The Swatch Group Brands at Baselworld 2013 (including Harry Winston)

Harry Winston Opus XIII

The powerful presence of the Swatch Group was present like never before at Baselworld 2013, taking up a larger chunk of the renovated Hall 1.0, the most prestigious area at the show for the majority of its 19 watch brands, which span just about every segment of the watch industry.

In addition, the company, which also owns watch movement manufacturers and retail brands, hosted a separate museum-quality exhibition in Hall 2.0 for its Swatch timepieces; the brand that has been the most responsible for the company’s enormous success.

The newest brand under Swatch Group’s enormous umbrella, Harry Winston, still had its own space in Hall 1.1, as the $1 billion acquisition occurred in March, well too late  for Harry Winston to be folded into the other company holdings (perhaps next year).

Below are some of new releases from the seven brands in the group that I had the chance to visit during the eight-day tradeshow. I included Harry Winston as the company's new CEO, Nayla Hayek, was announced Friday.

Blancpain Carrousel, Minute Repeater and Chronograph
The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a fully mechanical watch that combines a one-minute flying carrousel (similar to a tourbillon) and a minute repeater with a flyback chronograph.

For the minute repeater, the blades of its cathedral gong wrap one and a half times around the movement to emit the sound. Its transmission is optimized by fixing the gongs inside the case, which increases volume and clarity. A flying governor reduces the background noise produced by the movement.

The pusher for the chronograph function with the flyback or instant-restart function (historically used by pilots) is located at 4 o’clock and enables the wearer to restart a time measurement while a first measurement is in progress.

The watch comes in a red gold 45 mm case with a chapter ring, a 30-minute and hour-markers in grand feu enamel. The open dial and sapphire crystal case-back provides in-depth views of this complex device.

Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
Available in rose or white gold, the watch is fitted with the new in-house caliber 574DR, which has a balance frequency of 10Hz.thus, improving the time-keeping performance of the balance and spring. It is fitted with a double balance-spring, pallet lever and escape wheel, all in specially prepared silicon. The result is a regulating power equivalent to around 830 microwatts. Despite its high frequency, it has a power reserve of 60 hours.

However, Breguet says the major innovation of this model is the use of magnetic pivots, which not only controls the negative effects of magnetism in a watch, but also uses the magnetic force to improve the pivoting, rotation and stability of the balance staff.

The dial shows an off-center chapter of hours and minutes, small seconds at 12 o'clock, a power-reserve indicator at 5 o'clock and a tenth-of-a-second indicator at 1 o'clock having a patented lightweight silicon hand with low inertia that doesn’t affect the balance. The pare-chute is visible at 2 o'clock, both as a reminder of A-L Breguet’s 1790 invention and to make the timepiece slimmer.

The dial is engine-turned in six patterns: “Geneva waves” in the center, a hobnail pattern for the small seconds, sunrays on the tenth-of-a-second dial and chevrons for the power-reserve indicator. The hours chapter is cross-hatched while a barleycorn pattern decorates the outer edge. The hands are in polished steel with the Breguet open tip, while the case displays delicate fluting.

Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Regulator
This new timepiece unites the classic regulator display with an officially certified manual winding chronometer movement.

The dominant central position on the lacquered silver-grainé dial is the blue minute hand with its polished eye. On the central axis above and below the minute indicator are smaller hour and seconds displays.

The Glashütte Original panorama date display is placed at 3 o’clock. The date change takes place at midnight. From 6 in the morning until 6 in the evening, the small circle in the region of the hour display is white; from 6 pm until 6 am it is black. This timepiece is framed by a 42 mm polished case in red gold or a white gold version.

The watch is driven by the caliber 58-04, which permits the precise coordination of minute and seconds hands. A second-zero-stop-mechanism makes it is easy for the wearer to set the exact time. When winding the crown, the time display is stopped, the second hand jumps to zero and remains there. At the same time, the minute hand is also moved to the next full minute index. When one winds the crown to set the time, the minute hand always rests only on the full minute indices. This provides the correct relationship of the displayed seconds and minutes. A power reserve display at 9 o’clock indicates the energy remaining in the manual winding movement.

