Sotheby's Forthcoming Sale of Important Watches Celebrates the Founding Fathers and Great Inventions...

8/2/2019 Sotheby's Forthcoming Sale of Important Watches Celebrates the Founding Fathers and Great Inventions of Modern

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ForImmediatePublicationPRESSRELEASE

Geneva|MarieBatriceMorin| [email protected] |+41229084814

London|MatthewWeigman| [email protected]

LeylaDaybelge|[email protected]|+442072936000

SOTHEBYSGENEVANEWDAYSALEOFIMPORTANTWATCHES

ON15MAY2012TOCELEBRATE

The Founding Fathers and GreatInventions of Modern Horology

On15May2012,SothebysGenevawillinaugurateitsnewDaysalesofImportantWatches,withamorningand

anafternoonsessionstartingat9amand2pmrespectively.Independentwatchmakers,fromBreguettoGeorge

Daniels,areatthecoreofSothebys internationalwatchsalesthisyearandtheMaysalewillpaytributetothe

foundingfathersofmodernhorology,whilealsocelebratinginventionsthatrevolutionisedwatchmaking,suchas

thetourbillion.Coveringfivecenturiesofwatchhistory,the388lots,estimatedinexcessofCHF10million/$10.9

millioncomprise iconicpiecesfromeachpivotalera,froma1540Frenchtableclock(lot208)toanexceptional

grandecomplication

pocket

watch

Reference

959

by

Patek

Philippe

(illustrated

above).

The

antique

pocket

watches and the Rolex sections are also highlighted by illustrious provenance, with many timepieces that

belongedtogreatnamesoftheEuropeanaristocracyandRolexmodelsownedbytheacclaimedBritishauthor,

GrahamGreeneandIbnSaud,thefirstKingofSaudiArabia.


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Commenting on the sale,Geoffroy Ader, Head of Sothebys EuropeanWatch Department, said: In a trulyglobalised watch auction market, our new Day sales, sitting astride several time zones, willfacilitate theparticipationofcollectorsfromaround theworld.TheMaysalehasbeenput together to sharewith themourknowledge andpassion, as well as topay homage to genius watchmakers. With that view, we are extremelypleased to be able to exhibit in Geneva the lots of the sale alongside highlights of George Danielspersonalcollection(tobeauctionedinLondonon6November).Themostimportanthorologistofthe20thCentury,GeorgeDanielsrepresentsalinkbetweenMastersofthepastandcontemporaryindependentwatchmakers.

BREGUET

At the core of the May auction will be a section entirely

dedicated to the celebrated French watch and clockmaker,

Breguet anabsolutereference intheworldofhorologyfor

the past two centuries. Comprised of 45 timepieces dating

from1785

to

1997,

this

section

reflects

the

constant

search

for innovation and the distinguished style that has

characterisedBreguetsproductionsincethe18thcentury.

Watchmaker to the European monarchs as well as the

scientific,military,financialanddiplomaticelitesofhistime,

AbrahamLouis Breguet (17471823) designed exceptional

timepieces for prestigious clients including King Louis XVI,

QueenMarieAntoinette,Napolon,theTsarAlexanderIand

CarolineMurat,QueenofNaples,forwhohefamouslyconceivedtheworldsfirstwristwatchin1810.

TestamenttoBreguetsprestigeandreputationamongtheeliteof

the 18th and 19th centuries, the auction will present a large

selectionofantiqueclocksandpocketwatches,mostofthemwith

importantprovenance.Leading thisgroupare twocarriageclocks

describedin

the

Breguet

archives

as

Pendules

Almanach.

The

first,alargegiltbrassgrandeetpetitesonnerie,quarterrepeating

carriageclock(No.3145)wasdeliveredin1825for6,000francs,an

astronomicalpriceatthetime,reflectingtheoutstandingqualityof

thispiece (lot 365, est.CHF 350,000450,000/ $385,000495,000,

illustrated above). One of the largest models of travelling clocks

madebythewatchmaker, it is identicaltoaclocksoldtheQueen

of

Spain

in

1831.


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Thesecond,anexceptionallysmallgiltbrassquarter repeating carriageclock (No.2497)wassold in1810to

Prince Camillio Borghese Aldobrandini (17751832), a descendant of the illustrious Florentine family and the

secondhusbandofNapolonssister,PaulineBonaparte(lot364,est.CHF250,000350,000/$275,000385,000,

illustratedp.2).

