Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI Results

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Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo achieves a white glove sale, selling 100% of the lots offered in The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI, resulting in a grand total of CHF 44,979,370 / $45,073,827 / €45,249,246, more than doubling the pre-sale estimate of CHF 19.9 to 37.5 million.

Held over two days on 5 and 6 November 2022, this event offered the auction of a total number of 226 exceptional watches.

The star lot was the unique Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold by George Daniels, the founding father of independent watchmaking. This timepiece was sold to a bidder in the room for CHF 4,083,500. This marks the highest price ever achieved for a wristwatch by a British maker but also the second highest price achieved by an independent watchmaker.

GEORGE DANIELS Spring Case Tourbillon (Lot 27)
GEORGE DANIELS Spring Case Tourbillon (Lot 27)

Daniels only made two unique wristwatches for his own personal use; one of these being this exact novel double-dialled spring case watch with one-minute tourbillon and calendar, completed in 1992.

The George Daniels yellow gold anniversary limited to 35 pieces was sold for CHF 693,000 / USD 694,455. The yellow gold George Daniels Millennium watch limited to 48 pieces achieved CHF 828,600.

The unique A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph “Hampton Court Edition” was sold for CHF 1,058,500, a world auction record for any A. Lange & Söhne watch at auction. The proceeds are going to The Prince’s Trust, including buyer’s premium.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph Hampton Court Edition (Lot 209)
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph Hampton Court Edition (Lot 209)

Fetching a world auction record for the model was the exceptional Philippe Dufour Simplicity in white gold, which eventually sold for CHF 1,022,200. With a case/dial configuration that has never been seen on the market before, this wristwatch features a slate grey dial, full pink gold Breguet numerals and pink gold hands.

A unique Zenith x Voutilainen x Phillips caliber 135-O wristwatch sold for CHF 315,000 with full proceeds going to charity.

  • Lots offered: 226

  • Lots sold: 226

  • Total: CHF 44,979,370 / $45,073,827 / €45,249,246

Top Ten Lots

Lot 27: GEORGE DANIELS, Spring Case Tourbillon – A unique, historically important double sided yellow gold wristwatch with power reserve, day and date

  • Estimate: In Excess of CHF1, 000,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 4,083,500/ $4,092,075/ €4,108,001 (world record for a wristwatch by a British watchmaker)

Lot 153: PATEK PHILIPPE, Ref. 1518 – A highly important pink gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moonphases

  • Estimate: CHF 800,000 – 1,600,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 1,240,000/ $1,242,604/ €1,247,440

Lot 20: Patek Philippe, Ref. 2499 – A yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon-phases and glossy black dial with gilt graphics. The only example known with Extract-confirmed black dial

  • Estimate: CHF 400,000 – 800,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 1,179,500/ $1,181,977/ €1,186,577

Lot 209: A. LANGE & SÖHNE, Ref. 414.047, 1815 Chronograph “Hampton Court Edition” – A unique white gold flyback chronograph with hinged caseback with 100% of proceeds going to The Prince’s Trust

  • Estimate: CHF 100,000 – 200,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 1,058,500/ $1,060,723/ €1,064,851 (world record for any A. Lange & Söhne)

Lot 232: PHILIPPE DUFOUR, Simplicity – An extremely rare and fine white gold wristwatch with guilloché dial, Breguet numerals, original certificate and presentation box

  • Estimate: CHF 350,000 – 700,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 1,022,200/ $1,024,347/ €1,028,333 (world record for the reference)

Lot 214: PATEK PHILIPPE, Ref. 3974 – A so far unique, early, extremely important pink gold minute repeating wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moonphases, 24-hour indication, anthracite dial, Breguet numerals and Hagmann case

  • Estimate: CHF 300,000 – 600,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 961,700/ $963,720/ €967,470

Lot 113: PATEK PHILIPPE, Ref. 530, “Monochrome Pink” – An extremely rare and well-preserved pink gold oversize chronograph wristwatch with pink dial, the only example known in this configuration

  • Estimate: CHF 300,000 – 600,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 901,200/ $903,093/ €906,607

Lot 19: PATEK PHILIPPE, Ref. 5070G-014 – An important and rare white gold chronograph wristwatch with Salmon dial, certificate of origin and presentation box

  • Estimate: CHF 200,000 – 400,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 852,800/ $854,591/ €857,917(world record for the reference)

Lot 141: GEORGE DANIELS, Millenium – A yellow gold wristwatch with Co-axial escapement, date, correspondence from George Daniels and presentation box, part of a limited edition of 48 pieces

  • Estimate: CHF 250,000 – 500,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 828,600/ $830,340/ €833,572 (world record for the reference)

Lot 161: ROLEX, Ref. 6264 – An extraordinarily rare yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with “Paul Newman Lemon” dial, brown “tropical” subsidiary registers and outer track and service papers

  • Estimate: CHF 550,000 – 1,100,000
  • Price Achieved: CHF 816,500/ $818,215/ €821,399