EXTRAORDINARY FINDS

Held in May by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in Geneva, the Royal Oak 50th thematic auction achieved a total of CHF22.3M (S$31.2m) in sales, more than triple the pre-sale estimate. Dedicated to the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the commemorative white-glove sale of 88 curated lots saw the rarest assembly of historically important – and, in some instances, unique – models in one place. Many world records were set, including the well-preserved star piece: Ref 5402ST A2 in steel, the second Royal Oak ever produced. Its price of CHF1.058M (S$1.482m) set the world record for a vintage Royal Oak sold at an auction. Another noteworthy piece was the Royal Oak Jumbo “Karl Lagerfeld” Ref 5402ST. The distinctively blackened stainless-steel model, which fetched CHF937,500 (S$1.31m), is believed to have been purchased in Italy in 1974 and worn by the late fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld.