Cartier Ballon Bleu Silver Dial 18kt Rose Gold Ladies Watch W6900256

10 mai 2010

746,500 CHF (690,281 USD)
Estimation: 400,000 - 500,000
Buyer: Swiss Collector
Attributed Piguet & Capt, gold shield shaped enamel watch with shepherdess automaton circa 1805-1810
338,500 CHF (313,008 USD)
Estimation: 280,000 - 350,000
Buyer: Swiss Collector
Cartier: an exceptionnal yellow gold, platinum, rock crystal, onyx, mother of pearl and diamond mystery clock 1928

284,500 CHF (263,074 USD)
Estimation: 200,000 - 250,000
Buyer: Asian Collector
Patek Philippe: 18k yellow gold automatic perpetual wristwatch with moon phases, circa 1982, ref 3450J mvt 1119616
206,500 CHF (190,948 USD)
Estimation:170,000 - 200,000
Buyer: Swiss Collector
International Watch Co: a pink gold minute repeating perpetual calendar chronograph tourbillon wristwatch 1999
146,500 CHF (135,467 USD)
Estimation:6,000 - 8,000
Buyer: Asian Collector
37 enamel dials: 36 small dials and 1 big dial
146,500 CHF (135,467 USD)
Estimation:100,000 - 120,000
Buyer: US Collector
Breguet "souscription set" platinum minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch and perpetuelle watch, circa 1994

122,500 CHF (113,275 USD)
Estimation:100,000 - 120,000
Buyer: Private Collector
Breguet: a very rare platinum perpetual calendar minute repeating wristwatch with leap year circa 2007
122,500 CHF (113,275 USD)
Estimation:80,000 - 120,000
Middle Eastern Collector
Audemars Piguet: an oversized limited edition alacrite and titanium tourbillon wristwatch with power reserve circa 2002

110,500 CHF (102,178 USD)
Estimation:100,000 - 120,000
Buyer: Swiss Collector
Rolex: stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with registers and bracelet, circa 1985, ref 6265, Daytona 'Paul Newman'
110,500 CHF (102,178 USD)
Estimation:60,000 - 80,000
Buyer: Private Collector
Patek Philippe: a rare 18k yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with register and moon-phases 1989
110,500 CHF (102,178 USD)
Estimation:70,000 - 90,000
Private Collector
Rolex: a rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with registers and bracelet 1970

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SOTHEBY'S sale of Important Watches this evening saw international collectors out in force, staking their claim both for big brands and, even more noticeably, for rare and historic timepieces. In total, the sale realized CHF 6,854,825 / US$ 6,338,588, well within pre-sale expectations of CHF 5,910,100-7,775,800 (US$ 5,465,010 - 7,190,205)*. 53% of the lots sold achieved prices in excess of high estimate, with sell through rates of 78.4% by lot and 81.8% by value.

Geoffroy Ader, European Head of Watches at Sotheby's, said: "Historic timepieces and pocket watches stole the show this evening, highlighting a pattern we have seen evolving for some time now. While there is no doubt that the market for the big brands remains as b as ever, there is, simultaneous with that, a new and exciting groundswell of interest in antique pieces with historical resonance and decorative allure. Tonight's sale was carefully put together with this in mind, and we were thrilled, therefore, that so many of the pieces offered were so enthusiastically received. "

Daryn Schnipper, Worldwide Head of Watches at Sotheby's, said: "In many ways the watch market is like a microcosm of the art market - both are currently characterised by a fascinating interplay between established and new buyers, all looking for blue-chip, rare and iconic pieces. That same unfettered desire for quality, which has been evident in our recent sales in Hong Kong and New York, was demonstrated further here tonight."
"In addition to that, the results of the sale further emphasised another trend that we have been witnessing in our watch sales around the world. Underlying the headline-grabbing prices for modern, complicated watches, there is a b, insistent and ever-increasing demand for watches of particular historic and decorative interest. This demand is fuelled largely by buyers from the Middle East and Asia, many of whom were remarkably active in the saleroom tonight."

