Watch brands and charity collab auctions have produced some spectacular results this year. Only Watch conducted by Christie’s got things started on May 10 with their 10th edition of the charity watch auction. The sale achieved CHF 28.3 million, (£24.9 million), raising funds to help accelerate research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Patek Philippe donated a unique reference. 6301A-010, grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater stainless-steel wristwatch. The piece fetched CHF 15.7 million, (£13.7 million) selling to a bidder in the auction room.
Now another unique Patek Philippe wristwatch has been auctioned for charity achieving CHF 6.7 million (£6.0 million) in Geneva. The watch was auctioned by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the occasion of the Children Action 2024 charity gala this November 25.
Patek Philippe has been contributing watches since 2005 to benefit the Children Action charity auctions. This year Patek Philippe selected an incredible one of a kind artisan hand engraved Nautilus Reference. 5711/1500A. The engraving on the case and bracelet is inspired by the Māori from Aotearoa (NZ) and their traditional motifs. Given that the stainless steel Nautilus reference. 5711 is no longer available to purchase, this piece was even more appreciated at auction.
Time For Art - watch auction to support contemporary art and artists
Over to New York and another charity auction has just taken place inspired by the art of watchmaking along with supporting contemporary artists. Indeed the auction is the first-ever benefit watch auction to support contemporary art and artists. First held in 2022, the second running of the Time For Art auction took place this weekend on 7 December. Organised by New York-based non-profit Swiss Institute. 100% of the proceeds from the auction go to helping support artists, through the Swiss Institute’s exhibitions, public programs, artist residencies, education & community engagement workshops. All of which are offered free of charge to the public.
The TimeForArt 2024 edition was hosted by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo and included one-of-a-kind timepieces contributed by 25 watch brands and independent watchmakers. Specifically reflecting the core aim of supporting art and artists as well as creative watchmaking, each timepiece incorporated either a unique collaboration with a world-renowned artisan, interventions by leading contemporary artists, or bespoke examples of innovative craftsmanship. With no reserves all the watches sold on the day, some of the highlights from the auction included.
Biver - Echoes of this Moment
For the TimeForArt auction independent brand Biver offered a stunning collaboration between Biver and Swiss contemporary artist Guillaume Ehinger inspired by nature, beauty, and memory.
The Biver, reference. PRF-12248, ‘Echoes of this Moment’ stainless steel wristwatch has an automatic calibre. JCB-003 movement and is sized at 39mm diameter. Created in 2024 the watch is presented on a cotton and Alcantara strap.
The undoubted showpiece of the watch is the richly coloured hand-engraved dial made in partnership with Guillaume Ehinger. The dial is based on a series of Ehinger’s abstract paintings inspired by natural landscapes. The design required multiple layers of coloured enamel to be applied to the dial to give its shimmering effect that changes in the light. The 22k gold micro-rotor engraved Biver along with the artist’s signature.
Biver was founded in 2023, by legendary watch industry figure, Jean-Claude Biver in partnership with his son Pierre Biver to make independent haute horology watches.
For more insight into this timepiece please read Arthur Touchot’s article ‘Echoes of This Moment: Biver’s Artistic Masterpiece in the New Automatique Collection’ on Phillips website.
Estimated at USD $60,000 - 120,000 the watch made USD $165,100 (£129,570), including buyer’s premium.
Bulgari - Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Sketch
Much praised for their Octo Finissimo watch model range, Bulgari offered a unique 18k pink gold version of their watch for the TimeForArt auction.
The 2024 model Octo Finissimo is designated, reference. 104217 ‘Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Sketch – TimeForArt Edition’. Sized at 43mm diameter the 18k pink gold case is matched with an 18k pink gold Bulgari bracelet with integrated folding clasp. The case back has the TimeForArt logo and wording ‘esemplare unico’ 1 / 1.
The dial of this unique piece features an artistic style sketch drawing to indicate all the dial elements plus aspects of the internal watch movement.
Estimated at USD $40,000 - 80,000 the watch made USD $76,200 (£59,800), including buyer’s premium.
Chopard - Alpine Eagle 41 XP TimeForArt Edition
If you look very closely at the dial of this watch you will realise that the finish is actually made from straw!
The special dial is made from straw marquetry crafted in-house at Chopard workshops. In order to make the marquetry dial one of Chopard’s artisans had to learn a 17th-century technique. As Phillips noted in their cataloguing the straw strands must be meticulously arranged in varying sizes, thicknesses, and shades to create the amazing dial.
The watch is designated as a 2024, Chopard, Alpine Eagle 41 XP, reference. 298635-3001, unique edition for TimeForArt. Fitted with an automatic movement the case and bracelet are made from Lucent Steel™. Overall the watch case is 41mm in diameter and only 8mm thick. The movement alone is just 3.30 mm thick.
Estimated at USD $40,000 - 80,000 the watch made USD $88,900 (£69,770), including buyer’s premium.
Dennison Watch SA - Infinite Blue
Attendees at the WatchPro Salon in early November in London would have had a great opportunity to meet the team behind the recently re-launched Dennison brand.
Dennison have quite a storied history. Originally founded in 1874 in the USA by Aaron Lufkin Dennison, who also co-founded the Waltham Watch Co. Dennison became an important watch case maker creating cases for Rolex, Omega, Jaeger LeCoultre and Waltham.
Now relaunched as a watch brand in October 2024, Dennison have contributed a unique piece to the 2024 TimeForArt auction. The beautiful blue dial and cased wristwatch was designed by world-renowned Swiss watch designer Emmanuel Gueit. Along with many other career highlights, Gueit also created the Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak Offshore. As Phillips noted in their cataloguing the piece was inspired by Dennison cases from the 1940s.
The official designation for the watch is, Dennison Watch SA, reference. ALD – SI – T4A, Infinite Blue unique piece for TimeForArt 2024. The case material is blue-gold PVD stainless steel along with a blue asymmetric patterned dial. The watch is powered by a Quartz, RONDA Slimtech calibre 1032. The case is sized at 37mm diameter with the case back stamped TimeForArt 2024 and presented on a strap.
Estimated at USD $400 - 600 the watch made USD $5,080 (£3,980), including buyer’s premium.
Louis Erard - Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset
Once you have enjoyed admiring the superb finish of this dial you will probably want to know; how do you tell the time?
Independent brand Louis Erard worked in collaboration with renowned Swiss artist Olivier Mosset to create this special watch. The textured dial colour and hands shift from blue to violet depending on the light. As Phillips noted the hands for the hour, minute, and seconds are all identical in length, width, with rounded ends. To tell the time you need to look at the end of each hand which has a drilled hole. The largest size being for the hour hand, second largest for the minute hand and the smallest of the drilled holes is for the seconds hand.
The watch itself is a 2024, Louis Erard, reference. 85237AA63.BVA175OM, Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset - TimeForArt Edition wristwatch. The case is stainless steel and sized 42mm in diameter. The watch is fitted with an automatic, Sellita SW266-1 movement and comes on a leather strap.
Very distinctively and playfully the watch also comes with a red seal marked "work of art - do not wear,". No doubt the new owner can ponder as to whether they should keep the piece as a work of art or wear it. If they choose to wear the watch it does come with two interchangeable straps, with one signed by the artist.
Swiss independent watchmaker Louis Erard was founded in 1929. Today under the leadership of Manuel Emch the brand has worked on a number of important collaborations with watchmakers such as Alain Silberstein, Vianney Halter, and Konstantin Chaykin.
Estimated at USD $3,000 - 6,000 it made USD $12,700 (£9,960), including buyer’s premium.
Banner: ©Photo courtesy of Biver and TimeForArt.
