdeli Holdings, is one of the largest luxury watch retailers in China and is partially owned by the Swatch Group.

This example uses a clock watch movement from the Vallée de Joux with grande et petite sonnerie and trip minute repeating, and represents a change of direction for Chinese market watches, as it’s no different from movements made for the European and American markets. Notably, it features a pair of miniature enamel hunting scenes by Pierre-Amédée Champod.

The front

Champod is one of the most renowned enamel artists of his era, and is particularly regarded for his hunting scenes and portraits–with good reason, as can be seen by this example.

The front shows Indian hunters defending their camp from an attacking lion, while the back shows them rescuing their wounded comrade from the tiger. Both scenes are ringed in blue enamel and channels set with bisected pearls.

The back

While all of these watches have been in fantastic condition, this one also comes with the original fitted box. Estimate is HK$800,000 – 1,600,000 (US$103,00-205,000).

Lot 812 – Anonymous Rose-Shaped Fantasy Watch

This is a rather tame example of a montre de fantasie, compared to the pistol. While firearms are the most striking, nature-inspired shapes like flowers and animals were far more common. It’s also rather simple, without any animations or esoteric non-horological features, making it an ideal entry point for collectors new to the world of fantasy.

This one in particular is a rose made around 1810, decorated with polychrome enamel and sliced pearls. The leaves are done in a translucent green enamel, and the bow is shaped like a flower stem.

British and French invaders ransacked the Summer Palace in Beijing during the Second Opium War, and countless treasures of the Imperial Court, including many watches, were looted.

This watch, unfortunately, stands as an example of that. It is engraved “Mary P. Mercer 17th December 1863 from the Summer Palace, Peking, 17th October 1863” and lived at The Time Museum in Chicago before returning to private hands.

While not as popular as they once were, fantasy watches are still highly collectible, at least by pocket watch standards. HK$400,000 – 800,000 ($51,300 – 103,000). 

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will take place at Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Preview
Open daily May 16-25, 2025, from 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
May 23 – 6:30 pm (Evening Session I lots 801 – 816)
May 24 – 2:00 pm (Session II lots 817 – 933)
May 25 – 2:00 pm (Session III lots 934 – 1058)

(All times are local to Hong Kong, GMT+8.)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

For the full catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Phillips.

Despite everything, including tariffs and a strong Swiss franc, the Geneva auction season turned out to be a strong one, with some of the strongest results being in the most surprising segments.

The bigger winner this season was Phillips, which sold a bit under 200 lots for CHF43.4 million including fees, while also claiming the most valuable lots for the season, reflecting Phillips’ strong leadership and team.

Despite being the market leader by some margin, the Phillips catalogue was arguably the riskiest as it included several high-value pocket watches and clocks – timepieces that not part of mainstream collecting today. Yet the gamble paid off with the most valuable timepiece this season being its Breguet Sympathique no. 1 that sold for CHF5.51 million.

Christie’s achieved CHF21.2 million with a similar number of lots that were arguably more conventional in taste and format than at Phillips. One of its most valuable lots was a Cartier Crash “NSO” with a special order dial that sold for CHF736,000 – one of the biggest surprises of the season but proof that being eye-catching enough for social media is a big factor in desirability and value today.

Interestingly, the Crash sold for exactly the same as the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari. The Crash went for about 15 times the original retail, while the RM UP-01 was about half of retail.

The Crash NSO “nickele” grey. Image – Christie’s

Over at Antiquorum, the tally was CHF10 million – from almost 800 lots. Because of the sheer volume, the offerings were more diverse and affordable than at rival houses. But the top lot was still a substantial CHF1.25 million; it was a Breguet pendule a almanach, a top-of-the-line carriage clock that once belonged to Russian nobility.

And Sotheby’s sale raised CHF6.75 million. The total was the lowest primarily because the top lot, the unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” with a mother-of-pearl dial, was withdrawn just before the auction. On a really good day, the watch would have increased Sotheby’s tally between a quarter and a third.

Though not officially announced, I understand the lot was withdrawn simply because the consignor was concerned the watch would not sell for a comparable amount to the last two platinum examples, both of which passed US$3 million.

