Rare Watches Including Watches for ELA Geneva 11 November
By Wouter van Wijk
Interesting auction with some pieces sold for European Leukodystrophy Association called ELA.
Lot 3 ATÆLIER HAUTE COMPLICATIONUNIQUE ARCHITECTURE MECANIQUE NO. 1 MADE FOR ELA
Super cool piece by one of the former watchmakers of FP Journe.
Lot 6 Konstantin Chaykin for Ela
Lost 25 ROLEX SUBMARINER LAPIS LAZULI DIAL REF. 16618
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507186?ldp_breadcrumb=back
Lot 38 AP unique chronograph skeleton beauty
Finding unique pieces is quite difficult. Here you have one.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507199?ldp_breadcrumb=back
Lot 39 Vacheron Constantin hexagonal skeleton plat unique piece
And another super funky skeleton perpetual calendar unique piece in platinum. This watch has a quirky hexagonal case shape: hate it... or love it!
https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6507200
Lot 42 Breguet pocket watch number 5 made for Hayek
Here is a nice piece of passion from one the GOATS of modern watchmaking. Nicolas Hayek.
Created in 2004 after three years of research, this exceptional replica of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s 1794 self-winding ‘Perpetuelle’ No. 5 watch was meticulously crafted as a unique platinum-cased piece. Five additional replicas, cased in yellow gold, followed and have since become renowned as the most expensive series-produced pocket watches ever sold. This particular platinum example is engraved with "N. G. Hayek" and dated 2004 on the movement ring.
Nicolas George Hayek, the late chairman of the Swatch Group, was captivated by Breguet’s genius, identifying with his commercial success and innovation, especially the invention of the tourbillon. Upon leading the Breguet brand in 1999, Hayek developed a profound passion for Breguet’s work, amassing rare timepieces and enriching the Breguet Museum’s collection, thereby strengthening the modern Breguet brand and its historical ties.
Interestingly, the idea to recreate the Breguet No. 5 Perpétuelles came from an external request. Hayek once recalled that a wealthy client, admiring the original No. 5, wished to buy it. While he declined to sell, Hayek offered to recreate the watch—a quarter-repeating pocket watch with Breguet’s Perpétuelle self-winding and pare-chute shock-protection systems.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507203?ldp
Lot 51 Audemars Piquet possibly unique white gold Royal Oak reference 14701BC with Ferrite dial
This white gold Royal Oak reference 14701BC with a rare Ferrite dial, an uncommon reflective ceramic alloy that brings an elegant and unique texture to the timepiece. This stunning watch, numbered "055," is a nice chance for collectors seeking exclusivity in vintage Royal Oaks. This listing will be one to watch for those passionate about both Royal Oak’s heritage and its less common configurations.
Produced between 1992 and 1993, only five examples were crafted in white gold, and six in yellow gold. The use of stone dials in Royal Oaks is exceptionally rare, making these models incredibly difficult to source. The Ferrite dial adds even greater allure, catching light in a way that few materials can, making this piece a coveted rarity for the discerning collector.
Lot 55 Vacheron Constantin Signing box
This stunning museum worthy singing bird box exemplifies the finest 20th-century craftsmanship in enamel, showcasing an extraordinary level of artistry. If this would Patek, the Sterns would be buying this for the Museum without any doubt.
Likely commissioned by Vacheron Constantin for the 1943 celebration of Leonhard Miescher and Maria Riggenbach, the piece features their names, date, and coats of arms on the base. When the bird sings, the couple’s exquisitely enamelled crests, placed beneath the hinged bird cover, are revealed.
The grand feu cloisonné enamel panels—crafted by Geneva artist Nelly Fournier, present a captivating modernist style with rich, earthy tones of gold, brown, and green, forming a seamless landscape. This mid-20th-century cloisonné work, prized for its soft, tonal palette, used materials like lead and mercury for effects no longer achievable today.
It is highly likely that Nelly Fournier, the creator of the exceptional cloisonné panels on this box, is the same artisan as Nelly Richard, renowned for crafting some of the most significant cloisonné enamel wristwatch dials of the 20th century for brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex. Official records list her full name as Mrs. Nelly Richard-Fournier (1910–1998).
Encased in its original Vacheron et Constantin box adorned with a delightful metal and enamel bird appliqué, this box is a rare masterpiece for serious collectors.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507216?ldp_
Lot 58 Breguet tonneau shaped perpetual calendar sold to Paul Tribe lover of Coco Chanel
The Breguet no. 3218 wristwatch stands as one of the most significant creations by Breguet and a landmark in wristwatch history. Among only four vintage perpetual calendar wristwatches with a retrograde date feature, it is one of three made by Breguet, with the fourth by Patek Philippe. Crafted in 1935, this Art Deco, tonneau-shaped watch with retrograde date and moon phases was a groundbreaking achievement of its time. Recently discovered in private hands, its public emergence marks a monumental find for vintage watch collectors.
Unique as the only tonneau-shaped Breguet perpetual calendar with retrograde date, no. 3218 is also one of the earliest Breguet wristwatches with an instantaneous perpetual calendar, predated only by the Breguet no. 2516, which was crafted in 1929. The watch was originally owned by the iconic French designer Paul Iribe, known for his relationship with Coco Chanel.
The Breguet no. 3218 is now recognized as the earliest of only two rectangular Breguet perpetual calendars with a retrograde date, and the only tonneau example. The four known vintage retrograde perpetual calendar wristwatches of the era include:
- Breguet No. 3218: white gold, tonneau-shaped, sold May 1935 (The Present Watch)
- Breguet No. 3282: white gold, circular, sold December 1935 (Sotheby’s Geneva, May 2007)
- Breguet: white gold, rectangular, 1936 (Private Collection)
- Patek Philippe: yellow gold, circular, 1937 (Antiquorum Geneva, October 2002)
For collectors, the Breguet no. 3218 is a treasure of unparalleled historical and artistic significance.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507219?ldp_breadcrumb=back
Lot 121
Here we have a bold watch. But such a cool piece. These watches used to retail for close to 300K USD.
Introduced in 2004, the first multi-axis JLC round shaped Gyrotourbillon combined a perpetual calendar, an equation of time, and twin barrels, delivering an impressive eight-day power reserve. This watch set the trend back in the early 2000s for the tourbillon craziness.
With 19 years at Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, Eric Coudray distinguished himself as the inventor of the Gyrotourbillon, a groundbreaking spherical multi-axis tourbillon. Since then, he has crafted bold, innovative mechanisms for brands like MB&F (Thunderdome), HYT, and Purnell.
In celebration of the Reverso’s 80th anniversary, Jaeger-LeCoultre reimagined the iconic 1931 Reverso model with a bold innovation: the Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2. Crafted in platinum, the enlarged Art Deco case now houses the intricate Gyrotourbillon 2, composed of 371 parts and 58 jewels. Building upon Eric Coudray's original Gyrotourbillon 1, which operated at 21,600 alternances per hour, the Gyrotourbillon 2 elevates this to 28,800 alternances per hour.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2 – Multi-Axis Precision
The Gyrotourbillon 2 showcases remarkable technical feats, most notably its unique spherical tourbillon. Set within a titanium carriage, the tourbillon rotates on two axes—one aligned with the carriage and the other angled at 20°—producing revolutions in 30 and 15 seconds. This dual rotation, visually captivating and supremely precise, counteracts gravity’s effects and ensures high accuracy, winning Jaeger-LeCoultre a prestigious award at the first official timing competition of the 21st century.