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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Timepiece Tuesday: Antiques, Girl’s Luxury Watch, Special Editions, An Awards Preview and a Social Media Contest

Chinese Watch Collectors Have Appetite for Vintage Pieces

Is there anything regarding luxury that the Chinese don’t want? Each season, Christie’s presents a range of 19th-century timepieces made especially for the Chinese market. This year, at the auction house’s Dec. 2 auction of watches, five 19th-century timepieces made especially for the Chinese market are coming up for sale. One, a circa-1877 gold-and-enamel pocket watch depicting three angels, is estimated to sell for between HK$320,000 and HK$480,000 (pictured). In addition, in 2005, Asia overtook the U.S. as the biggest market for Patek Philippe. Collectors are buying both new and vintage models, but there is an increasing focus on older pieces, according to the Wall Street Journal blog, Scene Asia.

Antique Clock Auction

Clocks will be a major focus in the Skinner, Inc. annual auction of Science, Technology & Clocks on November 20 in its Marlborough, Mass., gallery. Among the timepieces on the block, is a very important regulator by the Bond Shop (pictured). The Regulator No. 396 is was one of three made; No. 394 was developed for the Harvard Observatory, No. 395 for an observatory in Liverpool, England, and No. 396 for the personal use of Bond in his chronometer shop. As the director of the Harvard Observatory, Bond was one of the first to work towards establishing standard time. It is estimated at $300,000 to $500,000. Other clock highlights include a Newport tall clock, c. 1725 by William Claggett of Newport, R.I., which is the earliest American clock being offered in the sale. The piece is estimated at $60,000 to $80,000. The sale also includes a number of Willard clocks.

Frederique Constant to Introduce Luxury Girl’s Watch

The U.K. trade publication, Professional Jeweller, has learned that Frederique Constant will introduce a girl’s luxury watch at BaselWorld. “The company’s global sales director, Ralph Simons, confirmed it with a nod of his head during an interview this week,” the publication wrote. Stay tuned.

Marvin Unveils Sébastien Loeb Collection

Swiss luxury watch brand Marvin has created a new limited edition line in partnership with its ambassador, World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb. Two exclusive chronographs have been developed with Loeb and they both carry his signature. Their design is the work of two creative watchmakers: Jean-François Ruchonnet, best known for the TAG Heuer Monaco V4 and the Cabestan, and Sébastien Perret, the Neuchâtel designer who has been associated with all recent Marvin collections. The new Loeb Special Edition has a 44 mm diameter steel case flexible red horns mounted on spring suspensions, buttons coated in black PVD that resemble gear change paddles, and counters designed like dashboard instruments. The collection is limited to 777 pieces, representing Loeb’s seven world championship titles.

Grand Prix d'Horlogerie Preview

The 2010 edition of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève will be November 18 at the Geneva Grand Théâtre. Ten timepieces have been shortlisted for each of the competition’s seven categories, including best ladies, men’s, design, jewelry, complicated, sports and the Petite Aiguille watch prize (the best timepiece under SFr5,000). There will also be four special awards, including the public prize, voted for by 5,000 participants. Brands shortlisted include Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Ralph Lauren, Audemars Piguet, Piaget, Chopard, Chaumet, Graff, Harry Winston and Chanel. The Financial Times has written a preview of the prestigious event that can be viewed here (subscription required).

Baume & Mercier In Search of ‘Very Special Reporter’

Baume & Mercier has launched a contest appealing to its social media fans. The Swiss luxury watch brand has invited its 75,000 Facebook fans to upload videos explaining their love of the brand and why they would make ideal "Very Special Reporters" at the upcoming Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, Jan. 17–21, the trade show for high-end watch manufacturers and buyers.

Rare Clocks, a Reverso Anniversary Sale and Fine Watches at Antiquorum Geneva Auction

A Breguet silver carriage clock with 10 complications once owned by the Marquise de Béthisy is one of the top items on the block at the Antiquorum Geneva sale of “Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces,” to be held on May 15.

Breguet introduced his silver humpback carriage clocks—of which only a few were made—circa 1812. The present clock is the most complicated of the eleven Breguet humpback carriage clocks known to exist. It has a total of 10 complications: grande sonnerie striking; petite sonnerie striking; alarm; perpetual calendar; days of the week; date; months; years; moon phases; and equation of time. It is the only known example with a quadruple digital perpetual calendar. The clock was sold to the Marquise de Béthisy on May 6, 1678, Antiquorum said. Its presale estimate is $173,000 to $231,000.