The unique Daytona in platinum

Behind the numbers

As is usually the case with auctions, there’s always a reason for the numbers, big or small.

The obvious ones were economic and trade uncertainty along with currency fluctuations. But there were also some absent faces, including prominent collectors who were big spenders in recent seasons, but did not seem to have been present this time, either in person or by phone.

This might have explained the relative weakness in certain segments. Some genres of independent watchmaking suffered from relative weakness, including Roger W. Smith for instance. At Phillips, a Series 1 in pink gold sold for CHF355,600 – and the exact same watch, numbered “17” sold for CHF730,250 in 2023.

Vintage also underperformed on a relative basis, unless it was in exceptional condition, pristine and “new old stock” or very close. Collectors are currently keen to pay multiples for perfection and discount heavily for even honest wear. An appealing Patek Philippe ref. 2497 “first series” in pink gold with a low estimate of CHF1 million passed at Christie’s, perhaps because of past restoration and also the fact that it was sold at auction not too long ago, making it well known to the market.

A fine Rolex ref. 8171 “Padellone” in pink gold sold for a bit over CHF500,000 at Phillips, in part due to a spotted dial

Familiar faces

At the same time, much of the action was driven by a handful of known bidders, including familiar faces. Even when it came to online bidders, sometimes it was easy to guess the individuals behind the bidders’ cities displayed on screen.

And there were also a few newcomers who made a splash with determined, high-value bidding, helping propel some watches to unprecedented (and perhaps unsustainable) levels.

The Breguet Sympathique no. 1, the most valuable timepiece of the season, illustrates that. The buyer was, of course, Francois-Paul Journe, the man who created the clock, which will be one of the key exhibits in the soon-to-open F.P. Journe museum.

He was bidding against a discerning collectors of independent watchmaking, but Mr Journe was arguably more motivated. Commenting after the sale, Mr Journe said that he would have bought the Sympathique even at a much higher price – it is crucial for his museum.

The calendar display of the Sympathique

Mr Journe also purchased the Breguet pendule a almanach at Antiquorum that will also be destined for his museum. After the sale, Mr Journe described the Breguet carriage clock as “beautiful and rare”, and also the perfect complement for the Sympathique in the museum.

Together, the two clocks total some CHF6.76 million, or per 8% of the sales across all Geneva live auctions, making Mr Journe something of a market maker this season.

The Breguet ‘pendule a almanach’ and its second owner, Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov (1787–1869), governor of Finland during the Russian Empire. Image Antiquorum

Notable in a market where wristwatches dominate was the fact that several of the other top lots of the season were also clocks.

The second most valuable lot season-wide was the Cartier portico mystery clock no. 3, reputedly the most elaborate and largest of the six made. Cartier clocks like this are more often than not sold in jewellery sales, but this still sold for CHF3.93 million thanks to three phone bidders.

Judging by the Phillips personnel bidding for their respective clients, it seemed that two of the bidders were jewellery clients, as expected, but the eventually winner was a watch client. The bidding was steady but not as rapid or resolute as that for “hot” lots, perhaps reflecting the niche nature of the clock.

Notably, it wasn’t just clocks from established names that did well. Phillips also sold a very complicated carriage clock made by Charles Frodsham in 1918 for an eyebrow-raising CHF812,800. The clock went to a phone bidder (who, unlike most other winners of lots mentioned here, I do not know) whose purchase certainly indicates a high degree of taste and knowledge.

Cartier portico mystery clock no. 3

Social media favourites

Although the “hot” lots were not as numerous as during the covid-era peak of the market, there were a surprising number of them, and surprisingly strong at that.

One that stood out was the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain “Coeur de Rubis” that sold for CHF1.63 million at Phillips. Before even Aurel Bacs could begin, presumably around the low estimate of CHF250,000, there was frenzied shouting of bids from phone bidders and the watch opened at CHF600,000. And the bids kept coming, making it almost reminiscent of the go-go days of the pandemic.

In comparison, Christie’s sold an F.P. Journe Resonance “pre-Souscription”, almost certainly a more important watch from a historical perspective, for just CHF831,600. While scholars recognise the significance of the Resonance, it is practically indistinguishable from subsequent versions, making it ill-suited to social media-centric collecting.

The Tourbillon Souverain “Coeur de Rubis”. Image – Phillips

Bidding for the Cartier Crash at Christie’s told a similar story, taking the watch to a value that was inconceivable before the sale. While the winning bidder was on the phone, the watch likely went to a known collector with specific tastes and a particularly good relationship with Christie’s.

In fact, it is likely that both the Tourbillon Souverain and Crash went to collectors known for pursuing particular types of watch, underlining the importance of a few key buyers.

Both the F.P. Journe and Cartier, different as they are, share the important quality of being “Instagrammable” – looking different and striking enough to stand out on a small screen – showing the social media is shaping tastes.

The Vacheron Constantin ref. 6448 with a brushed platinum case and diamond dial

That said, sometimes it was simply beautiful and fine watchmaking that carried the day.

Neither hype nor hot, the Vacheron Constantin ref. 6448 minute repeater in platinum, which was both gorgeous and unique – an immaculately preserved – sold for CHF698,500 at Phillips and was worth every franc.

In a surprising turn of events, the Breguet Sympathique no. 1 has been acquired by its primary creator, Francois-Paul Journe, for the princely sum of CHF5.51 million including fees (equivalent to US$6.61 million). Notably, Sympathique no. 1 sold for almost as much as the Sympathique made for the Duc d’Orléans.

Completed in 1991 for the Art of Breguet thematic auction, the clock was completed in 1991 by Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA), a complications workshop founded by Mr Journe, who also recruited Denis Flageollet and clockmaker Dominic Mouret. And now it will soon become one of the key exhibits in the upcoming F.P. Journe Museum, which will be located near its manufacture in downtown Geneva.

Determined bidding

The impressive result for the clock exceeded most expectations, including mine. I had expected a result in the region of CHF2.5 million. And in a bit of intrigue before the auction, F.P. Journe sent out an announcement to its clients before the auction stating that it would not repair or service Sympathique no. 1; the buyer of the clock would have to go to Breguet.

Getting to the hammer price was not difficult, illustrating the strength of the F.P. Journe name today. While there were a handful of bidders under the million-franc mark, it was eventually down to a gentleman in the room and Mr Journe himself.

Past the CHF2 million mark it then turned into a contest between a phone bidder represented by Alex Ghotbi and Mr Journe. Bidding proceeded at a steady clip, and Mr Journe won the clock for CHF4.5 million, which translates into a total of CHF5,505,000 with fees.

Sotheby’s upcoming Geneva auction that takes place on May 11 is a relatively compact affair. But the 124 lots includes notable highlights, with the top lot of the sale being the especially unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” ref. 16516 in platinum with a pink mother-of-pearl dial.

This watch is one of just four Daytonas combining the El Primero movement and platinum case – the only platinum specimens in the 16500-series Daytona – all of which were made at the behest of former Rolex chief executive Patrick Heiniger in 1999.

Famous for being powered by the cal. 4030 derived from the Zenith El Primero, the 16500-series was the first-ever self-winding Daytona. The model was never commercially available in platinum; the four examples in platinum are truly unique.

Moreover, each of the four are one-of-a-kind, each fitted with a different dial in exotic materials. Sotheby’s sold the prior three examples, starting with black mother-of-pearl in 2018, lapis lazuli in 2020, and turquoise in 2021. While those three featured applied Arabic numbers, this example has diamond hour markers.

Initial thoughts

The unique nature of this Daytona is unquestionable. Amongst automatic Daytonas this ranks amongst the rarest and most valuable. Two of its platinum siblings sold for over US$3 million each, making them the priciest modern-day Daytonas.

Of the four platinum Daytonas, however, this example is the most paradoxical. It’s the most unusual in having diamond indices, but also the most low key as it is practically identical to the regular production ref. 16519 in white gold with a pink mother-of-pearl dial. This is probably the most discreet million-dollar (or franc) Daytona out there.

In the hand this seems to feel a little heavier than its white gold equivalent, as it should be. The primary tangible difference lies in the hallmarks on the case and clasp.

Interestingly, this example appears to have been worn regularly for a long period of time. The wear is even on consistent on the case and clasp, though there is no significant damage. The original owner, who has consigned it to Sotheby’s, clearly enjoyed the watch for years.

A platinum quartet

All four platinum watches were made in 1999 for a particular occasion, essentially making them a set of four matched watches.

The case is identical to that of the white gold equivalent, except that it is in platinum. Notably, the crown and pushers also appear to be platinum.

As was standard for watches delivered to France at the time, the case back has a precious metal hallmark. This also sports a personalised dedication on the back that’s been digitally concealed at the consigner’s request.

The four watches were distinguished by dials in usual materials, then far more exotic than they are now. This watch sports a dial in pink mother-of-pearl that is almost white but underlined with a faint pink hue.

While this example has a dial in arguably the most common material of mother-of-pearl, it stands out for having brilliant-cut diamond indices. It’s the only watch of the four with diamond markers.

Notably, this watch, like its three siblings, is paired with a matching platinum folding clasp. Though simple, the clasp is equally unique, as I cannot recall any other Rolex model at the time having a platinum folding clasp.

The platinum Daytona ref. 16516 with a pink mother-of-pearl dial has an estimate of CHF700,000-1.40 million. It’s the final lot (126) in Sotheby’s Important Watches sale taking place on May 11, 2025 in Geneva. For more, visit Sothebys.com.

The spring auction season kicks off in less than a week, and while there are many interesting lots worthy of attention, there are a few museum-grade Cartier clocks at Phillips that demand a close look. All made between 1905 and 1940, the most exceptional pieces date to the roaring twenties when Cartier was synonymous with Art Deco extravagance.

The lots are spread across two auctions – Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, which takes place on May 10th and 11th, and Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX which takes place from May 23rd to May 25th.

There are three important mystery clocks hitting the block, the most significant being portico clock No. 3, along with a handful of artfully engraved jade desk clocks. Rounding out the bunch, an amusing prism clock should keep things interesting for those bidding with smaller budgets.

An introduction to Cartier mystery clocks

In the early twentieth century, Cartier was on top of the world. England’s King Edward VII had just granted the firm a royal warrant, calling Cartier the “jeweler of kings” and, perhaps more significantly, “The king of jewelers.”

But the Parisian firm wasn’t coasting on this praise, and shortly thereafter stunned the world with a clock with hands that appeared to float in space. This ‘mysterious’ effect was achieved by attaching the hands to rotating glass plates that were driven from the edge. The first such clock was the Modèle A, which debuted in 1912.

A Cartier Modèle A. Image – Phillips

The mystery clock concept was brought to life by Louis Cartier and his chief clockmaker Maurice Coüet. These clocks delighted the firm’s elite clientele of the era, such as American financier John Pierpont Morgan, who is said to have purchased the first Modèle A shortly before his death.

But like many first-generation products, the Modèle A had a shortcoming, requiring separate axels for driving the hour and minute disks. This technical limitation prevented Cartier from exploring more creative designs.

Portico clock No. 3’s floating hands, diamond-set and shaped like a dragon. Image – Phillips

In 1920, Coüet managed to consolidate both functions into a single axel, a breakthrough that led directly to the landmark collection of six portico clocks constructed between 1923 and 1925.

The single axel design drives the hands through what at first appears to be a chain. Image – Phillips

Cartier’s mystery clocks were powered by exclusive key-wound movements made by LeCoultre, though they were usually signed European Watch and Clock Co. (EWC).

A European Watch Co. mystery clock movement. Image – Phillips

EWC was a joint venture between Cartier and Edmond Jaeger set up to supply the former with movements. LeCoultre would supply the clock mechanisms, and Cartier would add the ‘mystery’ components in the brand’s own workshops.

The Cartier clock workshop circa 1920s. Image – Phillips

GWA XXI lot 118 – Cartier Portico Mystery Clock No. 3

Of all the Cartier mystery clocks, the so-called ‘portico’ clocks are considered the most important. Only six were made, all between 1923 and 1925.

Each of the six feature a gate-like structure with a clock face suspended like a gong. The portico clocks were created at a time when elite social circles were enthralled with Far Eastern art and objects, and the clocks were designed with this clientele in mind.

