SOTHEBY'S - Saturday Watch Fever in Geneva
On 11 May 2013, Sotheby's Geneva first Saturday auction of Important Watches will present worldwide collectors with a rich selection of over 400 horological creations. Covering two centuries of watch history, the sale has been curated to include some of the finest timepieces from the 19th century through the present day. The impressive group of vintage and modern wristwatches is led by renowned manufacturers, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, as well as timeless legendary models, such as the IWC Ingenieur and Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak, which have been constantly reinvented over the past several decades.
Highlights of the sale include a very fine example of the reference 5029 by Patek Philippe from 1997 (est. CHF 350,000-450,000/ $371,000-477,000), the No.10 Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi sold to benefit the Leo Messi Foundation, as well as an entire section dedicated to rare vintage examples and limited editions of the Ingenieur watch, tracing almost 50 years of its history. The group of vintage wristwatches is also highlighted by illustrious provenance, with two Patek Philippe timepieces that belonged to Georges Simenon (1903-1989) - the masterly Belgian novelist whose Inspector Maigret Mysteries made him one of the most widely published authors of the 20th century. The total sale is expected to achieve in excess of CHF 6.5 million.