Watch collectors circles have been buzzing since Antiquorum's September 2009 sale in New York, last week.
The sale was a massive success, with bids totalling $9m across 414 lots of the world's finest watches. Beyond the packed auction house, global phone and web bidding drew excitement from Italy, Turkey and Hong Kong.
Here is a Top 10 list of the highest selling timepieces.
#10 Platinum Cartier Tortue XL Tourbillon Cartier "Tortue XL Tourbillon Chronograph Monopoussoir," No. 24/40, Ref. 2759
Made in a limited edition of 40 pieces in 1996, this is a fine, large and rare water-resistant platinum wristwatch with one-minute tourbillon regulator and single-button chronograph. The lot included a wooden Cartier travel case containing a pouch and a loupe, and sold for $186,000.
#9 Patek Philippe, Yellow Gold, Ref. 5004, Genève, No. 879682, case No. 4007798, Ref. 5004J
Made in 1999, this extremely fine and rare water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch has a co-axial round button split-seconds chronograph, registers, perpetual calendar, leap year indication, moon phases, and 24 hour indication. Recently serviced by Patek Philippe, it sold for: $204,000.
#8 Titanium Jules Audemars Grande Complication Audemars Piguet, Genève, "Jules Audemars - Grande Complication Automatique," Ref. 25866 TI
Made circa 2005, this is a rare large, minute-repeating, astronomic, self-winding, titanium wristwatch with custom-ordered dial, co-axial round button split-seconds chronograph, register, perpetual calendar with indication of the weeks, moon phases. Sold for: $228,000.
#7 Gyrotourbillon 1, No. 02/75, First Model sold to the Public Jaeger-LeCoultre, "Gyrotourbillon 1", No. 02/75, Ref. 600.64.20
This is a limited edition of 75 pieces from 2005, with a production limited to 20 pieces per year. It is a highly complicated, large, water-resistant, platinum wristwatch with visible Jaeger-LeCoultre, caliber 177, with an inclined lightweight two-cage multi-axis spherical tourbillon, two barrels with sapphire covers, a perpetual calendar with retrograde month indication, leap-year indication and patented instant date display by means of two retrograde hands. Sold for: $312,000.
#6 1735 - Grande Complication Blancpain, "1735 - Grande Complication," No. 28/30
Made in a limited edition of 30 pieces in the 1990s, this is a rare and important large, astronomic, minute-repeating, self-winding, platinum wristwatch with one-minute tourbillon regulator, round button co-axial split seconds chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases and moon age and a platinum Blancpain deploying clasp. Sold for: $324,000.
#5 Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Ref. 2499/100 Patek Philippe, Genève, case Ref. 2499/100
Made in 1984 and sold on July 23, 1984, this watch is a very fine and very rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph. It includes a 30-minute register, perpetual calendar and moon phases. Sold for: $396,000.
#4 Breguet Sympathique, No. 2. Sold to Tiffany & Co. Breguet, No. 02
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Made in 1996, this exceptional gilt bronze astronomical eight-day clock shows the phases and age of the moon, equation of time, centigrade thermometer, annual calendar, power reserve indication, and a five-seconds remontoire winding spring detent chronometer escapement.
The lot was accompanied by its matching numbered 18K yellow gold Tourbillon wristwatch, with regulator-type dial and power reserve and gold magnifying glass. Sold for: $564,000.
#3 Patek Philippe 5013, Genève, Ref. 5013P
Production of this extremely fine, rare and important, tonneau-shaped, minute-repeating, astronomic, self-winding, platinum wristwatch started in 1992. It features a retrograde perpetual calendar, moon phases, leap year indication and a platinum Patek Philippe buckle. Sold for: $564,000.
#2 Patek Philippe with two dials Genève, Ref. 3939
This minute-repeating platinum wristwatch has one-minute tourbillon regulator - custom ordered from Patek Philippe - black enamel dial, and extra silver dial. Sold for: $684,000.
#1 Patek Philippe two dials platinum 5016, Genève, Ref. 5016PThis is a rare and important astronomic, minute-repeating platinum wristwatch with a black dial; customer ordered from Patek Philippe. It features a one-minute tourbillon regulator, retrograde perpetual calendar, moon phases and a second silver dial. Sold for: $780,000.
All watches were sold with a fitted box, additional case back and Certificate of Origin.
"We are delighted by the outcome for today's auction," said Julien Schaerer, Watch Director & Auctioneer, Antiquorum USA.
"We are particularly pleased by the results achieved for Patek Philippe timepieces signed by major retailers as well as all original early Omega wristwatches."
Antiquorum's next auction is in Geneva on October 3-4, featuring another extraordinary collection of modern and vintage collectible timepieces.
