Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Automatic Blue Dial Blue Rubber Men's Watch 1183-126-3-43

Today's auction of Important Watches & Clocks at Sotheby's achieved $5,789,318, meeting the pre-sale high estimate and selling 88.5% by lot*. This marks the secondhighest total ever for a various-owner Watch sale at Sotheby's New York, and follows the highest-ever total for a Watch sale at Sotheby's Hong Kong earlier this month. The sale was led jointly by A Fine and Rare 18K Yellow Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Register, Tachometer and Moon-Phases, Ref 1518, 1950 and A Magnificent and Rare Parcel-Gilt Bronze Vase-Form Musical Singing Bird Automaton Clock with Hour and Half Hour Striking, circa 1828, No. 581 (pictured at bottom), each of which brought $302,500.

"We are very pleased with the results of today's sale," commented John Reardon, Head of Sotheby's Watch & Clock department in New York. "We welcomed a significant number of new bidders and buyers, including many private collectors, from a truly international audience: American, European, Asian and Russian clients showed b participation. As an international team, we look forward to developing these new relationships while we continue to strengthen old ones. Our approachability and expertise, combined with our events and emphasis on online media, are opening new doors in our marketplace."

Watches
In addition to the Reference 1518, other pieces by Patek Philippe performed bly today. An 18K Yellow Gold Cushion-Form Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon-Phases and Registers, Ref 5020J, circa 2000, commonly referred to as the 'television set' due to its distinctive shape and size, achieved $182,500. A Fine and Rare Platinum Diamond-Set Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Registers and Moon- Phases, Ref 3970EP, 1995 brought $110,500, while A Fine And Rare 18k Yellow Gold Open-Faced Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Watch With Moon Phases, Ref 699, 1931-1951 sold for $104,500, both within their pre-sale estimates.

The selection of modern watches was led by A Fine Oversized 18K White Gold Diamond-Set Tourbillon Chronograph Wristwatch with Register, circa 2005 by Audemars Piguet, an excellent example of the firm's Royal Oak watches that is set with 13 carats of diamonds in total, which achieved $164,500, above pre-sale expectations. A Set of Three Platinum Celestial Automatic Wristwatches by Ulysse Nardin brought $134,500, while A Fine 18K Pink Gold Tonneau-Form Tourbillon Dual Time Wristwatch with Power Reserve, Torque Indicator and Function Selector, RM003, circa 2004 by Richard Mille sold for $101,500, both above their high estimates.

Several watches performed exceptionally well today against estimate: A Patek Philippe 18k Yellow Gold And Enamel Hunting Cased Watch, 1856, featuring a 'Cornflower and Poppy' miniature enamel, brought $68,500, more than ten times the low estimate; and A Rare Patek Philippe 18k Yellow Gold Automatic Wristwatch, Retailed by Cartier, 1961, Ref 3444 sold for $53,125, more than five times the low estimate. "These lots exemplify how watches that are fresh to the market, combined with interesting discoveries made through Sotheby's diligent research, lead to tremendous results," commented Mr. Reardon.
Clocks
Clocks in today's sale were led by A Magnificent and Rare Parcel-Gilt Bronze Vase-Form Musical Singing Bird Automaton Clock with Hour and Half Hour Striking, circa 1828, No. 581, which brought $302,500 and exceeded it's presale estimate. The work represents a collaboration between the famed firms of Piguet & Meylan and Frederic Rochat, and is one of only a handful of vases containing singing birds known to exist.

Clocks from the Abbott Guggenheim Collection in New York, which featured premier Renaissance and 18th century clocks, also performed bly: A Gilt Brass Musical Automaton Table Clock Made for the Chinese Market, circa 1780 by J.H. Borel, London brought $74,500, above a high estimate of $50,000, while A Gilt-Brass and Ebony Madonna and Child Figural Clock, circa 1635 by Augustanus Rugendas more than doubled its high estimate in selling for $68,500.
*Pre-sale estimates do not include buyer's premium