Of the six, the present example No. 3 dates to 1924 and is said to be one of the most extravagant; it’s easy to see why. No expense was spared in its creation, and the bill of materials includes rose quartz, enamel, onyx, rock crystal, and diamonds.

Equal parts timekeeper and objet d’art, No. 3 is distinguished by its pink rose quartz pillars, which differentiate it from all other portico clocks which featured rock crystal pillars.

Portico clock No. 3 is distinguished by its rose quartz pillars. Image – Phillips

The clock is powered by an EWC movement hidden in the top of the portico structure, with a single axel powering the floating hour and minute hands through what appears to be a chain. This hanging look emphasises the mystery effect, and must have seemed almost miraculous in its day.

Clock No. 3 was first seen in 1925 at the Paris Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels and was last sold publicly in 1988. Needless to say, portico clocks don’t surface often, so bidding could be fierce.

This lot is arguably the highlight of the Spring auction season and is estimated to hammer for at least CHF2,000,000.

GWA XXI lot 22 – Cartier Prism

Compared to the landmark portico clock, lot 22, a tiny prism clock is merely a trinket. But what a trinket it is, featuring a tiny EWC movement that mysteriously displays the time through just one side of a cubic prism.

This mechanism was designed by Gaston Cusin and was patented in 1937, a few years before the present example was produced. Made of 18k yellow gold, the Prism clock fits in the palm of the hand, just 17.5 mm square and 28.5 mm tall.

This particular example is even more charming because it comes with the original fitted presentation box, which is frankly adorable.

The estimate for the Prism is CHF10,000 – CHF20,000.

HKWA XX lot 802 – Cartier Mystery Clock

Twelve days after the Geneva auction concludes, bidding gets under way in Hong Kong. The headline clock at HKWA: XX is lot 802, a single-axel mystery clock made around 1930.

The clock features a show-stopping red coral sculpture of a Bixie and a dragon, which was probably made earlier and adapted for its current use. In Chinese folklore, the Bixie (辟邪) is usually depicted as a cross between a lion and a dragon and is associated with strength and protection.

Sitting atop the coral is a sensationally elaborate octagonal mystery clock, complete with mother-of-pearl bezel and floating diamond-set hands. The bezel is further decorated with clouds painted in black lacquer, a motif that is repeated on the clock’s base, which conceals a key-wound EWC movement.

Some of the most expressive details include the highly stylised Roman numerals and beautifully faceted octagonal rock crystal.

The clock carries an estimate of HK$2 million – 3 million (US$256,000-513,000).

HKWA XX lot 905 – Cartier Modèle A Mystery Clock

No sale of Cartier mystery clocks would be complete without a Modèle A, which was the original mystery clock design. The debut of the Modèle A in 1912 cemented Cartier’s position as the most prestigious jeweler if the age.

In total, Cartier produced around 60 Modèle A clocks. The present example dates to 1925 and it’s interesting to note that Cartier continued to produce the dual axel mystery clocks for years after developing the single axel design, suggesting that the original remained popular.

It’s not hard to see why mystery clocks like this were such a sensation. The rock crystal construction, which in this example is in excellent condition, appears to show every bit of the clock, which hides its EWC movement in its base.

The estimate for this seminal mystery clock is HK$2-4 million (US$256,000-513,000).

HKWA XX lot 806 – Cartier Lantern Clock

Turning away from mystery clocks, the Hong Kong auction also presents the opportunity to own a spectacular jade lantern clock that glows from within.

Made mostly of intricately carved jade, the clock is built to resemble a Chinese lantern, and is decorated with 18k yellow gold, onyx, lacquer, diamonds, and coral.

The lantern clock truly glows. Image – Phillips

But it doesn’t just resemble a lantern; it is a lantern. The clock contains a small electric bulb that illuminates translucent mother-of-pearl dials on either side, backlighting the diamond-set hands.

This would have been remarkably advanced for its time, but that didn’t stop Cartier from going the extra mile with the traditional decoration as well. The engraved coral and mother-of-pearl inlays, in particular, are a joy to behold.

