Premier watch and clock auctioneer Antiquorum netted $4,274,449 million from its “Important Collector's Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks” auction, held June 15 at New York's Essex House hotel.

The sale's top lot was a Breguet watch that fetched $417,500, made in 1997 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Louis Breguet, the French horologist widely considered the leading watchmaker of his day. The platinum men's wristwatch features a minute repeater, a visible one-minute tourbillon, jump-hours, a perpetual calendar with retrogade date and leap-year indication.

Tied with the lead-priced Breguet in auction sale value was an 18-karat, pink gold tonneau-shaped gentleman's watch by Patek Phillipe, which also went for $417,500.

Overall, Antiquorum's spring season-capping sale had 250 bidders participating online, in addition to standard phone, room and commission bidders. Bidders vying for the collector-grade timepieces represented North America, China, Russia, Israel and Norway, among other countries.

“Such astounding interest in our June 15 New York auction confirms Antiquorum's position as the market leader,” Antiquorum Auctioneers Chairman and Founder Osvaldo Patrizzi said in a release.

Antiquorum USA Inc. began in New York in 1994, as an affiliate of Antiquorum S.A., established in Geneva in 1974 with the aim of stimulating interest and demand for watch and clock collecting worldwide.

Source : Nationaljeweler.com

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