Knownas theWatchmakerofKingsandthekingofthewatchmakers,Breguet

received pocket watch commissions from numerousmembers of the European

aristocracyandwealthyclasses.Prestigiousnamesrepresentedinthesaleinclude

BaronHottinguer(17641841)(lots345,350),GeorgeWilliamCampbell,6thDuke

ofArgyll(17681839)(lot348),theBritishdiplomatandpoliticianLordClanwilliam

(lot 351), Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein (17601836) (lot 357), the

RussianPrinceAndrdeGalitzine (Lot363)and theHungarianCountBatthyany

whobought

avery

fine

yellow

gold

souscription

tact

watch

(No.

3561)

in

1821

(lot 354, est. CHF 60,00080,000/ $66,000

88,000,illustratedleft).

A piece of supreme horological art revealing Breguets unique ability to

incorporateinnovationsistobefoundinahighlycomplicated18caratpinkgold

minuterepeatingkeyless leverwatch,withaBrassuscalibregiltmovementby

LouisAudemars.Soldin1908,theLouisAudemarsGrandeComplication(No.

3700)carriesanestimateofCHF150,000250,000/$165,000275,000 (lot366,

illustratedright).

The Breguet section also comprisesmodernwatches, including an extremely rare

pinkgoldminute repeatingperpetual calendar tourbillonwristwatchdating from

circa 1997 (ref. 3857) appearing for the first time at auction. Featuring Breguetsclassic

aesthetic,

it

is

part

of

alimited

edition

of

three

pieces

produced

to

commemorate the250thanniversaryofAbrahamLouisBreguetsbirth (lot388,est.

CHF200,000300,000/$220,000330,000,illustratedleft).

HOURIET&HISDISCIPLES

TheMay salewillpay tribute toanotherhorological genius: JacquesFrdricHouriet (17431830). Fatherof

SwissChronometry,Houriet spentmostofhis careerproducingwatches foreminenthorologistsofhis time,


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includinghisclosefriendAbrahamLouisBreguetandFerdinandBerthoud.Thesale

will comprise examples of the very few watches signed by Houriet, including a

yellow gold, enamel and pearlset centre secondwatchmade for the Chinese

market circa 1820 (lot 336, est. CHF 30,00050,000/ $33,00055,000, illustrated

left).

Hourietsconsiderable influenceontheworkofhis

students and their successors is illustrated by

watchessignedbyUrban Jrgensen,SylvainMairet

and Frdric Louis FavreBulle. FavreBulle (17701849) is represented by an

exceptionalandrareyellowgoldtourbillonwiththermometerdatingfromcirca

1820.Almost identical toapiecemadebyHouriet, thepresentwatch is a very

goodexample

of

the

best

pocket

chronometers

ever

produced

in

Switzerland

(lot

343,est.CHF250,000350,000/$275,000385,000,illustratedright).

THETOURBILLON

Asectionofthesalewillbededicatedtoaninventionthatrevolutionisedmodern

horology: the tourbillon,developedbyAbrahamLouisBreguet in1795 tonullify

theeffectsofgravityinpocketwatchesandincreasetheirprecision.Theevolution

ofthetourbillonoverthepasttwocenturiesisillustratedinthecataloguebyrare

timepieces, including an 18 carat yellow gold openfaced keyless chronometer

watchmadein1882bytheLondonhorologist,S.Smith&Son(lot179,est.CHF

15,00025,000/ $16,50027,500). This watch is equipped with what is almost

certainly the firstof theNo.239seriesofKarruselwithadetentchronometer

escapement, a device patented in 1893 by the Danish watchmaker Bahne

Bonniksentoaugmenttherobustnessandaccuracyofthetourbillonregulator.

In the early 1920s, the German horologist Alfred Helwig invented what is now

commonly known as the flying tourbillon. In 1931, together with his student

Woldemar Fleck,he produced a silver openfaced keyless pocket chronometer

with flying tourbillon which will be offered for sale with an estimate of CHF

150,000200,000($165,000220,000)(lot186,illustratedabove).

A

further

highlight

of

this

section

is

a

rare

Patek

Philippe

Reference

5101

Tourbillon dating from 2005. Paying tribute to the firms legendaryArtDeco

designs, this platinum rectangularwristwatchboasts a combination of two rare


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complications,thetourbillonanda10daypowerreserve(lot187,est.CHF200,000250,000/$220,000275,000,

illustratedp.4).

PATEKPHILIPPE

PatekPhilippe iscelebratedfor itshighlycomplicatedwatches,combininga

timingfunctionwithalargenumberofindications.Thetoplotofthesaleisa

uniquekeyless18caratyellowgoldgrandcomplicationpocketwatch ref.

959withpetiteandgrandesonnerie,minuterepeating,perpetualcalendar,

moonphases,splitsecondschronographand24hourindication.Datingfrom

1992,thisexquisitepiece isoneofthefewexamplesofgrandcomplication

pocketwatchesproducedbythecompany intheearly1990s. (lot141,CHF

500,000800,000/

$550,000

880,000,

illustrated

right

and

p.1).

ThePatekPhilippesectionwillalsofeaturetheReference3979HPBeyer,an

extremelyrareplatinumautomaticminuterepeatingwristwatchdatingfrom

1995.Thereference3979,nowdiscontinued,wasthefirstautomaticminute

repeating wristwatch produced by Patek Philippe. Only three models in

platinumareknownonthemarketandthepresentoneistheonlywhichhas

beenretailedbyBeyer,theoldestwatchretailer inSwitzerland(lot118,est.

500,000700,000/$550,000770,000,illustratedleft).

PatekPhilippesextraordinarycraftsmanshipwillalsoberepresentedbya

groupof

superb

antique

and

vintage

pieces.

Among

them

is

the

Reference 1436 Sena Ltd Singapore, a 18 carat yellow gold

chronographdatingfrom1959andwhich isoneoftherareexamplesof

Reference1436 retailedbyanAsianagentof thebrand.Manufactured

between 1938 and 1971, this reference was the first split second

chronographwristwatchproducedinseriesbythecompany(lot252,est.

CHF300,000400,000/$330,000440,000,illustratedright).


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ROLEX

Rolex features strongly in the sale. Leading this group is the exceptional Reference

6062 StarDial.Dating from circa1950, this rare18 caratpinkgold triple calendar

wristwatchwithmoonphasesissaidtohavebelongedtothelateIbnSaud,thefounder

of the modern state of Saudi Arabia and the countrys first King. One of the most

beautifulexamplesof the legendary reference 6062ofwhichonly fewmodelswere

made, thepresentwatch is fittedwith thehighlysoughtafterStarDialorStelline

Dial and preserved in its original condition (lot 307, est. CHF 200,000300,000/

$220,000330,000,illustratedleft).

InadditiontoawidearrayofDaytonavintagemodelscoveringdifferentreferences

anddialcombinations,thissectionwillpresentarareRolexSubmarinerReference

6538 Tropical.Made circa1958and featuringaTropicaldial, this stainless steel

automatic centre seconds wristwatch is an attractive version of the famous

reference 6538, also known as the Big Crown James Bond (lot 260, est. CHF

60,00080,000/$66,00088,000,illustratedright).

AnotherundoubtedhighlightofthissectionisaRolexreference18038DayDate

thatbelongedtotheacclaimedBritishwriterGrahamGreene(lot294,est.CHF

6,0008,000/$6,6008,800, illustrated left).Dating from1981andcoming from

the EstateofYvonneCloettawho sharedhis life from1959untilhisdeath in

Vevey,Switzerland in1991,this18caratyellowgoldautomaticcentreseconds

wristwatchwith

day

and

date

is

engraved

with

the

inscription

To an English

brother of General Torrijosfrom General Paredes, Panama, 1983 at the caseback. In1976,Greene,aged72,was invited tovisitPanamaby the then ruler

GeneralOmarTorrijosHerrar.Withinthenextsevenyears,hewastotravelfour

othertimestoPanama,forginganunusualandenduringfriendshipwithTorrijos

and theheadofthemilitaryat the time,GeneralRubenParedes fromwhohe

mostcertainly received thiswatch.Greenesclose relationshipswith theheadsof thePanamaregime inspired

himafascinating

book,

GettingtotheKnowtheGeneral:TheStoryofanInvolvement,publishedin1984.


