Last week, in Part One of our Spring auction highlights, we covered the sale of a variety of interesting Patek Philippe World Time wristwatches, as well as world record-breaking Rexhep Rexhepi sales. Prototype tourbillons, a Co-Axial escapement wristwatch, and a watch with three-star wheel disks, plus a magnetic water clock all make for a fascinating if not eclectic mix for this, Part Two of Spring watch auctions across Geneva, Hong Kong, and London.
Game, set and match – two Richard Mille, Rafael Nadal, prototype watches
Richard Mille: Reference No. RM27- 01 CA, Rafael Nadal, prototype, ‘PROTO 06,’. Sold by Bonhams. © Photo courtesy of Bonhams / Reference No. RM27- 01 CA, Rafael Nadal prototype ‘PROTO 03’. Sold by Sotheby’s. © Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
“…It was no surprise that there was demand for the rare Richard Mille, Rafael Nadal tourbillon wristwatch, especially with its engraving on the back “PROTO-06” denoting that it was one of the extremely few prototypes created for VIP clients to trial before the final limited reference went into production. The wristwatch achieved a new record as the highest value timepiece to be sold at Bonhams, indicating the ongoing strength of the Asian market.”
- Sharon Chan, Bonhams Head of department, Director of Watches, Asia.
One of the key highlights at Bonhams Hong Kong watches sale on 28 May was a very rare Richard Mille, Reference No. RM27- 01 CA, Rafael Nadal, prototype production carbon skeletonised Tourbillon wristwatch from circa 2014.
As Bonhams catalogued in 2008, Richard Mille partnered with tennis legend Rafael Nadal to form what would be an iconic collaboration in watchmaking. In 2013 Richard Mille created the RM27-01 wristwatch again in partnership with Rafael Nadal. The watch is constructed of an ultra-lightweight case, made of grey anthracite polymer injected with carbon nanotubes. In all the watch weighs just under 19 grams including the strap. Rafael Nadal himself tested the watch throughout the tennis season. Limited to just 50 pieces, this example is even more rare as its engraving on the case back ‘PROTO 06’ denotes it is as one of the extremely few prototypes created.
At auction it fetched HKD 9,148,000, (approx. £915,190) including buyer’s premium, just under £1 million pounds. Bonhams noted that the price achieved set a record as the highest value wristwatch to be sold at Bonhams to date.
For collectors the May auctions offered another opportunity to bid on a Richard Mille, Reference RM27- 01 CA, Rafael Nadal prototype from circa 2014. This watch was offered by Sotheby’s at their Geneva auction on 12 May 2024. The watch is engraved on the back with ‘PROTO 03’ making it another rare prototype version of the watch. Estimated at CHF 800,000 - 1,500,000 the lot sold for CHF 1,270,000, (approx. £1,109,570), including buyer’s premium just breaking the £1 million mark.
Interestingly, Richard Mille has just released the RM 27-05 manual winding Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal model. Richard Mille’s website states that the watch has a weight of only 11.5 grams excluding the strap making it the world’s lightest mechanical tourbillon watch. The watch can also withstand a g-force of 14,000. The limited edition will run to just 80 pieces.
Millennium celebration for George Daniels’ Co-Axial escapement
Highly rare George Daniels, London Millennium, limited edition 18K yellow gold wristwatch made in 1999. Fitted with a Co-Axial escapement. Sold by Sotheby’s, Geneva, in May for CHF 508,000, (approx. £443,450). © Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
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Over at Sotheby’s at their 12 May Geneva watch auction they featured a George Daniels, London Millennium, limited edition 18K yellow gold wristwatch made in 1999. Dr George Daniels CBE, FSA, FBHI (1926 - 2011) is a highly renowned and famed British watchmaker and horologist. The 37 mm diameter cased Millennium wristwatch is fitted with Daniels’ Co-Axial escapement and as Sotheby’s noted is one of only approximately 47 yellow gold examples ever produced making it a highly important collector wristwatch.
