2020 is bound to be a year of unprecedented changes for the auction industry. First of all, the schedules of major auction houses have been adjusted. The April spring auction, which was the focus of previous years, has become a “summer auction”. Secondly, physical auctions have naturally been reduced, and the live audience is not allowed to sit on site, or bidding is conducted online. In addition, there are weekly quick auctions such as “Watches Weekly” with small quantities and high quality. The online auction prices of watches have repeatedly set new records in 2020. In this digital age, people are not only quite accustomed to online shopping through e-commerce, but it seems that online bidding will also become the norm.
The most expensive TAG Heuer in the world
The TAG Heuer Monaco model 1133 worn by Steve McQueen in his iconic racing movie “Le Mans” set a new record for TAG Heuer’s auction price. The watch was initially estimated as “on request” and the bid at the opening was US$200,000. After a 7-minute bidding war, it was finally sold for $1.8 million, including commissions of about $2.2 million, becoming the most expensive Heuer watch ever. McQueen gave it to Haig Alltounian, the chief mechanical engineer of the film, after the filming was completed. The back of the watch is engraved with Steve McQueen’s message: “TO HAIG Le MANS 1970”.
Highest price for a watch online auction
Dual crown PP world time zone
This PP 2523/1 world time zone with double crowns has a delicate machine-engraved guilloche pattern in the center of the dial. According to Phillips data, there are only four 2523/1 rose gold watches with machine-engraved dials, one of which is collected in the Patek Philippe Museum, and this auction is one of them. In addition, the watch is in excellent condition, and the pre-auction estimate was already high. This time it broke the high estimate and successfully attracted powerful collectors to buy it. In response to the epidemic prevention, auction houses have changed the auction format to online. This watch also set the highest price record for online watch auctions at a price of nearly 5 million Swiss francs.
1518 Rose Gold World Record
The wise collection of the great god Biver
PP’s first-generation perpetual calendar chronograph 1518 is a collector’s dream style. This 1518 collected by the watch industry’s great god Jean-Claude Biver is considered to be the best 1518 rose gold watch in existence. The rose gold 1518 is usually paired with a silver dial. It is known that there are only 13 such models with a pink dial. This model also has bright blue steel hands. Regardless of appearance, condition, complexity and representativeness, it is top-notch. The highest price of 1518 rose gold was 3,380,000 Swiss francs.
The third highest Rolex auction price
Paul Newman’s favorite watch
This Rolex Daytona 6263 “Big Red” owned by Paul Newman, the dial is not “Paul Newman style”, the small seconds dial at 6 o’clock has the red letter DAYTONA, it was a gift from his wife to Paul Newman for their 25th wedding anniversary in 1983, and it is the watch that Paul Newman has worn for the longest time (1983-2008). The bottom cover of the watch is engraved with “Drive slowly Joanne”, showing his wife’s care for Paul Newman. The keyword “Paul Newman’s Dayton” evokes everyone’s memory of “Paul Newman’s Paul Newman” in 2017: it was the most expensive watch in the world at the time at the auction with a sky-high price of US$17.75 million. Although this model did not break the record, it was also a very amazing price.
Breaking three records
Black and gold Daytona JPS
According to the auction house, there are currently only 10 known models of 18K gold 6264, some of which are paired with Paul Newman dials, including lemon yellow, champagne and this model’s black dial. The model with a black dial is particularly popular. This 1969 Daytona Paul Newman “John Player Special” is even more special. Its color scheme is derived from the iconic black and gold paint of the Formula One team “Lotus F1”, so the auction item attracted the attention of many collectors as soon as it was made public. At that time, the auction broke three records: the most expensive watch auctioned online (the current highest online price is the aforementioned PP 2523/1), the most expensive Daytona JPS watch, and the most expensive watch auctioned in the UK.
Datograph’s new record
Collectors focus on “Yellow Jacket”
Lange’s Datograph was launched in 1999, first in platinum and then in rose gold. This gold model (model 403.041) is considered the most “mysterious” version. According to auction house data, this model appeared at SIHH in 2007 and was discontinued in 2009. Only about 30 pieces were produced and it has never appeared in the product catalog. The gold Datograph with a black dial is called “Yellow Jacket” among collectors because its color is similar to a wasp that appears in Europe and North America. It was originally launched as a version to test market reaction. This time it was sold for 176,400 Swiss francs, about four times the retail price of the online model.
Independent watchmaker king candidate
FPJ breaks CHF 1 million
FP Journe’s recent auction results have been very successful. The most talked-about ones in 2020 are the original Tourbillon Souverain “Souscription” and Résonance “Souscription”. The former is the key style that allowed brand founder François-Paul Journe to establish the brand, and only 20 pieces were produced; the latter was provided by Mr. François-Paul Journe when he decided to launch his second timepiece “Résonance”. Customers who have already purchased the tourbillon watch can make reservations, and he specially commissioned jeweler Lorenz Baümer to design it. It is a very special two-tone style. Both models were sold at 4 to 6.5 times the high estimate, and the transaction price exceeded CHF 1 million.
Sky-high small three-hand
Master’s skill blessing
2020 coincides with the 20th anniversary of Philippe Dufour’s “Simplicity”, and the master’s worth has reached a new height. This platinum watch, “Simplicity”, made in 2005, with movement number 100 and a diameter of 34 mm, was sold for HKD5,136,000, close to NT$20 million. Since the production of handmade Philippe Dufour is very small, there are only about 200 “Simplicity” watches, so the price will rise steadily in the near future.
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