The watch is officially certified and bears a certificate from the German Calibration Service after a 15-day testing period.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Regulator
The H-12 movement in this watch allows the separation of the minute and hour hands on  different axials and sub-dials. The idea is to make the watch more accurate and provide an easier way for the person who owns the timepiece to read the time. However, I think most people wear such a watch is because of the appearance. Add to this the blue or silver dial and you have watch that can be worn for casual or formal occasions. There are three 42mm timepieces in the collection. In addition to the dial choice straps come in either leather or stainless steel.


Harry Winston Opus XIII (top photo)
It was difficult to determine which of the many technically advanced and aesthetically pleasing timepieces from this luxury brand to show. In the end I chose the newest addition to its iconic Opus collection. Opus is the watch that introduced Harry Winston to the world as more than just luxury jeweler. Each year the brand works with gifted independent watchmakers to build a timepiece with the goal of defying the conventional rules of watchmaking.

This year the newest member of the Swatch Group created a watch where the minutes accumulate around a track. Eleven rotating silver triangles spring from a faceted dome to show the hours. Every 12 hours, Harry Winston’s logo is appears on the dial and vanishes after sixty minutes. The 59 minute hands pivot on a ring of steel shafts that are held in place by 242 ruby bearings.

The mechanical watch is powered by the in-house HW4101 movement, which has 364 components. The case is made of 18k white gold.

Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Eclipse
This newest version of the Eclispe line presents a new moon phase complication, which displays the cycles of the night of the sky on the dial, with the perpetual calendar complication. On the black or ivory-colored Grand Feu enamel dial, two straight hands contrast with the curves of two wavy hands, tipped with a crescent moon. The calendar information is easily read on several places on the dial: on the right is the date, on the left is the day of the week. At 12 o’clock, a single-hand counter indicates the month with the leap year appearing in a small window. At 6 o’clock, a black or ivory-colored onyx index moves across the face of a golden moon, revealing, and then concealing it until its total eclipse, unfolding on a night sky of eight golden stars, the watchmaker’s favorite number. The timepiece is powered by a Jaquet Droz 5853LR.4 self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel, perpetual calendar, retrograding moon phase, 22-carat white gold oscillating weight.

Longines Heritage Military 1938
Following Orb’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, Longines, the Official Watch and Timekeeper for the celebrated race, awarded the horse’s owner, trainer and jockey with watches from the brand’s Saint-Imier collection at the event’s Winners’ Circle Party. The Swiss watchmaking brand was the Official Watch and Timekeeper of Kentucky Derby 139 and Entitlement Partner of Longines Kentucky Oaks 139. Now the luxury watch brand is Paris where it is the Official Timekeep of Roland-Garros, home of the French Open.

Prior to both events, the brand was in Baselworld showing off its new watch collections. Among them was the Longines Heritage Military 1938, which uses the same aesthetics based on the design of a military watch produced by Longines in the 1930s. With a diameter of 42 mm and fitted with the automatic calibre L705, this timepiece displays the hours and minutes, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock and the small second at 9 o’clock. Large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova and a minute circle white as well contrasts with the deep matt black of the dial.

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Technical Innovations and Aesthetic Developments of Timepieces on Display at the Frick Museum

The Portico Gallery of the Frick Collection museum where the timepiece exhibit is being held.

An exhibition that just opened at the Frick Collection museum explores the discoveries and innovations made in the field of horology from the early 16th to the 19th century. It features 16 clocks and 14 watches that chronicle the evolution over the centuries of more accurate and complex timekeepers and illustrate the aesthetic developments that reflected Europe’s latest styles. 

Mantel Clock with Study and Philosophy (circa 1785 - 1790). Made of patinated and gilt bronze, marble, enameled metal, and glass. Movement by Renacle-Nicolas Sotiau, figures after Simon-Louis Boizot. Photo credit: Michael Bodycomb

Titled, “Precision and Splendor: Clocks and Watches,” the exhibition is being shown in the new light-filled Portico Gallery of the stately mansion that was once the home of American industrialist Henry Clay Frick. The exhibition will run till February 2014.

Breguet Decimal Watch by Abraham-Louis Breguet and Antoine-Louis Breguet. Gold and silver double-dial desk watch showing decimal and traditional time. The traditional time subdial was added approximately 12 years after by Antoine (Circa 1795 and after 1807).

