Only Watch
The charity auction in Geneva broke records and raised millions for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
The watch industry is one that is vast, complicated and often misunderstood – one where, like it or not, the focus remains solidly on living in the lap of luxury. At times, it’s easy to get lost in the world of glitz and glam. And, while we are well acquainted with high-stakes auctions on one end of the spectrum and charitable endeavours on the other, it is a rare occurrence to see these two opposites come together.
Only Watch stands out from the others. For starters, the beneficiary of the proceeds is a specific and unique one: the Monaco Association against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (AMM – Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies). Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disease that primarily affects males and degenerates the neuromuscular system. It currently affects over 250,000 children, adolescents and young adults, with one in every 5,000 males at birth diagnosed. There is no known cure.
The Only Watch auction takes place once every two years and for the first time since its inception in 2005, returned to Geneva, the heart of fine watchmaking, for its seventh edition. It is here that an eclectic, 49-strong range of timepieces went under the hammer at Christie’s on November 11, with this year’s sale raising over CHF 10.7 million (HK$84.2M).
To qualify as an Only Watch piece, a watch must either be created specifically for the auction, be a prototype unavailable for sale anywhere in the world, or be the very first watch in a limited edition. The beauty of Only Watch lies in its very entourage, providing watch lovers and aficionados alike the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore and admire all 49 unique watches under one roof.
It’s inevitable on any occasion like this to swiftly identify certain standouts from the main event. Read on to discover all our picks from Only Watch 2017.
The Great Outdoors
Blancpain’s Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-spec looks to one of its iconic models to pay homage to and reinvent. The Fifty Fathoms was unveiled in 1953 as the world’s first modern diving watch and was sought out by some of the most powerful navies in the world. The circular water resistance indicator was introduced in 1957 and remains a standard issue feature alerting the wearer to any water seepage. Its sale price was CHF 53,000, three times its high estimate.
Staying firmly in the ocean, Ulysse Nardin remains true to its marine roots with the Marine Tourbillon Only Watch. Its striking blue Grand Feu enamel dial allows for the flying tourbillon and oversized Roman numerals to take centre stage, while the UN-128 calibre boasts a 60-hour power reserve. It sold for CHF 32,000, matching its high estimate.
Finally, we travel to land and hit the road with Chopard’s Superfast 8 Hz Power Control Porsche 919, featuring a highfrequency movement created specifically for Only Watch. The successful bidder also picked up a sensational weekend at the Monaco Historique GP 2018 with Belgian former racing driver Jacky Ickx. Chopard’s contribution sold for CHF 35,000, beating its high estimate of CHF25,000.
Dialling Up
There was an array of exceptional dials on offer this year. Piaget’s Black Tie Vintage, which harkens back to the 1950s with its yellow cushion-shaped case and hard stone dial in mesmerising brown pietersite, a variety of quartz also known as the tempest stone, which is celebrated for its high energy and protection powers. It sold for CHF 28,000. Similarly, Jaquet Droz uses a fiery red cuprite dial that lends a painterly backdrop to its figureeight dials on the Grande Seconde
Duchenne muscular dystrophy currently affects over 250,000 children, adolescents and young adults
Off- Centered featuring a chic red gold case, a beauty that sold for CHF 35,000.
When it comes to dials with never- ending fascination, Patek Philippe’s Reference 5208T- 010 is the only titanium version of the 2011 grand complication original and is a feast for the eyes. It’s not surprising that it was the hero sale of the night, selling for a cool CHF 6.2 million – six times its estimate. The Ocean Big Date Only Watch by Harry Winston also blends sophisticated complications with contemporary materials to create a three- dimensional, layered dial, a nod to the unconventional soul of the Project Z collection. It sold for CHF 40,000.
For a more pared- back approach, Breguet’s Classique Quantième Perpétuel En Ligne, which realised CHF 110,000, offers a glimpse into the watchmaker’s celebrated history and its dedications to only the highest levels of accuracy and elegance. A silvered gold
dial is hand- engraved in the signature Clous de Paris hobnail pattern.
Finally, the Boucheron Épure Blé d’été offers a discreet touch of elegance with a spray of snow- set diamonds hugging the left side of the dial in a golden wheat silhouette, the emblem for wealth and fertility. The bezel houses yet more diamonds, for which the beige mother- ofpearl dial and alligator leather strap serve as an unadulterated backdrop. This elegant piece sold for CHF 26,000.
Colour Chameleon
Bronze not only proved prevalent in this year’s standard collections but also in the Only Watch auction itself. Tudor paired bronze with khaki green for its Black Bay Bronze One contribution, its case set to develop in patina with wear. The piece features a COSC certification and quirky left- hand- side crown. It sold for
CHF 350,000 – nearly 80 times its low estimate and the highest amount paid for a Tudor watch in history. The winner also scooped an expenses- paid trip to Tudor’s manufacture in Switzerland. Montblanc chose a similar colour palette to Tudor, taking its iconic 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter for reinvention. The monopusher chronograph calibre is housed in a bronze case, sitting in stark contrast to its green dial and alligator leather strap. It made CHF 60,000.
Keeping with the bronze theme, but veering away from the green, is the Girard- Perregaux Laureato 2017 Special Edition, which pairs with a rich chocolate shade. The ageless design was first introduced in the 1970s and revived in 2017; with this iteration the first time Girard- Perregaux has ever worked in bronze. The final sale price was CHF 35,000. For a bold punch of colour, look no further than the Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Black and Fire for its joyful celebration of orange. A disc bearing the words “Louis Vuitton Only Watch” at the centre of the dial anchors the inventive hour display. It realised CHF 38,000.
Back to Black
It’s no secret black is classic; it is a timeless, enigmatic hue. The spirited Slim d’hermès L’heure Impatiente allows the wearer to set the time of a particular event to take place within 12 hours, during which a counter is put into motion an hour prior, ending in a joyful tone. The black, Only Watch edition sold for a total of CHF 68,000.
For the fashionistas, Chanel’s J12 XS Only Watch, which sold for CHF 55,000, features a black calfskin cuff handembroidered by Maison Lesage, with delicate glass beads to elevate the smooth black dial and baguette diamonds. In March 2018, the watch also becomes an entry pass to Chanel’s Ready- To- Wear fashion show, prefaced with a spectacular evening in Paris the day prior.
Last, but certainly not least, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar received a cloak of darkness for Only Watch; a case and bracelet made of sleek black ceramic, punctuated by a skylight blue Grande Tapisserie dial with polished grey gold counters and realistic orange- tinted moon. It is the first perpetual calendar wristwatch in black ceramic to feature a sapphire caseback, through which a hand- finished black oscillating mass can be admired.
In the fundamentally fickle, cutthroat world of luxury, it is genuinely heartwarming to see some of the world’s most venerable watchmakers working alongside one another for such an extraordinary cause.