Independents 2023 Auction by Ineichen Auctioneers

Ineichen Auctioneers

Ineichen Auctioneers gained a name for themselves in historically significant pocket watches. When the Swiss watch industry found itself struggling to adapt to the changes in quartz watch technology and mass production in the 1980s, Ineichen Auctioneers branched out to include a publishing branch; it gained its reputation with a book about Patek Philippe wristwatches by Martin Huber and Alan Banbery that is still a respected guide to this day.

The auction house met some challenges with the rapid adoption of online retailing and advertising. They wanted to stay true to their traditional business model of antique and vintage watches as a sign of loyalty to their devoted customers, but with the changing times, they started to look for a new leadership with more modern ideas.

Artemy Lechbinsky, with his historian’s knowledge and collector’s love of watches from beautiful antiques to modern independent watchmakers’ timepieces, brought a transformative vision for Ineichen Auctioneers. Lechbinsky bought the auction house from Frank Ineichen in 2017 and began a full redesign of the shopfronts, the business model and the philosophy.

Artemy Lechbinsky
Artemy Lechbinsky

Starting in 2018, Ineichen began to work with prominent independent watchmakers to sell their pre-owned timepieces. The company experienced a fivefold sales growth in 2019, had their most successful auction in forty years in 2020, and eventually started an online store and online bidding platform in 2021. Sales have increased by 1,233 percent between 2017, when Lechbinsky bought Ineichen Auctioneers, and 2021.

The Independents Auction

The first Independents 2023 auction by the Ineichen Auctioneers is set to occur in Geneva this spring on May 9, 10 and 11th and includes preview and pre-auction sale on May 9th and 10th followed by a physical auction of the lots starting at 2 p.m. on May 11th. The auction will be hosted at the iconic 5-star Hotel du Président Wilson overlooking Lake Geneva and minutes from the parks and boutiques of the famous rue du Rhône and participants will be treated to a cocktail party on May 11th as a part of the event.

So, why there is a dedicated auction and website for independent brands and watchmakers? Ineichen Auctioneers explain, “Currently, we are seeing a significant increase in the interest of collectors in watches created by independent watchmakers and small creative brands. We intend to support this trend through our work – in searching for important and attractive timepieces, in making accurate assessments of their prospects, and in researching and providing information that we publish while presenting watches we have selected for auction. Watchmaking, and above all the works of independent watchmakers and small creative brands, needs explaining and a good amount of publicity. Without this, how else can one explain the value and difference between a timepiece produced by an independent watchmaker and an ordinary watch bought in a regular store?”

This first auction will be focused on some of the exciting independent watch brands that are driving creative and innovative approaches to watchmaking in the industry. Work of over 30 well known and regarded independent watchmakers are featured in this thematic auction, including F.P. Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Gerald Genta, Vianney Halter, Roger Dubuis, Alain Silberstein, Daniel Roth and De Bethune. We picked four interesting lots from the Ineichen Independents 2023 catalog:

Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique

Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique
Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique

Among today’s independent watchmakers, Kari Voutilainen is considered a perfectionist in the art of hand-finishing – whether it is the movement, the hands, the dial or the case. In 2019 Voutilainen introduced the 28Ti watch, with a reversed layout caliber. This saw the bridges side of the caliber with its large balance appear on the dial side, and the former dial side move to the rear side of the watch.

Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique
Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique
Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique
Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique

The Voutilainen 28TI Piece Unique has an unusual titanium case, with grey tones and complemented by the dark grey bridges of the caliber, with a finely-made frosted finish. The parts of the movement in rose gold tone stand out against the grey background, including the balance bridge, transmission wheel with its cap, finely solarized ratchet wheel and plate with the name of the brand. The rose gold hands really stand out as well. The reverse side of the watch has a similar design, with a dark grey frosted background and parts with a rose gold tone, small seconds hand and power reserve indicator scales, and a plate with the inscription “Unique piece”.

The lot starting price is set for CHF 130,000 and the Buy Now price is set to CHF 350,000.

