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Press release
Antiquorum is delighted to present its upcoming "Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces" to be held on Sunday 15th May at Geneva's Mandarin Oriental. More than 500 carefully selected vintage and modern timepieces, pocket watches, and clocks will be offered for sale. Previews will take place in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Geneva.
CATALOGUE DE LA VENTE
One of the major highlights of the sale, the exquisite Breguet silver carriage clock with 10 complications, was sold to the Marquise de Béthisy on May 6th, 1878. Breguet introduced his silver humpback carriage clocks - of which only a few were ever made - circa 1812. The present clock is the most complicated of the eleven Breguet humpback carriage clocks known to exist. It has a total of 10 complications: grande sonnerie striking; petite sonnerie striking; alarm; perpetual calendar; days of the week; date; months; years, moon phases and equation of time. It is the only known example with quadruple digital perpetual calendar.
Estimate: CHF 150'000 - 200'000
Another highly collectible Breguet clock, the "Pendule de Voyage Grande Sonnerie, Repétition à Minutes et Réveil", No. 1244, was sold to Josip Tito, President of Yugoslavia from 1953-1980, on October 6, 1956. This extremely handsome clock with classic Breguet dial and hands has several unusual technical features, including the rare complication of minute repeating as well as Grande and Petite sonnerie striking - a subtle but important distinction that sets it apart from other Grande & Petite sonnerie carriage clocks. In order to provide power for the complicated striking and repeating, the going barrel for the striking is much larger than that of the going train. The movement, including the gongs, is fully matte-gilded.
Estimate: CHF 50'000 - 70'000
Collectors of exceptional clocks will also want to bid on the Vacheron & Constantin "30 Days, Constant Force", No. 418068, made in 1933. This unique clock, a highly visual masterpiece of haute horology, is a remarkable example of the Art Deco style. Its impressive power reserve (30 days with a single winding), furnished by two mainspring barrels, is very unusual in a clock of its size, or indeed in any clock. One of the difficulties of long-duration clocks is that timekeeping is affected as the mainspring winds down. This problem is counteracted here by the use of the rare constant force escapement, a unique instance for Vacheron & Constantin and almost certainly for the entire Art Deco period as well.
Estimate: CHF 70'000 - 120'000
In the category of fine pocket watches, connoisseurs will take note of the Louis Audemars "Grande Complication - "La Russe II", No. 12199, retailed by G. Aspe, Paris in 1896. This unique timepiece is one of the most important complicated watches of the 19th century, with double perpetual calendar for Julian and Gregorian calendars, as well as minute-repeating, two time zones, chronograph, central 60-minute register, moon phases, lunar calendar and "reference d'heure" world-time calculation chart functions.
Estimate: CHF 100'000 - 150'000
Pleasing to both the eye and ear, the musical quarter-repeating watch with painted enamel dial, no. 8858, by Perrin Frères was made circa 1820. This watch's rare barrel movement with pinned cylinder is a miniature version of movements found in full-size musical boxes. Most early 19th century makers used the sur-plateau movement with flat-pinned rotating disc, as opposed to a pinned cylinder. The cylinder type, which requires a thicker case, is more robust and gives a more resonant sound. This watch has an identical musical movement to that of the famous "Tightrope Walker" automaton, also by Perrin, sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, October 17, 1993, lot 355.
Estimate: CHF 20'000 - 30'000
Antiquorum celebrates the 80th anniversary of the iconic Reverso watch with a selection of 30 exceptional Reversos, including original pieces from 1931, emblematic and ultra-rare versions with colored dials, limited series with complications, and watches with enamel-decorated case backs. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture is partnering this special "Reverso Chapter", and will provide an Extract from the Archives, free of charge, for each lot made prior to 1950.
Created in 1931 for British army officers stationed in India who requested a watch that could survive a polo match, it was clear from that start that the Reverso was more than just a sports watch. Its swiveling case not only protected the dial, it also offered a surface that, as of the 1930s, could be personalized by means of engraving or enamel. The Reverso embodies the quintessence of Art Deco styling: pure lines, form following function, exceptional craftsmanship and absolute elegance.