Luxury watch brand, Breguet, is a major sponsor. The exhibition concludes with three of its early timepieces—including a watch that displayed “decimal time,” a short-lived movement in 18th Century France that divided the day into ten hours and the year into ten months. 

Breguet gilt-bronze Carriage Clock by Abraham-Louis Breguet and Antoine-Louis Breguet with Calendar (1811).

The exhibition, which I attended Wednesday, examines both the mechanical innovations that increased the accuracy of the timepieces along with the elaborate ornamentation. At first, these pieces were prized for their innovation and their beauty and owned by only the wealthiest individuals as show pieces. Slowly through technical advancements that made them more portable, less expensive, more reliable and more of a necessity, they became widely available. 

Gilt-Brass and Silver Table Clock with Astronomical and Calendrical Dials (Circa 1653). Photo credit: Michael Bodycomb

The existence of mechanical clocks was made possible by an invention known as an escapement. Falling weights (and later springs) provided the energy to power the clock’s mechanism, while the escapement regulated the rate at which that energy was delivered to the oscillator (at first a simple balance and later a pendulum). The introduction of the escapement gradually caused the shift away from time-finding devices (sundials) and time-measuring devices (water clocks) to timekeepers (clocks and later watches) as advances in science and technology were made.

Gold and Enamel Pendant Watch (back view). Movement by Henry Arlaud enameling by Pierre Huaud II (circa 1685) It depicts the painting "The Toilet of Venus" by Simon Vouet. Photo credit: Michael Bodycomb

In addition to the Breuget timepieces, other notable pieces in the collection include an Augsburg Maker, gilt-brass tower table clock (circa 1580), which displays time only by the hour; a spring-driven pendulum clock on a bracket in a elaborate case made of gilt bronze, enameled metal, and glass (circa 1735); and a gold and enamel pendant watch (circa 1685) that depicts the painting The Toilet of Venus by Simon Vouet.

The Frick Collection galleries is located at 1 East 70th St.

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Breguet Clocks Mark Premiere Performance at Carnegie Hall

Breguet held a special reception at Carnegie Hall on February 7 to unveil a collection of new clocks that Swiss luxury watch brand built and installed at various spots inside the landmark building.

The event, which included tours of famed music hall and brief remarks, was held to celebrate Breguet’s designation as Carnegie Hall’s first-ever Exclusive Timepiece sponsor.

The five clocks (four Classiques and one Reine de Naples) at Carnegie Hall symbolize some of Breguet’s most notable collections. The Classique collection features designs and complications known worldwide for its horological craft and achievements. Features such as guilloche dials, caseband fluting, the blue Breguet hands and the innovation of the tourbillon are all hallmarks of the brand’s design. The Reine de Naples collection pay tribute to the Queen of Naples, Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, for whom the first wristwatch was invented by Breguet in 1812.

The first Breguet clock installed at Carnegie Hall, located in the Morse Lobby of Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, was a Classique Tourbillon. It was unveiled prior to the start of the 2012-2013 season’s opening night gala performance on October 3, 2012. It represented the first addition to Carnegie Hall’s lobby since the landmark building’s renovation in 1986.

The reception and tours that unveiled the remaining timepieces were hosted by Michael Nelson, Breguet U.S. brand manager. In brief remarks, Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, paraphrased Teddy Roosevelt, saying, the two organizations “share a unique bond based on our rich history of dedicated artists who keep their eyes on the stars, and their feet on the ground.”

The reception preceded a performance by Pablo Heras-Casado leading the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

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Breguet Tourbillon Exhibit Opens in Geneva and will Tour the World

A modern-day Breguet tourbillon timepiece

Swiss luxury watch brand, Breguet, is celebrating the invention of the tourbillion through an exhibition titled, “Breguet, the innovator. Inventor of the Tourbillon,” at the Cité du Temps exhibition space in Geneva.

The exhibition will run till February 24 and then will tour cities in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.

On June 26, 1801 (or rather on 7 Messidor Year 9, since the Republic calendar was still in force at the time), the French Minister of the Interior awarded Abraham-Louis Breguet, the founder of Breguet, a patent for the invention of the tourbillon. This new type of regulator was developed in response to a longstanding problem: the detrimental effects of gravity on the regularity of a movement by generating variations in rate. Breguet understood that in order to reduce such errors, he would need to install the entire escapement within a mobile carriage that would perform a complete rotation, generally in one, four or six minutes. The regular repetition of the variations would allow them to compensate for each other.

