Antiquorum’s second Geneva autumn sale on November 11 realized $8,125,495. The catalog comprising 307 lots realized sales of 80 percent by lot and 124 percent by value. The two autumn Geneva sales have produced combined results of auction turnover of $17.7 million.
The sale of important collectors’ watches, pocket watches and clocks was conducted in the full ballroom at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, where the collectors were competing against almost 300 registered online and telephone bidders. Strong international participation came from Asia, North America, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. Fifteen percent of the lots were sold via Antiquorum’s online bidding platform.
John Tsukahara, chief executive officer of Antiquorum, said after the auction, “I am very pleased with the result of the sale and congratulate the Antiquorum team for an excellent accomplishment. I enjoyed assisting in the auction on Sunday and feeling the vigor in the saleroom. The market continues to strengthen and Antiquorum has, with one more sale to come this year, maintained its place as the market leader in the field of horological auctions.”
Highlighting the sale was a Patek Philippe Ref 969 watch with nine complications and First Class Observatory rating, one of only two examples, which sold for $357,200 to an American collector.
A Nobel Brother Petroleum Company presentation grande and petite sonnerie clockwatch brought $207,000.
A Patek Philippe “Omani Jumbo Nautilus” in white gold obtained an exceptional price of $135,350, and a pink gold Ref 2526 Patek Philippe made the outstanding price of $155,750.
The interest for Rolex watches was again very strong. A Ref 6234 stainless steel pre-Daytona, brown color-change dial model sold for $227,200, and a Double-Red Sea-Dweller Submariner made in 1967 as the patent was still pending, sold for more than 10 times its estimate at $120,000.
Outstanding prices were also paid for Lange & Söhne watches, such as “Pour le Mérite” in platinum that was acquired for $297,500 by an Italian collector, as well as Omega watches that proved much sought after.
Rounding out the sale’s top ten lots were the earliest Cartier minute-repeating wristwatch, “Bracelet Montre Tortue Or,” an extremely rare, minute-repeating, tonneau-shaped, 18K yellow gold Art Deco wristwatch, $327,350; A. Lange & Söhne “Pour le Mérite,” very rare 18K yellow gold wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, $191,400; Ref 5004 yellow gold Patek Philippe rare water-resistant 18K yellow gold wristwatch, $186,300; Patek Philippe Celestial wristwatch, $186,300; and a pink gold Ref. 2526 Patek Philippe, retailed by Serpico y Laino, extremely rare, early, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K wristwatch, $155,680.
Prices reported have been converted from Swiss francs to US dollars and include the buyer’s premium. For information, 4122 909 2856 or www.antiquorum.com