The highlights of this "Reverso Chapter" include a very rare, early, and desirable Steel Reverso with red lacquered dial.
Estimate: CHF 5'000 - 8'000
One of the very first models to bear the LeCoultre signature, a 1930's Staybrite watch with chocolate-colored dial is a classic Reverso watch with small seconds. Six others are featured in the sale, including a rare example made for the French market and bearing the Jaeger signature, and another watch from among the few that were destined exclusively for the American market.
Estimate: CHF 5'000 - 8'000
Among the modern Reverso wristwatches, the highlight is "Mucha's Four Seasons" No. 1/25, Ref. 276.1.62, a set of four enameled pieces introduced in the 1990s and made in a limited edition of 25 sets. On the back of each case, an exquisite painted on enamel portrait of a woman symbolizes each of the four seasons. Miklos Merczel, the manufacture's remarkable enamel artist, devoted dozens of hours to the creation of each piece.
Estimate: CHF 60'000 - 80'000
Offered at auction for the first time, the Rolex "Oyster Perpetual Date, Explorer II", Ref. 1655, Spade of Oman, was made in 1974 and retailed by Asprey of London. As one of the few Rolex watches to feature the "Spade of Oman" logo, it is extremely rare. These special watches, with case number engraved on the inside case back, were sold by Asprey, official Rolex retailer in the Arab world. The present model also bears the rare engraved "Asprey" name on the outside case back. The perfect condition of its dial will make this Ref. 1655 "Spade of Oman" extremely desirable to collectors of fine vintage Rolexes.
Estimate: CHF 100'000 - 150'000
Rolex aficionados will also look forward to the Rolex "Oyster Perpetual, Comex, 660ft./200 m, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified", Ref. 1665, Rail Dial. Made in 1980, it is accompanied by its original guarantee, 1970's Submariner and Oyster booklets, hang tag, anchor and original fitted box, as well as a COMEX magazine and COMEX regulator.
Estimate: CHF 70'000 - 130'000 CHF
Also noteworthy is the Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, 660 ft = 200 m", Ref. 5517/5513, made in 1972 for the British Military.
Estimate: CHF 70'000 - 120'000
For the Patek Philippe collector, Antiquorum experts are pleased to offer a Patek Philippe Reference 130, with pink dial - as confirmed by the extract from the archives. This very rare "Staybrite" stainless steel wristwatch with square button chronograph, register and tachometer scale was made in 1941 and was sold on March 3, 1943.
Estimate: CHF 150'000 - 200'000
Another exceptional Patek Philippe, the Reference 5970G, was made circa 2006. This 18K white gold wristwatch features a square-button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases, 24 hour indication, and tachometer.
Estimate: CHF 100'000 - 150'000
AUCTION PREVIEWS
HANGZHOU
Tuesday May 3: 11 am to 7 pm
JW Marriott Hotel Hangzhou
Meeting room 10 - 3rd Floor
28 Hushu South Road
Gongshu District · Hangzhou
Zhejiang 310006 China
SHANGHAI
Thursday May 5: 10:30 am to 6:30 pm
Antiquorum Shanghai - Room 4106B
Bund Centre Office Tower
222 Yan An Road East
Shanghai 200002, China
Tel. +86 21 6335 1268
BEIJING
Tuesday May 7: 10 am to 6:00 pm
Reignwood Art Gallery
2F, Reignwood Center
No. 8 YongAnDongLi
Jianguomenwai Ave
Beijing, 100022 China
HONG KONG
Monday May 9: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Antiquorum Hong Kong
Suite 704, 9 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong
Tel. + 852 2522 4168
PREVIEW IN GENEVA
Thursday 12 to Saturday May 14: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sunday May 15: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Antiquorum Geneva Showroom
2, rue du Mont-Blanc
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. +41 22 909 28 50
AUCTION
Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces
Sunday May 15, 2011
Session 1 begins at 9 am
Session 2 begins at 2 pm
Mandarin Oriental Geneva, Salon Saint-Gervais
Quai Turrettini 1
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