This invention turned out to be difficult for Breguet to produce and implement. One reason is because the tourbillon must not weigh more than one gram, and yet be robust enough to avoid inducing rating errors rather than eliminating them. This inherent difficulty was compounded by the delicate work of finishing more than70 tiny parts that must fit and mesh together with absolute precision. Making a tourbillon was not within reach of all watchmakers, and only the finest proved capable of producing one after the 10-year patent had expired.

La Cité du Temps

La Cité du Temps, owned by the Swatch Group, is a public exhibition center focusing on the world of time. It hosts a variety of exhibitions and activities. It’s the only place in the world where you can find a permanent exhibition of Swatch watches.

The Swatch Group, the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of finished watches, acquired Montres Breguet in 1999.

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Breguet Sympathique Clock Sells for Record $6.8 Million

The Duc d’Orléans Breguet Sympathique clock set a new auction record for any clock and the second-highest price for any timepiece at auction when it sold for more than $6.8 million at Sotheby’s New York Important Watches & Clocks Auction on Tuesday.

The distinguished example of the exceptionally rare Sympathique clocks, which helped cement the fame and renown of French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, was last offered at auction in Sotheby’s 1999 when it sold for $5.7 million. This price has remained the auction record for any clock until Tuesday’s sale.

Invented by Breguet in 1795 and presented to the public for the first time at the Exposition Nationale des Produits de l’Industrie in 1798, the sympathique clock was a system consisting of a clock and a watch. The clock was designed to hold the watch in its cradle, where it was automatically adjusted and rewound. The term sympathique was chosen by Breguet to express the notion of harmony and concord.

The Important Watches & Clocks auction totaled more than $11.6 million marking the highest result for a various-owners sale of watches and clocks at Sotheby’s New York, the auction house said in a statement. In addition to the Sympathique, both vintage and modern wristwatches by Patek Philippe dominated the day’s top results, led by a rare 46 mm 18K Yellow Gold Center Seconds Wristwatch, 1955, Ref 2512/1 that achieved $962,500, more than five times its high estimate of $150,000.

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Breguet Celebrates the First Watch With Unveiling of the Reine de Naples Watch and Jewelry Collection

Reine de Naples ladies timepiece

Abraham-Louis Breguet is said to have created and delivered the first wristwatch, for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples on October 5, 1812. To pay tribute to this historical piece and its creator, the Swiss luxury watch brand that bears the creator’s name went off to Naples for a celebration commemorating the 200th anniversary of the event.

The Breguet celebration held on Oct. 5 and 6 on the Gulf of Naples included a tour of Reggia Di Capodimonte, which was the home to Caroline Murat, who occupied the throne of Naples until 1815 and a gala and an historical exhibition, “Reine de Naples,” on the Isle of Capri.

The Swiss luxury watch brand also unveiled the 10th anniversary of its “Reine de Naples” ladies watch and jewelry collection. Launched in 2002, this collection is a tribute to the first wristwatch, ordered by Caroline Murat from Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1810 and delivered in 1812.

Reine de Naples ring in 950 platinum paved with brilliant-cut diamonds (2.48 ct), with baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 7.50 ct), and an oval-cut blue sapphire (9.50 ct).

The “Reine de Naples” anniversary special has a striking mechanism that marks the top of every hour with two chimes repeated three times. A pushpiece at 2 o’clock disables the function. Along with the usual technical imperatives involved in designing an oval movement, this timepiece incorporates the results of fundamental research by Breguet into the acoustics of chiming and repeating watches.

The geometry of the bridges, the oscillating weight and the decoration, displayed through the sapphire crystal back of the watch, form the image of a garden pavilion in the Mediterranean style, identical to the stately residences of Caroline Murat. To do justice to the lavish setting in which the piece is unveiled, the bezel and the snap of the “Reine de Naples” anniversary special are set with 28 brilliant cut diamonds and 27 blue sapphires. The striking hammers appear above the dial at 11 and 1 o’clock, while between them the diamond heart of a rose engraved in gold indicates the engagement of the hour striker. The silvered gold dial and its flange are paved with 233 brilliant cut diamonds and 303 blue sapphires with different nuances, offering a subtle color gradation. A crown placed at 4 o’clock and set with a briolette-cut diamond adds a sublime final touch to this exclusive anniversary watch, mounted on an alligator strap with a folding clasp set with 26 diamonds.

