by Kyle Stults on September 23, 2009
34 Distinct One-of-Kind Pieces Estimated to Auction At $10,000 to as much as $735,000
Less than 24 hours from “hammer time” and we wanted to share with you the “suggested” prices for each of the 34 “Only Watch” watches in case you are thinking about putting in a bid.
But first, what a difference two years social media can make for a special event such as this! The watch blogosphere has been buzzing for months with excitement over the 34 unique pieces that will be auctioned in Monaco less than 24 hours from now in what is sure to be a spectacular event. In fact we learned just yesterday that the event will be live-Tweeted by watch journalist Beth Doerr – so put her in your Twit-Stream now (Twitter: @doerrelizabeth)!!
If you follow watches, it is highly unlikely that you haven’t come across a blog or forum post highlighting one or all of these watches – of course First In Watches was the first to kick things off back in early-June with our feature article giving you a first look at each of the 34 pieces (see: ONLY WATCH 2009 – 34 One-of-a-Kind Watches), and since then we have gone more in-depth on some of our favorites including the following: MB&F’s Sage Vaughn HM-2, Bovet’s 3-in-1 Mona Lisa Watch, Tourneau’s Jump Hour, Piaget’s Emperador Coussin, Louis Vuitton’s Tambour, Chanel’s J12 Joallerie with pink sapphire, and Blancpain’s 500 Fathoms. Some of our watch-blogging friends have also written some good articles about their favorites, too. In particular we enjoyed this recent article from Hodinkee with some great pics of some of the more “unique” unique pieces including Cabestan’s Winch Tourbillon Vertical, Confrere Horlogere’s La Clef du Temps Tourbillon, and MB&F’s Sage Vaugh HM-2.
So what are the “odds” on what these watches will sell for? Due to their rarity and the fact that there is now reserve price, it really is hard to say! But here is where the bidding is likely to start, courtesy of Patrizzi & Co. who will be running the auction:
- Confrerie Horlogere $514,500 – $735,000
- Cabestan $411,600 – $514,500
- Patek Philippe $264,600 – $470,400
- Bovet $147,000 – $220,500
- Cartier $132,300 – $220,500
- Audemars Piguet $132,300 – $220,500
- De Bethune $132,300 – $205,800
- Breguet $117,600 – $176,400
- Tag Heuer $102,900 – $132,300
- MB&F $102,900 – $176,400
- Van Cleef & Arpels $102,900 – $132,300
- Ateliers deMonaco $88,200 – $132,300
- Louis Vuitton $88,200 – $132,300
- Ulysse Nardin $88,200 – $132,300
- Chanel $73,500 – $88,200
- Montblanc $66,150 – $88,200
- Piaget $51,450 – $73,500
- Franck Muller $51,450 – $73,500
- Bell & Ross $51,450 – $73,500
- Gerald Charles $51,450 – $73,500
- Omega $44,100 – $73,500
- Chaumet $36,750 – $51,450
- Vacheron Constantin$36,750 – $51,450
- Franc Vila $29,400 – $58,800
- Girard-Perregaux $29,400 – $44,100
- Hermes $29,400 – $44,100
- deLaCour $29,400 – $44,100
- Jaquet Droz $22,050 – $36,750
- Tourneau $22,050 – $36,750
- Blancpain $22,050 – $36,750
- Hublot $22,050 – $36,750
- Corum $17,640 – $29,400
- Frederique Constant $11,760 – $23,520
- Zenith $10,290 – $17,640
In closing, First In Watches will leave you with this cool “Only Watch preview” video produced by TheTimeTV, which is probably as close as most watch fans will ever come to these amazing watches:
41 “Special One”s will be made, including 1 for “The Special One”
Franck Muller pays tribute to famous football coach (or soccer, if you live in the U.S.) and current Inter (Milan) manager José Mourinho with the launch, in a limited numbered edition of 41, of the Special One, a mechanical self-winding exclusive chronograph. The “Special One” is designed upon Muller’s signature Cintrée Curvex case, crafted in 18k rose gold with a solid brushed finish. The black dial, with Guilloché soleil decoration is detailed in pink gold consistent with the case; an oversized Special 1, also in gold, is in place of the 1-hour marker. With the exception of Special 1, all numbers are luminescent. At 3 is the chronograph minute counter; at 9, the small seconds. At 6 the date is revealed in a small window. Priced at 35,000 EUR.
Picture above: Franck Muller, José Mourhino, and Vartan Simarkes (photo credit: Espiral do Tempo)
Picture above: Franck Muller with his José Mourhino autographed sport coat, and José Mourhino with his Franck Muller “Special One” Watch (photo credit: Espiral do Tempo)
You can see some good shots of the watch during the first 20 seconds of this video about Mourhino’s visit to Franck Muller Watchland in Switzerland (and more about the visit if you speak Portuguese):
[via io sto con Mancini and Espiral do Tempo]
Only Watch is a charity auction of unique watches created by many of the most important watch brands in Switzerland. This exceptional event is held every two years in Monaco during the Monaco Yacht Show and is under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert 11. All the proceeds from Only Watch go to support research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The next Only Watch auction is organized in close collaboration with Patrizzi & Co and the Monaco Yacht Show, and will take place on 24 September 2009.
Participating brands include Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, BNB Concept, Bovet Fleurier, Breguet Montres, Cartier, Corum Montres, De Bethune, Delacour, Franck Muller, Frédérique Constant, Glashütte Uhrenbertrieb, Hermès, Hublot, Jaquet Droz, Louis Vuitton, Maximilian Büsser & Friends, Mont Blanc, Omega, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Richard Mille, Swatch, Tag Heuer, Tourneau Timepieces, Ulysse Nardin, Urwerk, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Zenith International.
Below is a mosaic of their “pieces uniques” – you can view larger images and a quote from each respective brand about their 2009 “Only Watch” contribution HERE.
It appears the answer is Yes. Reports indicate that Jaeger-LeCoultre may soon wear the “King of Complicated Watches” crown, as the manufacture is set to release the new Duometre Grande Sonnerie “Hybrid Mechanica 55″ which will reportedly boast a whopping 26 complications, including one that plays Big Ben’s Westminster Chimes from beginning to end in succession.
The Mechanicca 55 Grande Sonnerie will handily best IWC’s Il Destriero Scafusia (cir. 1993, 21 complications) and Vacheron Constantin’s Tour de l’Ile (cir. 2005, 16 complications). And it will just surpass the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega with 25 complications including its own Westminster chimes. It even rivals highly complicated pocket watches such as the Breguet Ref. 1160 “Marie-Antoinette”, the Patek Philippe Henry Graves (cir. 1933, 24 complications), and the grand-daddy of them all, the Patek Philippe Caliber 89 (cir. 1989, 33 complications).
Now don’t forget your checkbook because, according to the the Financial Times, this amazing new watch will cost you a cool $2.5 million. Well, I am being a bit disingenuous here because the watch is actually exclusively available as part of a set of three highly complicated Jaeger-LeCoultre watches – meaning that for your $2.5 million JLC will also “throw in” a couple more of the world’s finest watches – the Gyrotourbillon and the Reverso a Tryptique. The trilogy, will be limited to 30 sets and will be presented in a customised, six-foot tall, 800 kilo safe. What to say but “Wow!”
