| Horological news | November 2008 |
Antiquorum gets new ChairmanW orld leading watch auctioneer Antiquorum of Geneva has announced the appointment of Mr Robert Maron as Chairman.According to Antiquorum, Mr Maron has been largely responsible for building the USA marketplace for fine wristwatches over the past 12 years (www.robertmaron.com), As well as solidifying his reputation as a worldwide authority on and market maker for important modern and vintage wristwatches. Mr Maron is also a collector of the world’s finest watches, In addition to assuming leadership of the team currently in place at Antiquorum, Mr Maron brings with him the experienced group from Robert Maron, Inc. The company has three major auctions planned for the end of the year—in New York on 16th October 2008, in Geneva on 15th November 2008 and again in New York on 10th December 2008. The company claims that the upcoming October auction in New York ‘is poised to be the best watch auction ever conducted in the USA'. In addition to an extraordinary collection of horological masterpieces will be featured a superb example of a Patek Philippe reference 2499 First Series (c1950) chronograph and perpetual calendar watch on the catalogue’s cover. Antiquorum’s claim to being the world’s leading watch auctioneer is impressive: of the 62 watches ever sold publicly by major auction houses above SFr1,000,000, Antiquorum claims 44. In 2002, Antiquorum established the all-time world record price for a wristwatch at auction when it sold a 1939 platinum Patek Philippe world time watch, reference 1415, for SFr6,603,500 (US$ 4,026,524). This record-breaking price more than doubled the previous world record price for a wristwatch at auction. Another record price for a modern watch was achieved in 2004, the unique white gold Calibre 89, also by Patek Philippe, was sold for SFr6,603,500 (US$ 5,002,652). Breguet 2396 under hammerOne of only three constant force tourbillon-escapement watches by Abraham Louis Breguet, Breguet No 2396, is to be auctioned at the first auction to the held in Geneva by Patrizzi & Co Auctioneers—A Watchmaking Heritage, Hotel Richemond, 18th November 2008.The difficulties in producing the constant force escapement in such small dimensions suitable for watches were so tremendous that Breguet found them worthy of only his best watches—the three fitted with tourbillon regulators. Breguet started building just five of these watches, but only three were completed by him; the one the Patrizzi sale, one in a Middle Eastern collection and watch No 3947. It is expected to achieve a price of SFr600,000-900,000 (US$550,000-850,000). |
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