Reine de Naples tiara in 950 platinum paved with brilliant-cut diamonds (12.75 ct), baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 8.00 ct) and an 8.37 ct oval-cut blue sapphire.

The Reine de Naples jewelry set consists of a ring, pair of earrings, necklace and tiara, all in 950 platinum. The central motif of the jewels in the set is an oval-cut blue sapphire. It is surrounded by two ovoid rings paved with baguette-cut diamonds in an elegant and refined echo of the case of the first wristwatch, which had an oblong shape. 

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Rare Patek Philippe Watches to Star in Antiquorum's September Auction

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499

Two Patek Philippe watches will share the starring role at the upcoming "Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces" auction by Antiquorum Auctioneers.

The September 14 event at the watch auctioneer’s New York headquarters will be led by a Patek Philippe ref. 2499 and an extremely rare and probably unique Patek Philippe Split-Second Chronograph Ref. 1436. In addition, the auction will feature two Rolexes, two Breguets, an Audemars Piguet and two more Pateks, among a diverse collection of modern and vintage timepieces. Previews will be held in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and New York.

The highlight of the sale is the Patek Philippe Ref. 2499, third series (top picture), originally from the collection of professor Thomas Engel. Made in 1976, this is an exceptional and extremely rare, 18k yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, perpetual calendar, and moon phases. Auction estimate is $300,000 - $500,000.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1436

In addition, there's the Patek Philippe Ref. 1436 (above) made in 1960 and sold by Tiffany & Co. the following year. Antiquorum said the watch has remained in pristine, virtually new condition. The model, probably unique, is an 18k yellow gold wristwatch with transitional dial, square button co-axial split-seconds chronograph and tachometer. Auction estimate is $200,000 - $300,000

Other auction highlights include:

A Rolex Daytona, Ref. 6241 retailed by Tiffany & Co. Made circa 1967, it is a very fine and rare, water-resistant, 14k yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, and anti-reflective black bezel. It is accompanied by a Rolex service invoice and guarantee dated June 21, 2011. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

A set of two Breguet Souscription watches made in the late 1990s. The set consists of: A platinum minute-repeating wristwatch with perpetual calendar, phases and age of the moon and leap year indication; and a platinum self-winding pocket watch with 45 hour power reserve indication, instantaneous calendar, phases and age of the moon. This set is accompanied by a fitted wooden winding box, 30 cm platinum chain, platinum magnifying glass and two platinum tools. Estimate: $120,000 - $140,000

A Patek Philippe Ref. 3971 very fine, astronomic, 18k yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph features a perpetual calendar and moon phases. It was made in 1989. Estimate: $80,000 - $100,000

 An International Watch Company B-Uhr World War II German Air Force (Luftwaffe), Ref. 431, request No. FL 23883. Made in 1940 for the German Air Force, it is an oversized, center seconds, anti-magnetic, anti-corrosion stainless steel military pilot's wristwatch with indirect seconds and a very long aviator's leather strap. This very rare and sought-after timepiece is accompanied by the certificate of origin and an IWC service warranty dated April 4th, 1989. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

A Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 James Bond, "Big Crown" with gilt dial, made in 1956. This very rare, center seconds, self-winding, water resistant, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with a stainless steel Rolex expandable rivet bracelet is offered with original box, instructions and pamphlets with anchor, guarantee, pocket calendar, and service receipt dated July 21, 1981. Estimate: $35,000 - $65,000

A limited edition Patek Philippe Ref. 5038 self-winding 18k white gold wristwatch. It was made in a limited edition of 500 in 1996 and features a perpetual calendar and moon phases. It is offered with the original winding box, setting pin, limited series certificate, booklets and certificate of origin within a leather wallet. Estimate: $35,000 - $55,000

An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “City of Sails,” Ref. 25979 made in a limited edition of 50 for the 30th Anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2003. It is dedicated to the "Alinghi" team, winner of the America's Cup in 2003. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

Patek Philippe Timepieces to Lead Offerings at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Watch Auction

Patek Philippe Platinum Minute Repeating Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Wristwatch Ref. 5016P

Several Patek Philippe timepieces with custom-made dials, extremely limited editions of creations by renowned independent watchmakers, and a selection of 50 enamel and complicated pocket watches spanning the late 18th to early 20th centuries are among the items that will be placed on auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Important Watches Spring Sale 2011, April 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 300 lots are estimated to bring in about $6 million. (All figures are in U.S. dollars and does not include buyer’s premium.)