It should also be noted that one of Britain’s current foremost independent watchmakers Dr Roger W Smith OBE, FBHI assisted George Daniels with making the Millennium wristwatch. The Millennium wristwatch was created not only to mark the turn of the century but also to celebrate Omega adopting Daniels’ Co-Axial escapement design which is used in Omega watch movements today.
Estimated at CHF 350,000 - 550,000, the watch sold for CHF 508,000, (approx. £443,450), including buyer’s premium within the estimate.
This is not the highest amount paid for a George Daniels, London, Millennium. In November 2022 Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in Geneva sold an 18K yellow gold Daniels’ Millennium for CHF 828,600, (approx. £726,390), Including buyer’s premium.
90s magic from Audemars Piguet
Rare, limited edition Audemars Piguet, Répétition Minutes John Schaeffer, Reference No. 25881 wristwatch with a platinum case from circa 1995. Sold by Sotheby’s, London in May for £108,000. © Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.
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I got to view this watch at Sotheby’s London and what a treat it was. With its purple dial and satellite hour display cased in platinum from circa 1995, very much fitting within the neo-vintage niche. Offered by Sotheby’s at their London watch sale on 29 May the Audemars Piguet wristwatch is a limited edition Répétition Minutes John Schaeffer, Reference No. 25881. Powered by a calibre. 2867 manual winding movement. The platinum case is sized 33.5 x 33.5 mm.
As Sotheby’s catalogued that in 1907, Audemars Piguet developed their first minute repeater wristwatch for John Schaeffer, an American industrialist. This 90s tribute version was limited to just 10 pieces of which this is number 9. The fascinating dial has three-star wheel disks, which indicate the time along the minute track positioned at 12 o'clock. The three transparent sapphire disks are each marked with four-hour indicators. These disks are fixed to a central rotating wheel. With the turning of the assembly, the hour indicator corresponding to the present time aligns with and traverses the 120-degree segment representing the minutes. By observing the hour indicator aligned with the current minute time can be read.
Estimated at between £70,000 - 100,000 the wristwatch sold for £108,000 including buyer’s premium.
Pondering time – a £1.4 million clock by Cartier from the 1920s
A historically important, museum quality Art Deco period, Cartier, La Pendule Magnétique "Water Clock" from circa 1929. Sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, Hong Kong, in May for HKD 14,970,000, (approx. £1,497,430). © Photo courtesy of Phillips.
This auction report would seem incomplete without including a timepiece from Cartier given market interest in rare and important Cartier timepieces, be they watches or clocks. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo offered at their Hong Kong watch auction held between 24 to 25 May an astounding 1920s Cartier clock. Phillips noted that the timepiece was a unique, historically important, museum quality Art Deco period, Cartier La Pendule Magnétique "Water Clock", from circa 1929. The clock is crafted of marble, silver, lapis lazuli, nephrite, coral, mother-of-pearl, enamel and jade. Further Phillips added that the clock is one of just four magnetic clocks known which was made by Cartier’s renowned horologist Maurice Couët, with one example existing with the Cartier Collection.
Estimated in excess of HKD 2,000,000, after 25-minutes of bidding and 75 bids the clock eventually sold for HKD 14,970,000, (approx. £1,497,430), including buyer’s premium. More than seven times its pre-sale estimate.
Sylvester Stallone with the Patek Philippe Reference 6300G-010 Grandmaster Chime wristwatch. Sold by Sotheby’s, New York, in June for US $5.4 million, (approx. £4.2 million). © Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
Next up will be June’s auction report, and already a significant auction has taken place with the sale of Sylvester Stallone’s, Patek Philippe, Reference 6300G-010 Grandmaster Chime. The watch was sold by Sotheby’s, New York, for US $5.4 million, (approx. £4.2 million). Full details will follow in June’s report.
Banner image - © Photo courtesy of Bonhams.
