For some time now, Bordeaux has positioned itself as a stronghold of watch auctions, like the latest auctions orchestrated by the Quinconces auction house under the leadership of independent expert Jean-Christophe Guyon, who wishes to develop the collector spirit. outside the walls of Drouot and the major Parisian auction houses. As usual and for its fourteenth thematic sale dedicated to fine watchmaking, the house promises a sale "for all", both for aesthetes and for neophytes wishing to afford the rare pearl.
A hundred lots, both in person and on the Internet - via the Interencheres platform - will be auctioned through a fine selection of watches, most of which have been revised and often little worn by their former owners. A catalog that will bring together a sharp and refined set of vintage pieces from the greatest manufacturers, such as Blancpain, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Omega or Cartier. Above all, the range of estimates is intended to be wide to allow everyone to bid on the piece of their dreams, from 100 euros for an original chocolate "cartridge" railway regulator from 1900 signed Rosnerita, up to more than 20,000 euros for a contemporary iteration of an Exo Tourbillon Minutes Chronograph from Montblanc.
Scanning the history of watchmaking manufactures and complications, the catalog will offer six themes to future bidders, starting with a set of adventurous watches including references that smell of car racing, a subject usually acclaimed by collectors. This with an early 1970s Speedmaster Mark II Racing pilot's chronograph from Omega, characterized by its tonneau-shaped case, orange checkerboard minute bezel and tachymeter scale (3,000-5,000 euros), as well as a Heuer Pasadena Date "Full Black" launched around 1982 which should appeal to lovers of Porsche Design creations of the time (3,500 - 5,000 euros). Still in the spirit of motorsport, there are various Chopard Mille Miglia from the 2000s (between 2,500 and 3,000 euros), as well as Breitling Navitimer chronos still very popular under the hammer (4,000 – 6,000 euros).
Innovative and avant-garde in terms of designer watches, Lip will be honored with a Driver Automatic Blue 10 ATU-Double Date from the mid-1970s, with an iconic design of the seventies in the style of televisions of the time and a the low estimate of 700 euros. The French house will be accompanied by an Omega Seamaster Memomatic Cushion Alarm, a mythical alarm clock competitor, in its time, of the Memovox by Jaeger-Lecoultre (2,000-3,000 euros). On the side of complications and manufacture watches, let's first mention an elegant Blancpain Léman Quantième Complet in white gold estimated between 13,000 and 15,000 euros. It will be followed by a modern Girard-Perregaux Calendar-Moon, a reissue of the classic pieces produced around 1960 by the watchmaker (5,500 – 7,000 euros), without forgetting Jaeger-Lecoultre including a Master Perpetual Calendar in pink (13,000 – 15,000 euros), as well as a Master Control with calendar in white gold and an “officer” case back that opens to reveal the cogs of the automatic caliber (10,000 – 12,000 euros).
Regarding historical pieces, we will again find Jaeger-Lecoultre with a Triple Date Moonphase reference in rose gold from the late 1940s. A model known to have been immortalized on the wrist of a certain Pablo Picasso, photographed in 1954 by Yousuf Karsh (5,000 – 8,000 euros). Finally, the Geneva watchmaker Patek Philippe will be celebrated through a dandy watch with a rectangular and curved case: the Driver Curvex produced around 1939. An extremely rare yellow gold gentleman driver timepiece of which only 100 copies are known and expected between 20 000 and 30,000 euros.
Bordeaux - Quinconces Auction House. Auction of collector's watches - Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