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ANTIQUEPOCKETWATCHES

Recent saleshavebeenmarkedbya considerable interest from international

collectors inhistoric timepiecesandmostnotablyantiquepocketwatches.At

theheartof this sectionare rare timepieces from the16th

and17th

centuries

coming from the collection ofAdolphe Chapiro, the famouswatch historian.

Amongthemisaveryfineyellowgoldoignonwatchmadecirca1695byIsaac

Thuret, clockmaker to Louis XIV (lot 224, est. CHF15,00025,000/ $16,500

27,500,illustratedright).TheFrenchroyalemblemonthewatchsbowismost

probably thecrestofPhilippedOrlans (16241723)who servedas regentof

theKingdomofFranceuntilLouisXVreachedtheageofmajority.

The subjectof an everincreasingdemandon the international auctionmarket,

enamelpocketwatchesmade for theChinese,Ottomanand Indianmarketsare

also largely represented. At the turn of the 18th

and 19th

centuries, Swiss

watchmakers, goldsmiths, engravers and enamellersworked together to create

piecesofextraordinarycraftsmanshipforthelucrativeChinesemarket,asshown

inan18 caratyellowgold,enamelandpearlset centre secondswatchdating

from circa1820 (lot226,est.CHF80,000120,000/$88,000132,000, illustrated

left).Thisexceptionalwatch istheresultoftheworkofthree leadingcraftsmen:

Bovet,aneminentSwisswatchmaker,JeanLouisRichter,oneofthebestenamel

paintersinGenevaandIlbery,themainretailerofChinesewatchesatthetime.

Anotherundeniablehighlightofthisgroupisaluxurious18caratyellowgoldand

enamelhuntingcaseminuterepeatingclockwatchmade in1890 forthe Indian

market and signed F.White & Co., Bombay (lot 269, est. CHF 60,00080,000/

$66,00088,000,

illustrated

right).

Typical

of

the

Rajah

watches

which

were

made

inGeneva for Indian high dignitaries in the late 19th

century, both sides of the

watchcasearedecoratedwithenamelportraits.FeaturingtheMaharajaThakore

sahebDajirajofWadhwanandhis youngerbrotherHisHighness Thakore saheb

BasinghChandrasingh,theseportraitsaresignedbyJohnGraff(18361902),oneof

thefewandmostesteemedGenevaenamelportraitistsofthelate19thcentury.


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Complementingthishistoricalpanoramaarerarepocketwatches

withautomata(lots151,178)andayellowgoldopenfacedwatch

withaconcealedportraitofKingCharles IVofSpainmadecirca1790 by the French watchmaker FranoisLouis Godon (1755

1800) theofficialclockmakertohisCatholicMajesty (lot256,

est.CHF20,00030,000/$22,00033,000,illustratedleft).

French historical and cultural patrimony is illustrated by a silver

huntingcased

verge

watch

with

French

revolutionary

time

(dividing

theday intotendecimalhours)made inGeneva in1795byJ.J.Pattay

(lot 161, est. CHF 6,0008,000/ $6,6008,800, illustrated right) and a

yellow gold openfaced keyless lever chronograph watch by A.H.

Rodanet thatGustaveEiffel (18321923), the famousarchitectof the

eponymous Parisian tower and the Statue of Liberty, offered to his

grandson in 1909 (lot 191, est. CHF 6,0008,000/ $6,6008,800,

illustratedbelow).

AUCTIONDETAILS

Sale:

HtelBeauRivage,Genve

13QuaiduMontBlanc

Tuesday15May2012,Session1at9am(lots1252),

Session2at2pm(lots253388)

PublicExhibition:

HtelBeauRivage,Genve

1113mai,10am6pm

Privateviewson14May,10am6pm

HighlightsofGeorgeDanielsPersonalCollectionofClocksandWatches(tobeauctionon6November2012)

willbeexhibitedalongsidethesaleslots.

ALLPRESSRELEASESAREPUBLISHEDONWWW.SOTHEBYS.COM

IMAGESARE

AVAILABLE

ON

REQUEST

*Presaleestimatesdonotincludebuyerspremium

VentedirigeparleMinistredeMatresClaudeNavilleetMarcoBreitenmoser,HuissiersJudiciaires.

Sotheby's Forthcoming Sale of Important Watches Celebrates the Founding Fathers and Great Inventions...

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Transcript of Sotheby's Forthcoming Sale of Important Watches Celebrates the Founding Fathers and Great Inventions...