Leading the sale are two Patek Philippe complications, each bearing the personal imprint of their respective collectors. The Patek Philippe platinum minute repeating perpetual calendar tourbillon wristwatch with retrograde date and moon-phases (top photo) is accompanied by three additional dials, Circa 2004, Ref. 5016P (auction estimate, $460,000 – 700,000). With more than 500 minuscule parts, the watch held the title of the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch ever produced. 

Being offered at auction for the first time, a Patek Philippe platinum and diamond-set perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with register, moon-phases and leap year indication, Circa 1996, Ref. 3990P (estimate, $210,000 - 250,000). It is one of four Ref. 3990 in platinum to appear in public to date. The watch is accompanied by an extract from the archives of Patek Philippe confirming its production in 1996 with ardoise or slate grey dial, diamond indexes and 40 baguette-cut diamonds weighing approximately 2.97 cts. and its sale on Dec. 17, 1996.

Also available is a Patek Philippe platinum split seconds chronograph perpetual calendar wristwatch with register, moon-phases and leap year indication, Circa 2003, Ref. 5004P (Est. $190,000 – 250,000) It was introduced in 1995 and contains 407 individual parts.

Another Patek Philippe timepiece is the platinum and pink gold automatic astronomical wristwatch with sky chart, phases and position of the moon and time of meridian passage of Sirius and the moon, Circa 2010, Ref. 5102PR Celestial (Est. $220,000-280,000).

 Recently discontinued, the Patek Philippe platinum and diamond-set perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with register, moon-phases and leap year indication, Circa 2010, Ref. 5971P, is expected to fetch an estimated $210,000 - 250,000.

Another highlight of the sale is a Breguet white gold and diamond-set skeletonised tourbillon wristwatch, Circa 2002, Ref. 3356 (Est. $170,000 - 230,000). It boasts a hand-engraved manual winding tourbillon movement in full skeletonisation.

Launched at the turn of the millennium by German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne, is the limited edition pink gold tourbillon wristwatch with oversized date and power reserve indication, Circa 2000, Lange 1 Tourbillon No. 74/250 (Est. $70,000 – 100,000).

 F. P. Journe’s Tourbillon Souverain, debuted at BaselWorld 1999, was discontinued in 2003, despite its immediate success, to maintain exclusivity. In this sale Sotheby’s is offering a more sophisticated version of this iconic timepiece—the F. P. Journe limited edition titanium and pink gold tourbillon dead beat seconds wristwatch with power reserve indication, Circa 2007, Tourbillon Souverain (Est. $100,000 - 140,000). It was awarded the esteemed Aiguille d’Or at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in 2004. The present lot was produced in a special limited edition of only five pieces for the first anniversary of the F. P. Journe Hong Kong boutique in 2007 and is numbered 1.

Also on sale is the Franck Muller yellow gold tourbillon perpetual calendar split seconds chronograph wristwatch with register and leap year indication, Circa 1992, No. 1 World Premier (Est.$40,000 - 60,000). It was created entirely by hand by Franck Muller himself, taking him more than 14 months.

Catering to Asian collectors, this season Sotheby’s will present a selection of pocket watches, highlighted by a Patek Philippe yellow gold open-faced minute repeating perpetual calendar keyless chronometre watch with moon-phases, 24-hour indication and earnshaw-type spring detent escapement, retailed by Beyer, Circa 1990, Ref. 961 (Est. $100,000 – 150,000). Introduced in 1989, it is one of the most complex movements created by Patek Philippe for a modern pocket watch. Very few pieces of the Ref. 961 are believed to exist and only three are currently known to the public.