"Shepherdess" Automaton, made for the Chinese market, sells for CHF 746,500
The top lot of the evening was lot 90, an exceptional Three Colour Gold, Enamel and Split Pearl Shield Form Automaton, c.1805-10. Estimated at CHF 400,000-500,000, this spectacularly small and complex automaton, featuring a shepherdess tending two sheep near a waterfall, excited interest from across the globe, with no fewer than 5 bidders locking horns in a battle to secure it. Together, they drove the final price to CHF 746,500 (690,281 USD). Their enthusiasm was no doubt sparked by the fact the automaton ranks among the most impressive pieces ever made by legendary watchmakers Isaac Daniel Piguet and Henri Capt. Like so many of the most accomplished pieces of the period, this extraordinary example was made for the Chinese market. As a forthcoming exhibition at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva will illustrate, the pieces made for this market were superlative: made to seduce Chinese Emperors and dignitaries at a single stroke. The extraordinary craftsmanship behind this piece was matched by its exceptional provenance: it once belonged to the notoriously extravagant King Farouk - last King of Egypt - whose legendary collection was sold at Sotheby's in 1954.
Rare "Genevois" Enamel Dials soar above estimate:
One of the many exceptional features of the Shepherdess automaton was its fine enamelling. The craft of the enameller was further celebrated tonight in a rare group of 37 enamel dials. Illustrating the art of 20th-century Geneva enamelling at its very best, the collection (lot 157) came to sale direct from a descendant of the last owner of the celebrated dial-making company Hugeurin et Cie. The rarity of such dials, combined with their provenance, sent the final price to CHF 146,500/ US$ 135,467 - many multiples of the CHF 6,000-8,000 pre-sale estimate.
Desk Clocks make their mark:
Desk clocks secured b bids in this evening's sale. Among the key pieces offered was a Cartier Yellow Gold, Platinum Rock Crystal, Onyx, Mother of Pearl and Diamond Mystery Clock from 1928 (lot 162). Estimated at CHF 280,000-350,000, this fine example of the legendary "mystery clock" design realised CHF 338,500 / US$ 313,008.
This was complemented by lot 156 - a silver gilt diamond desk clock (est: CHF30,000-50,000), made by Boucheron and presented to the French President Charles de Gaulle to celebrate the launch, some fifty years ago, of the great transatlantic liner "France" - then the largest , most glamorous and technically advanced liner in the world. Its rarity and provenance proved irresistible to many bidders who pursued it to a final price of CHF 98,500 / US$ 91,082
Enamel Pocket watches perform beyond expectations:
Pocket watches - the subject of increasingly fierce competition in recent Sotheby's sales - continued to attract b competition, with high prices fuelled by on-line bidding and bidding from the Middle East.
A group of twenty, largely 18th-century, enameled pocket watches from a single estate (lots 69-89) made a combined total of CHF 368,125 / US$ 340,402 - some three times the high estimate for group (CHF 79,000-121,000 / US$ 73,051-111,887).Among the highlights in the collection was a fine three-colour gold and enamel half-hunting cased verge watch made in Switzerland for the Turkish market (lot 89). Estimated at CHF8,000-12,000, it made CHF 56,250 / US$ 52,014
Rolex watches perform well:
Provenance and rarity also belied the b competition for another historical piece in the sale. Fitted with one of the rarest dials Rolex ever produced, lot 155, a yellow gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch (c. 1950), formerly belonged to his Highness Mohammed Lamine Bey, last Bey of Tunis. Estimated at CHF50,000-60,000, it sold for CHF 99,700 / US$92,192. This watch headlined a group of some 24 Rolex watches (lots 130-154). All but three of these found buyers, many of them (some 57%) at prices in excess of high estimate. Among these was lot 136, a 'Paul Newman' 1985 Rolex, which made CHF 110,500.
Modern watches:
Among the modern limited edition timepieces in the sale was an oversized Pilot Edition Antoine de Saint Exupery watch by IWC (lot 45). The entire proceeds from the sale of which (CHF62,500) will now be donated to charity by IWC Schaffhausen. Other modern limited edition watches included a rare set of platinum watches by Breguet from the Souscription limited edition (lot 59), which made CHF 146,500 (135,467 USD); and an oversized alacrite and titanium tourbillon wristwatch by Audemars Piguet (lot 58), which made CHF 122,500 (113,275 USD) against an estimate of CHF80,000-120,000. Also by Breguet, a rare platinum perpetual calendar minute repeating wristwatch with moon-phases, leap year and month retrograde (lot 67) made CHF 110,500.

Patek Philippe
Legendary maker Patek Philippe was also widely represented in the sale. Lot 194, a yellow gold hunting cased quarter repeating keyless lever watch (1909-21, MTV 156698, case 281669), came to sale direct from the descendents of Adrian Philippe, one of the founding fathers of one of the most celebrated watchmakers in the industry. It made CHF 23,750. Patek Philippe's legendary craftsmanship was widely represented elsewhere in the sale: lot 222, a fine and rare 1982 18K yellow gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon-phases and red dot Arabic leap year indication (ref 3450J, MVT 1119616, case 2788640), made CHF 284,500/ US$263,074 (est CHF200,000-250,000).
Finally
Finally, the sale included a watch that epitomized the long-established and glamorous connections between watches and fast cars. Estimated at CHF6,000-8,000, a "Monaco" model Heuer automatic chronograph wristwatch, with full racing credentials, generated much excitement (lot 100).This is the model that was worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 racing film 'Le Mans'. Fittingly, this particular example was given to the current consignor by none other than the Swiss racing legend Gianclaudio 'Clay' Regazzoni, who won five Grands Prix between 1970 and 1980. It realized CHF16,250 /US$ 15,026
Other notes:
Live online bidding: tonight's sale was the first sale at Sotheby's Geneva in which live online bidding was possible. The facility was warmly received - statistics to follow.

Asian and Middle Eastern buyers fuel the market: the sale was characterized by a preponderance of Asian buyers. Their interest was widespread, ranging from modern complicated watches through to fine historical pieces.