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The Most Expensive Independent Wristwatch and Other Tales from Only Watch 2017
News
The Most Expensive Independent Wristwatch and Other Tales from Only Watch 2017
For the Only Watch auction, there is always a Patek Philippe. Never mind what any other manufacturer does, the prospect of a unique grand complication is almost too much for some collectors and bidding goes through the stratosphere; which shows the power of Patek in the market and likewise perhaps undiscovered watch brands that should have more attention paid to them.
Ahead of the sale there were some notable watches. F.P.Journe’s Chronometer Souverain chronograph was bold and original; perhaps the nearest to the idea to create something unique for this auction. The Chronographe Monopoussoir Rattrapante Bleu is truly unique for the collector and produced by arguably one of the top horological minds on the planet right now. It showed in the bidding and coming a very credible second to the Patek 5208T.
The collaboration between Urwerk and Laurent Ferrier was both unique and definitely in the spirit of the auction: The Arpal One. It was perhaps an odd mix of styles: the traditional design Laurent Ferrier and the futuristic styled Urwerk, but for avid collectors of the Geneva brands, this was a very unique watch in the offering. On the wrist, the watch was heavy and oversized for my tastes. Nonetheless the watch was something unique and will not to be produced again. With some committed bidders from Hong Kong the watch (perhaps a little disappointingly) finished up at CHF100,000. Given the pedigree of the watchmakers involved it might have been expected to go for a little more.
Complete sale amounted to CHF 10,776,550. For price realised on individual lots, log on to christies.com