In an exciting and competitive auction, bidders from around the world keenly competed with each other during Antiquorum’s May 26th New York auction of Important Collector’s Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks. Over 150 registered online bidders, and telephone and live auction bidders showed strong interest from the United States, France, Italy, Japan, South Africa, and Hong Kong. The single day sale totaled an impressive US$ 2,978,221.

The sale’s top lot was a S. Smith & Son pocket watch fetching US$ 222,500. The pocket watch was part of the Clifford Botway private collection which sold overall for US$ 450,000 at 115 percent of its estimate. In addition, an extraordinary Panerai watch collection generated extreme enthusiasm, selling for 305 percent of its estimate at US$ 476,520. A very rare Panerai "Radiomir Tourbillon” achieved an astounding US$ 195,000—more than the entire collection’s estimated price.

“The fantastic interest in the Panerai collection demonstrated worldwide enthusiasm for these watches,” said Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum’s founder and chairman. “Not only were we excited about the strong bidding for pocket watches, but we were delighted to see strong interest in collecting modern pieces such as a Breguet Tourbillon, a complicated Blancpain and contemporary Patek Philippe wristwatches.”

Celebrating its 30th year of watch auctions, Antiquorum continues its unwavering focus to provide innovative services to clients worldwide. With services such as real-time, online bidding, as well as direct and responsive contact with expert horologists, Antiquorum continues to use cutting-edge auction methods to address the needs of its expanding, international clientele.

The “Top 10 Lots” for Antiquorum’s May 26th auction are as follows:

Antiquorum May 26th Auction

Lot 293
US$ 222,500 / SFr. 280’350
S. Smith & Son, makers to the British Admiralty and the Indian Government, Trafalgar Square, London, No. 304-1, hallmarked 1882-83. Exceptional and highly important, massive, oversized astronomical, minute-repeating, 18K gold Grande et Petite Sonnerie clockwatch with retrograde perpetual calendar, fly-back date hand, moon phases, and triple-overcoiled balance spring.

Lot 102
US$ 195,000 / SFr. 245’700
Officine Panerai, Firenze 1860, “Radiomir Tourbillon,” No. 02/02, Ref. PAM00077. Produced in a limited edition of only two examples in 2001. Very fine and extremely rare, platinum gentleman’s wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator under three golden bridges.

Lot 294
US$ 156,500 / SFr. 197’190
“Breguet à Versailles,” Grand Complication “Tourbillon 1801-2001,” NO. 24/28, Ref. 1801BB. Produced expressly in a limited edition of 28 examples in 2001 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention of the tourbillon. 18K white gold gentleman’s wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator.

Lot 295
US$ 142,200 / SFr. 179’172
A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte i. SA., Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite,” No. 120/150, Ref. 701.011. Produced in a limited edition of 150 examples in 18K gold in the 1990s, with only 15 produced in 18K pink gold. Production of this reference started in 1994. Very rare, 18K pink gold gentleman’s wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, with 36 hour power reserve .

Lot 297
US$ 112,500 / SFr. 141’750
A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte i. SA., “Lange 1 Tourbillon,” No. 64/150, Ref. 704.025. Production of this reference started in 2000 with a limited edition of 250 examples in 18K pink gold and 150 in platinum. A rare, gentleman’s wristwatch in platinum with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, off-center hour dial, oversized date, and power-reserve.

Lot 218
US$ 112,500 / SFr. 141’750
Blancpain, “Platinum Masterpiece Collection,” No. 75/99. Produced in a limited edition of 99 sets of six complicated wristwatches in platinum made in the 1990s.

Lot 303
US$ 76,200 / SFr. 96’012
Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 875004, case No. 2824111, Ref. 3970. Produced in 1987, an astronomic 18K yellow gold gentleman’s wristwatch with round button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, and moon phases.

Lot 301
US$ 68,500 / SFr. 86’310
Breguet, “Equation of Time, Perpetual Calendar,” Automatic, No. 1148, Ref. 3477. Produced in the 1990s, a very rare, skeletonized, self-winding, 18K yellow gold gentleman’s wristwatch with equation of time, perpetual calendar and power reserve.

Lot 299
US$ 66,300 / SFr. 83’538
F.P. Journe, “Invenit et Fecit,” “Remontoir d’Egalité, Tourbillon Souverain,” No. 44/99T. Produced in a limited edition of 99 examples, circa 2000. Very rare gentleman’s chronometer wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and constant force remontoir, and 42-hour autonomy.

Lot 159
US$ 52,900 / SFr. 66,654
Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 876168, case No. 2900990, Ref. 3970/2.. Production of this reference started in 1986. Astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman’s wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, round button chronograph, and register.


* Exchange rate used for the purposes of this press release only:
1 US$ = SFr. 1.26 / Euro 0.82 / HK$ 7.79 / UK£ 0.55 / Yen 112.21


Source: antiquorum Press Release

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