This season’s watch auction continues to shock the market, Phillips Watches’ watch department recently staged the “Important Watches” auction in Hong Kong XIV, announcing once again the achievement of a “white glove” 100% sales rate, and at the same time recorded a total transaction amount of up to 2.64 billion, setting a historic record for the highest total auction transaction amount for the company’s Asian watch department. Moreover, the auction also became the highest-selling non-themed watch auction in Asia.
The “Fine Watches: Hong Kong XIV” auction, with 321 lots, once again highlighted Patek Philippe’s leading market position, occupying three spots in the top ten highest-selling lots of this auction, continuing its unstoppable momentum.
Leading this event, the unique Patek Philippe Ref. 3974 yellow gold automatic minute repeater perpetual calendar watch, was sold for as much as HK$19.61 million, three times higher than the highest pre-sale estimate. The masterpiece of this event, equipped with a case crafted by legendary case maker Jean-Pierre Hagmann, a special black lacquered dial, and rare features such as the “Calatrava” cross logo, is hailed as one of the most outstanding Patek Philippe timepieces highly sought after by collectors. The watch department of Phillips also revealed that this auction attracted 20 collectors from around the world to participate in the bidding, ultimately achieving an astonishing result and setting a world auction record for this model.
Another Patek Philippe that has appeared in the auction today has once again attracted attention, as these two names have reappeared in the watch department of Sotheby’s: Nautilus and Tiffany & Co. The Nautilus auctioned this time was produced in 2018, model number 5723/112R-001, with ruby hour markers and an inlaid bezel, and was a special piece sold by Tiffany & Co., ultimately selling for nearly 3 times the highest estimated value, over HK$11.44 million. At the same time, it also set the second highest price in the history of Nautilus auctions and the highest price for a gold version.
After this record-breaking refresh, the Patek Philippe watch department of Sotheby’s once again wrote an impressive page in its transaction history, becoming the current record holder for the highest and second highest price ever achieved in the Nautilus series auctions, including last December’s auction in New York, where a limited edition Nautilus 5711 with a Tiffany Blue® dial sold for over 50 million, setting a world auction record. The third watch to be auctioned at this event was a limited edition platinum 5711/1P-001 automatic bracelet watch with square diamond hour markers, made in 2017, which sold for HKD 4,032,000.
This special event is different in that the auction house has gathered more masterpieces from independent watchmakers, with many lots selling far above their highest estimated value. Among them, a highly collectible F.P. Journe piece commemorating the opening of the Beijing boutique in 2010, limited to only 5 pieces, the Tourbillon Souverain “China 2010” wristwatch, sold for HKD 8.72 million, setting a world auction record for the 40mm version of this model. On the other hand, a unique prototype watch “Friedrich II Remontoir” with a “titanium movement,” created by Phillips Watches in collaboration with German independent watch brand Lang & Heyne and Hong Kong watch retailer The Lavish Attic, also set a record for the highest price ever achieved by the brand at auction, selling for HKD 8.19 million.
In addition, the independent watchmaker’s masterpiece also includes the stunning Kari Voutilainen unique flawless design piece “Vingt-8 Hisui”. This piece, which won the “Best Artistic Crafts Watch” award at the 2014 GPHG Geneva Haute Horlogerie Awards, was sold for a staggering 4.41 million Hong Kong dollars, surpassing the highest estimated value and setting a world auction record for the brand’s non-complicated function watches.
The remaining important works that made it to the top ten in terms of sales are:
Rolex
Model 16528 “Cosmograph Daytona”, manufactured around 1989, a yellow gold automatic chronograph bracelet watch with a white enamel dial. Sold for HKD 3,654,000.
F.P. Journe
Model “Tourbillon Souverain”, made around 2002, platinum tourbillon wristwatch, equipped with a brass movement, constant force device. Also sold for HKD 3,654,000.
Rolex
Manufactured around 1968, model 6241 “Cosmograph Daytona” stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with “Paul Newman” dial, sold for HKD 3,276,000.
A.Lange & Söhne
Model 730.048F “1815 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst” is limited to 30 pieces to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the brand’s founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange. This limited edition rose gold tourbillon watch features unique “Tremblage” craftsmanship engraved dial, patented stop-seconds device, zero-reset function, and was produced around 2016 with serial number 25, sold for HKD 3,276,000.
Richard Mille
Model RM67-02 CA-FQ “RM67-02 Alexis Pinturault”, jointly developed by the brand and French skiing champion Alexis Pinturault, is an ultra-thin white quartz carbon fiber barrel-shaped automatic skeleton watch, manufactured around 2021. It also sold for HKD 3,276,000.
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of Philipps Watches
