Antiquorum, The World s Premier Auctioneers of Modern and Vintage Timepieces, is proud to celebrate 40 years of making history in time.

Transcription

1 40th nniversary Forty Years of 28 the antiquorum magazine VOX

2 culture watch Antiquorum, The World s Premier Auctioneers of Modern and Vintage Timepieces, is proud to celebrate 40 years of making history in time. BY Michelle R. Halpern Fine Timepieces VOX the antiquorum magazine 29

3 culture watch Antiquorum Forty Years of Fine Timepieces Exceptional provenance A ntiquorum has carved its own unparalleled niche in the auction world by cultivating a thriving collector s market for timepieces worldwide. Established in Geneva in 1974, Antiquorum, the world s leading watch auctioneer has continually realized the most impressive world records for sales of watches, wristwatches, clocks, marine chronometers, and regulators at auction. Antiquorum consistently obtains the highest prices for timepieces and has set many world records. In 2002, Antiquorum set the all-time world record for a wristwatch at auction, selling a unique 1939 platinum Patek Philippe World Time Ref for USD 4,026,524 (CHF 6,603,500) more than double the previous world record Antiquorum sells Albert Einstein s Longines wristwatch for a world-record $596,000. A perpetually innovative source for collectors, in the early 1980s Antiquorum pioneered the sale of wristwatches at auction, creating a new and exciting market. Next came the thematic auction devoted to a single subject, the first of which was the Art of Patek Philippe held in 1989, the 150th anniversary year of that prestigious watchmaking firm. In 2005, the historic thematic auction The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin achieved a total of USD 15,110,000 (CHF 18,123,069). A record for Vacheron Constantin, this was also the second best result, after Patek Philippe, for a single-brand sale. Among the world records: the Tour de l Ile, at USD 1,564,000 (CHF1,876,250), set a world record for a contemporary wristwatch and the King Fouad I, at USD 2,755,000 (CHF 3,306,250), achieved the highest price ever paid for a Vacheron Constantin watch. In 2006, the Mondani Collection of 309 Rolex Wristwatches Antiquorum is established in Geneva. 30 t h e a n t i q u o r u m m a g a z i n e VOX ATQ VOX indd Antiquorum holds its first thematic auction, The Art of Patek Philippe, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the firm.

4 realized the astounding total of CHF11,037,278. Several world records were set, most significantly by Ref. 4113, a fly-back chronograph that sold for CHF 738,500. The total for the Omegamania auction in April 2007 was CHF 6,536,911 (USD 5,540,000), three times the overall estimate. Numerous world records were achieved, including the highest price for an Omega watch at auction, for the 1958 Platinum Constellation Grand Luxe, which sold for CHF 413,700 (USD 351,000). In 2008, Antiquorum obtained the impressive total of USD 8,515,260 for its Rolex thematic sale, Revolution: The Evolution of Rolex Sport Watch. Nine world records were reached including a remarkable price of USD 248,800 that was achieved for the Comex Sea-Dweller Antiquorum sells Mahatma Gandhi s Zenith pocket watch and personal belongings for $2,096,000 A dditionally, in October 2008, a world record was obtained for a Longines wristwatch that belonged to Albert Einstein; it sold for an astounding USD 596,000. Also, a world record price was established by the Royal Presentation Mirror-Image Pair of pocket watches in the November 2008 auction, selling for CHF 2,608,000, approximately USD 2,253,449. A world record price was achieved in March 2009 for Mahatma Gandhi s Zenith pocket watch (accompanied by his glasses, sandals, bowl and thali) selling for USD 2,096,000. In 2012, we set five additional world records: a Patek Phlippe Ref platinum minute-repeating perpetual calendar sold in April for USD 902,500 in New York; a Rolex Ref previously owned by Mossad Director Isser Harel sold in May for CHF USD 248, 500 in our Geneva auction; an Omega Black Dial Constellation Calendar previously owned by Elvis Presley sold for USD 52,500 in New York s June auction; a Patek Philippe Ref. 5004P Split-Seconds Chronograph with Perpetual Calendar sold Antiquorum holds thematic auction Antiquorum in Love. La Toilette de Venus, fine and unusual silver and enamel music box, made circa Auctions can be viewed live on the Antiquorum website ATQ VOX indd 12 VOX t h e a n t i q u o r u m m a g a z i n e 31

5 culture watch Antiquorum Forty Years of Fine Timepieces auc tion Highlights 2006 Antiquorum holds Mondani Collection thematic sale of 309 Rolex wristwatches realizing CHF 11,037, Antiquorum sells a unique Patek Philippe Ref for CHF 6,603,500, setting the all-time world record for a wristwatch at auction Antiquorum is the first auction house to offer live on-line bidding Antiquorum holds thematic charity auction Famous Faces. Chopard Geneve Mille Miglia model, Ref. 16/1250. Donated by Michael Douglas and Chopard. 32 t h e a n t i q u o r u m m a g a z i n e VOX ATQ VOX indd Antiquorum holds thematic auction 100 Years of Wristwatches Antiquorum celebrates the 250th anniversary of Vacheron Constantin with The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin auction totaling CHF 18,123,069.

6 in Hong Kong s June auction for HKD 3,260,000 and in November, an extremely rare Rolex Single Red Prototype, Ref Sea-Dweller Submariner, appearing for the first time at an auction fetched an astounding CHF 490,900, more than 400% its pre-sales estimate. It is the highest price ever paid for a Rolex Sea Dweller. I n 2013, Antiquorum was proud to achieve seven world records: a Rolex Ref.1831 in platinum with Stella dial sold for CHF 206,500 in March; in the May Geneva auction a Rolex Ref Paul Newman Daytona in 18K gold with prototype lemon dial sold for CHF 841,300; and a Rolex Ref. 6269/8 Diamond Cosmograph Oman obtained CHF 470,500; James Dean s Elgin pocket watch sold for HKD 325,000 in the June auction in Hong Kong; in October, a Patek Philippe Ref brought HKD 6,210,000; and a Patek Philippe Ref in pink gold with special dial sold for HKD 5,550,000; and finally, a Patek Philippe Ref in pink gold with black dial achieved CHF 723,750 in Geneva s November auction. Resolutely avant-garde, Antiquorum was the first auction house to offer full online service at There, clients may place absentee bids or register to bid in real time during the auction. The site also offers access to auction catalogues (complete with images and condition reports), sales results, a watch database, and biographies of its experts, as well as information on books published by Antiquorum Editions, and Antiquorum s activities worldwide Antiquorum sells a Rolex Ref Paul Newman Daytona with Prototype lemon dial for a record-breaking CHF 841,300. Antiquorum holds approximately ten auctions a year, in Geneva, New York, and Hong Kong, with previews held in major cities worldwide. In addition to its auction centers, Antiquorum maintains offices and agents in Dubai, London, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo. With its internationally recognized staff of watch experts providing unsurpassed expertise and services and its dedicated pursuit of innovative auction methods, Antiquorum continues, more than ever before, to make history in time. v Antiquorum holds Omega thematic auction Omegamania totaling CHF 6,536, ATQ VOX indd Antiquorum holds a Rolex thematic auction Revolution: The Evolution of the Rolex Sport Watch achieving 9 world records Antiquorum sells a Rolex Single Red Prototype Ref Sea-Dweller Submariner for a record-breaking CHF 490,900, more than 400% its pre-sale estimate, the highest price ever paid for a Sea Dweller. VOX t h e a n t i q u o r u m m a g a z i n e 33