An undeniably beautiful objet d’art, the clock also happens to have an interesting history. Originally made in 1925, the clock was evidently purchased through Bulgari in Rome in 1954 by none other than King Farouk of Egypt, who was then living in exile in Italy.

The royal crown of King Farouk. Image – Phillips

The evidence of Farouk’s ownership is circumstantial but compelling. He was known for having a voracious appetite for clocks and watches, so it’s not surprising to see his crown, with its distinctive crescent and star, set with diamonds added to one side of the clock.

The clock comes with its original presentation box which is artfully fitted to match the clock’s contours.

The estimate for the lantern clock is HK$960,000-1.92 million (US$123,000-246,000).

HKWA XX lot 811 – Cartier Repeating Desk Clock

The most horologically complex of the bunch is lot 811, a jade desk clock that features a minute repeater. Compared to the other clocks in he sale, it’s structure is fairly ordinary, but there are two aspects of the clock that make it interesting.

The first is the minute repeater, which is activated by pushing down on a translucent nephrite Fu Dog that sits atop the clock. In Chinese culture, the Fu Dog is an ornamental lion that is known to symbolise prosperity and good fortune.

But more than the minute repeater, the clock is distinguished by its dial and two side panels which are decorated with a technique known as Laque Burgauté that involves inlaying mother-of-pearl into black lacquer. In China, where this craft originated during the Ming dynasty, the technique is known as lo tien. The technique later became popular in Japan during the Edo period, where it was called aogai.

A form of marquetry, the Laque Burgauté technique results in exquisite, shimmering designs. Cartier is known to have made a small number of these clocks, one of which sits in the brand’s museum collection, and each features a unique scene.

The desk clock, which dates to 1929, is estimated at HK$560,000-1.12 million (US$71,800-144,000).

HKWA XX lot 815 – Cartier Jade Desk Clock

Another highlight of the spring auction season is lot 815, which features a vivid green jade dial. Dating to 1925, the clock was originally retailed by Cartier London and since then has only surfaced once, in 1992.

Interestingly, the circular bangle, made of black enamel-coated red amber, and the engraved jade dial may have been sourced nearly as-is from the Far East and repurposed as components for this clock.

At a time when European luxury goods are marketed as the antidote to mass produced goods ‘Made in China’, this clock is a reminder that fine craftsmanship transcends borders.

Accompanied by an archive extract, the estimate for this desk clock is HK$1.2-2.4 million (US$154,000-308,000).

HKWA XX lot 906 – Cartier Table Clock

Last but not least, lot 906 is oldest clock of the bunch. Dating to 1905 and originally retailed by Cartier Paris, the table clock is made mostly of pink marble. The the obelisk-like structure is 8 cm square and stands a mighty 19 cm tall, and features a barometer in addition to a clock.

To cap things off, the tabletop obelisk is embellished with a hand-carved translucent stone elephant. Carved from a type of agate, the elephant is perfectly preserved.

The clock’s brilliant condition is thanks to the presence of its original green box. The colour of the box might be surprising, since the red Cartier box is almost as famous as the brand itself, but Cartier did not adopt its signature red colour until after 1910.

This clock has only been sold publicly once before, in 1992. Its reemergence, more than a century after its creation, may be fleeting.

This lavish table clock is estimated at HK$1.2-2.4 million (US$154,000-308,000).

Preview and auction

The sales and preview exhibitions will take place at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva and Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District, respectively.

Geneva

Preview:
May 7-11 (Weds-Fri 10:00 am to 7:00 pm; Sat 9:00 am to 7:00 pm; Sun 9:00 am to 1:00 pm)

Auction:
May 10 – 2:00 pm (GWA: XXI lots 1-103)
May 11 – 2:00 pm (GWA: XXI lots 104-199)

Hotel President Wilson
Quai Wilson 47
Geneva, Switzerland, 1211

Hong Kong

Preview:
May 16-25 (daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm)

Auction:
May 23 – 6:30 pm (HKWA: XX lots 801-816)
May 24 – 2:00 pm (HKWA: XX lots 817-933)
May 25 – 2:00 pm (HKWA: XX lots 934-1058)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

(All times are local time)

The online catalogues are available here: GWA XXI and HKWA XX.