Another exceptional clock at auction is the Vacheron & Constantin "30 Days, Constant Force." No. 418068, made in 1933. This Art Deco style-clock has a 30-day power reserve. It is furnished by two mainspring barrels, which Antiquorum says is very unusual in a clock of its size, or of any clock. One of the difficulties of long-duration clocks is that timekeeping is affected as the mainspring winds down. This problem is counteracted by the use of a constant force escapement, a unique instance for Vacheron & Constantin and almost certainly for the entire Art Deco period. Pres sale estimate is $81,000 to $139,000.

More than 500 vintage and modern timepieces, pocket watches, and, of course, clocks will be offered for sale at the auction, which will be held at Geneva's Mandarin Oriental. The auction will also celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the iconic Reverso watch with a selection of 30 Reversos, including original pieces from 1931, emblematic and ultra-rare versions with colored dials, limited series with complications, and watches with enamel-decorated case backs. Jaeger-LeCoultre is partnering this special "Reverso Chapter," and will provide an extract from its archives, free of charge, for each lot made prior to 1950.

The Reverso was created in 1931 for British army officers stationed in India who requested a watch that could survive a polo match. The swiveling case of the Art Deco-style watch protected the dial and offered a surface that, as of the 1930s, could be personalized by means of engraving or enamel.

The highlight of this “Reverso Chapter” is a very rare, early, and desirable Steel Reverso with red lacquered dial with a presale estimate of $5,775 to $9,200.

One of the very first models to bear the LeCoultre signature, a 1930's Staybrite watch with chocolate-colored dial is a classic Reverso watch with small seconds. Six others are featured in the sale, including a rare example made for the French market and bearing the Jaeger signature, and another watch from among the few that were destined exclusively for the American market (presale estimate, $5,778 to $9,200).

Among the modern Reverso wristwatches, the highlight is "Mucha's Four Seasons" No. 1/25, Ref. 276.1.62, a set of four enameled pieces introduced in the 1990s and made in a limited edition of 25 sets. On the back of each case is a painted enamel portrait of a woman symbolizing each of the four seasons by Miklos Merczel, the manufacture's enamel artist (presale estimate $70,000 to $92,000).

Also on the block is a Louis Audemars "Grande Complication - "La Russe II," No. 12199, that retailed by G. Aspe, Paris in 1896. This timepiece is one of the most important complicated watches of the 19th century, Antiquorum says, with double perpetual calendar for Julian and Gregorian calendars, as well as minute-repeating, two time zones, chronograph, central 60-minute register, moon phases, lunar calendar and "reference d'heure" world-time calculation chart functions (presale estimate $115,000 to $173,000).

Offered at auction for the first time, the Rolex "Oyster Perpetual Date, Explorer II," Ref. 1655, Spade of Oman, was made in 1974 and retailed by Asprey of London. It is one of the few Rolex watches to feature the "Spade of Oman" logo. These special watches, with case number engraved on the inside case back, were sold by Asprey, the official Rolex retailer in the Arab world. This model also bears the rare engraved "Asprey" name on the outside caseback (presale estimate $115,500 to $173,000).

Another Rolex on the block is the "Oyster Perpetual, Comex, 660ft./200 m, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified," Ref. 1665, Rail Dial. The 1980 watch is accompanied by its original guarantee, 1970s Submariner and Oyster booklets, hang tag, anchor and original fitted box, as well as a COMEX magazine and COMEX regulator (presale estimate $81,000 to $150,000).

 There are two Patek Philippe watches that should earn strong interest in the upcoming auction, according to Antiquorum.

The first is a Reference 130, with pink dial, confirmed by the extract from the archives. This "Staybrite" stainless steel wristwatch with square button chronograph, register and tachometer scale was made in 1941 and was sold on March 3, 1943. Its presale estimate is $173,000 to $231,000.

The second is a Reference 5970G, circa 2006. This 18k white gold wristwatch has a square-button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases, 24 hour indication, and tachometer (presale estimate $115,000 to $173,000).