F.P.Journe T30

F.P.Journe T30
F.P.Journe T30

In 2013, François-Paul Journe decided to mark the 30th anniversary of his first timepiece – a tourbillon pocket watch he had created in 1983 to follow in the footsteps of great watchmakers who influenced him most – Abraham-Louis Breguet and George Daniels.

In 2004, F. P. Journe stopped the production of watches with movements made from brass. Instead, since 2004, almost all new watches from the brand have been equipped with movements made of 18k pink gold without coating. Nevertheless, the mainplate and bridges of the present example are made of brass, because François-Paul Journe, in conceiving this release, set out to reproduce the execution of his first pocket watch as faithfully as possible. The brass parts of the caliber 1412 are decorated with gilding in the traditional frosted finish technique, just as it was done on his first pocket watch of 1983.

F.P.Journe T30
F.P.Journe T30

T30 is elegant in a warm 18k rose gold and sterling silver in officer’s watch style with hinged cover in 18k rose gold and sterling silver with guilloché motif and engraved limited-edition serial number in center, 40mm, 10mm thick, sapphire caseback. Matte softly textured silver-plated dial with all markings and indices engraved, filled with black lacquer. Thin hand-wound caliber 1412, tourbillon, monometallic balance with 4 inertia weights, hairspring with Breguet overcoil and fixed stud holder, double barrel, power reserve up to 56 hours. Functions – hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock, tourbillon. Original turquoise alligator leather strap, F. P. Journe pin buckle in 18k rose gold. Limited edition of 99 pieces.

The lot starting price is set for CHF 250,000 and the Buy Now price is set to CHF 550,000.

Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7

Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7
Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7

In 1990, a year after Daniel Roth started his own brand launching tourbillon wristwatches, he released two chronograph models – Chronograph Ref. C147 and the Chronograph Monopusher Ref. C137. He created them as an adaptation and reinterpretation of the Breguet style, in the development of the modern collection of which he was directly and very actively involved in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronograph Monopusher Ref. C137 in this sense is even closer to Breguet’s style. Unlike Chronograph Ref. C147, it does not use the classic early Daniel Roth-style with a grey-toned dial and vertical guilloché lines. Instead, on the dial of Ref. C137 he used a Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, brushed chapter ring and counter outlines, highlighted by a ‘filet sauté’ guilloché decoration, which all look much closer to the classic Breguet style compared to Ref. C147.

Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7
Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7
Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7
Daniel Roth Chronograph Numero 7

The Chronograph Monopusher Ref. C137 Numero 7 is one of 36 pieces ever produced and is powered by the extraordinary Nouvelle Lémania 2220 (also known as 15CHT), originally designed in the 1930s. Among the notable features of the 2220 are the Breguet hairspring, single-button control, classic column-wheel layout with lateral clutch, and the chronograph intermediate wheel shifted down to the bottom of the caliber, to the balance wheel.
The lot starting price is set for CHF 45,000 and the Buy Now price is set to CHF 100,000.

Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey

Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey
Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey

A very young brand that has been widely acclaimed for its exquisite dress watches, Czapek has achieved global success with its integrated bracelet watches. Czapek found their way in this niche with a watch with a barrel-shaped case, round bezel and dial, and an integral bracelet tapering from the case to the clasp.

Launched in 2020, The Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey is the first complicated model of the Antarctique collection. It is a uniquely-designed split chronograph with an open dial and a chronograph movement mounted on the side, allowing the watch owner to observe the operation of the complex mechanical device without removing the watch from the wrist. The brand claims that the open-worked split-second chronograph on the dial side is a world premiere.

Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey
Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey
Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey
Czapek & Cie Antarctique Chronograph Rattrapante Silver Grey

Caliber SHX6, Czapek’s proprietary caliber was developed in collaboration with Chronode, a Geneva-based atelier of complications. For it, an atypical scheme was chosen with a single-button chronograph and the placement of the chronograph and split chronograph mechanisms on the dial side of the caliber. The structure of the movement and, accordingly, the dial, demonstrates a pleasing symmetry, with the placement of sub-dials at the 4 and 8 o’clock positions, typical for Czapek & Cie wristwatches.

The lot starting price is set for CHF 30,000 and the Buy Now price is set to CHF 70,000.

You can view all the lots and register to bid for the May 11th auction here.

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