Unique & Historically Important Watches Open Christie’s Fall Season The season commences with a selection of rare watches, including two historically important pieces from Patek Philippe, each appearing for the first time on the market.
News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - Christie’s New York
October 12, 2006
Important Pocket Watches & Wristwatches
New York– Building upon the momentum of a record first half of 2006, Christie’s international
watch department is pleased to announce the opening sale of the fall season to take place in New
York on October 12. The season commences with a selection of rare watches, including two
historically important pieces from Patek Philippe, each appearing for the first time on the market. A
special addition to the fall sale lineup is a unique IWC platinum chronograph wristwatch being sold
to benefit the Vol de Nuit/Vuelo Nocturno, a charitable organization. Also of note is a single-owner
collection of 70 lots ranging from 18th century pocket watches to modern wristwatches.
A Record First Half at Christie’s
First half sales figures for Christie’s international watch department totaled a record-breaking
$27,108,000. Leading the first half was the May 2006 Geneva watch sale – a sale that totaled a
staggering $13,650,303 – the highest sale result ever realized by Christie’s in this sale category. The
fall season, highlighted throughout by rare and fresh-to-the-market pieces, positions Christie’s to
continue its role as market leader.
Unique & Unparalleled Timepieces Lead New York Highlights
Leading the sale is an extremely rare, unique Patek Philippe reference
1491 chronograph (image left, estimate: $200,000-400,000), a watch that
in all aspects is unparalleled. Seen here for the first time on the market,
this wristwatch stands alone as the only example of the complicated
chronograph mechanism having been adapted to the case of this
decorative and whimsical reference. In addition to the combination of
form and function, the uniqueness of this piece also lies in the layout of
the dial which features a specific configuration with an oversized 30
minute register, making this timepiece of great interest and historical
significance.
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Also of historical importance is the Patek Philippe reference 2499 from the
Estate of H. Lee Turner, an exceptionally rare example of Patek Philippe’s
perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch (image right, estimate: $250,000-
300,000). This wristwatch has an extremely uncommon feature: a transitional dial
with applied Arabic numerals. The rarity of this wristwatch’s dial and the elegant
fluidity of the piece’s design not only attest to the innovations of Patek Philippe,
but also to the connoisseurship of its original owner, H. Lee Turner, a very
successful lawyer and founder of the paralegal movement. This exquisite
timepiece, with its freshness to the market, unbroken provenance and original
box and papers, provides collectors with a historical and virtually unique example
of Patek Philippe’s ground-breaking complicated wristwatch production.
A Unique Wristwatch to Benefit Charity
Christie’s and IWC are proud to offer the single, unique “Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
platinum chronograph wristwatch, being sold to benefit the Vol de Nuit/Vuelo Nocturno. Started by
the grand-nephew of the famous author and pilot Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Frederic d’Agay, the
"Night Fight" campaign aims to support the children of Argentina, victims of the economic crisis,
with both material and humanitarian aid.
IWC’s “Edition