Swatch Group 2010 Sales Sets New Record

The Swatch Group reported Wednesday that sales for 2010 totaled 6.4 billion Swiss Francs ($6.6 billion), an increase at constant exchange rates of 21.8 percent over 2009 and 12.7 percent over 2008, despite capacity bottlenecks and adverse exchange rates. At constant exchange rates, the increase was 28.1 percent.

“The extraordinary strength of our brand portfolio was again reflected in an excellent performance by the Watch segment in practically all markets and price segments,” the company said in a statement. “Outlook remains optimistic in the entire year 2011 for further strong organic sales growth.”

The company’s Watches & Jewelry segment reported a 21 percent year-over-year gain at constant exchange rates, with indications that double-digit growth will continue into at least January. The company has a far reaching group of watch brands, from mass market to luxury: Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega, Tiffany & Co., Longines, Rado, Union Glashütte, Tissot, ck watch & jewelry, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton, Swatch, Flik Flak, Endura and Tourbillon.

The production segment of the company, which supplies movements and components to third-party watchmakers in Switzerland and around the world, reported an increase of 7.5 percent for the year.

The electronics segment, which supply electronic systems used in watchmaking and other industries and in the field of sports event timing, reported an 11.7 percent gain, year-over-year.

The company also it expects an improved operating margin compared to the previous year as well as higher net profit for the year, despite an unfavorable currency conditions.

The decline of the dollar and the Euro caused a three percent drop in revenue, the company said. But despite this issue, Swatch Group said it expects strong growth in 2011.

“The Swatch Group will further generate dynamic and organic sales growth in 2011 and continue investment in its distribution and the expansion of its production capacities. the company said. “Sales in January 2011 are already exhibiting a positive trend with double-digit growth in local currencies. The optimistic expectations are supported by the Group’s strategic positioning in all market segments and its geographic presence throughout the world.”

Timepiece Tuesday: Christie’s, Antiquorum Auctions; IWI 'English' Watches; Mayors Opens Rolex Store

As I write, the Christie’s “Important Watch” auction in New York had just ended. It was the last auction of the year for the international auction house and judging from the early results, some people will be receiving some spectacular holiday presents.

The evening’s stunner was a limited-edition “Kanthara” diamond-set wristwatch from Piaget (above) that sold for $602,000, double its high estimate. The 32 mm wide watch has nickel-finish signed watch is literally covered in diamonds, including a dial set with baguette-cut diamonds, oval case enhanced by emerald-cut diamonds, diamond-set crown, 18k white gold Piaget bracelet and hidden clasp set with emerald-cut diamonds.

Other highlights include:

A Breguet (Reference 3857) limited-edition platinum minute-repeating tourbillon wristwatch sold for $434,500, well above the high estimate of $350,000. It was produced in 1997 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Abraham Louis Breguet, who invented the tourbillion, which counteract the effects of gravitational pull on timepieces.

 

Patek Philippe had seven of the top ten sales for the evening, according to early results. Among them was a stainless steel chronograph watch with Breguet numerals that sold for $386,500 (left), above the high estimate; an 18k gold perpetual calendar chronograph watch with phases of the moon sold for $314,500; and an 18k gold perpetual calendar chronograph that sold for $266,500. More to come.

Antiquorum Auction

On Dec. 8 Antiquorum held its final watch auction of the year, featuring a FP Journe set of six platinum watches with champagne dials that sold for $200,500 and a white gold “Double Tourbillon 30 Vision” watch (left) that sold for $160,000.

IWI M1

British Watches

There are quality watches made outside of Switzerland. A case-in-point is IWI, a new luxury sports watch brand headquartered in Lancashire, England. Calling itself a “truly English brand,” the company is headed by watchmaker Ian Walsh. Studying Classic Horology at Manchester and later working with Tag Heuer, Walsh said it was while working with vintage timepieces that he realized that he wanted to recreate classic designs. The IWI stainless steel watches pay homage to motorsport. The watches contain Swiss automatic movements and The IWI signature crown is situated at 12 o’clock. Walsh says the classic dials inspire the glory days of auto racing.

Mayors Opens Rolex Store

Just in time for Christmas, Mayors jewelers opened its first dedicated watch store in Orlando, Fla. Called “Rolex Presented by Mayors,” the new store is located in the Mall at Millenia. More than 300 luxury timepieces are on display in the 1,100-square-foot space. The store is Mayors' second retail location in the mall.