- It's About Time
- Posts
- The Complete Guide To All The Spectacular Only Watch Auction Pieces
The Complete Guide To All The Spectacular Only Watch Auction Pieces
Every single watch participating in the legendary auction
Vuk Radic
July 03, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 36 minutes
Only Watch is a huge deal in the world of watches. You are completely forgiven if you haven’t heard of it, as it’s a charity event that happens only every other year and this is only it’s tenth edition this year. Started in 2005 it was a way to raise funds for research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Since then, it has become a milestone event in the watch world, as pretty much every relevant name in the industry contributes a unique timepiece - hence the name Only Watch - to be auctioned off. And they bring some crazy pieces - in 2019, a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A sold for CHF 31 million.
The last auction raised CHF 30 million with only 53 watches for sale. This year, there are 62 watches going up for auction and I’m going to do something crazy - here’a list of all 62 of them. In alphabetical order.
Starting off with a bang. Andersen Genève’s watch is a minimalist masterpiece in a platinum case and with a pink gold crown. But the showstopper is the dial. At first it looks just like a black enamel dial. But it’s actually black enamel on a pure jade stone disc, cut down to a crazy 0.4mm thickness, with the jade veins visible through the black.
Estimate CHF 40,000 – 50,000
Angelus has teamed up with the prestigious Bordeaux winery Château Angelus to make what looks like a regular special edition of an Angelus Chronodate with a burgundy red dial for the wine connection. Well, no. It’s not a regular watch. That red dial? It’s made out of freeze-dried wine lees, a byproduct of winemaking, sourced from the estate’s 2022 vintage, giving the dial an incredible texture.
Estimate CHF 50,000 – 60,000
Not much different here, other than Armin Strom giving the Gravity Equal Force a transparent green sapphire dial. It also get’s a black movement plate that has been hand-guillochéd at Kari Voutilainen’s atelier. Not much has to be done to a watch that is so good.
Estimate CHF 15,000 – 30,000
ArtyA goes big for Only Watch, using Moissanite, a stunning stone originating from a meteorite crater, to fabricate a case for their watch. While there have been watches that use Moissanite for dials, this is the first time someone has attempted to craft a whole case out of it. However, since it’s the second hardest material on Earth, it can be cut like a diamond, allowing ArtyA to create a stunning visual experience with an ever-changing symphony of colors. This one should sell way above it’s estimate.
Estimate CHF 40,000 – 50,000
This is a traditionally solid watch. A classic. For Only Watch it gets a new in-house calibre (M284), an enhanced case design, and a handmade dial crafted by the Barcelona-based team for the very first time.
Estimate CHF 50,000 – 70,000
First released in 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked was already a special watch. Now, it gets a white ceramic case and bracelet with a spectacular blue skeletonized dial.
Estimate CHF 300,000 – 350,000
Don’t quote me on this, but the microbrand Baltic just might be the brand with the overall most affordable watches in this auction. Their regular pieces fall in the $600-$1500 range. But they came strong here. While much more prestigious brands often offer just revisions to their existing models, Baltic has really gone all out and created a completely new model - the Premier Quantième Perpétuel, made in collaboration with the experienced watchmakers at Maclef. Baltic is also using the branding ‘Baltic Experiments’, which marks the debut of the brand’s fine watchmaking line.
Estimate CHF 20,000 – 30,000
Mosaïque II is an extraordinary timepiece, made even more remarkable because it is, to date, the only collaboration F.P. Journe has made. On top of that, the watch has employed the visionary design of Eric Giroud, with the exceptional craftsmanship of Les Cadraniers de Genève and Les Boîtiers de Genève. The result is a 41mm platinum watch, with a mesmerizing mosaic of stones, to create a lotus flower that represents over 1000 hours of work, and incorporates 12 different métiers d’art techniques.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 250,000
Cyber Rainbow. What a fantastic name. Unfortunately, I’m not as much of a fan of the looks. But this is Only Watch, where you can do whatever you want. This is a ‘cyber’ take on their BR 03 design, that showcases avant-garde flair and vibrant colors.
Estimate CHF 45,000 – 55,000
Conceived by legendary watch icon Jean-Claude Biver, this is an automatic minute repeater carillon with a tourbillon, in a 42mm titanium case. But again, the main attraction is the dial with sapphires that represent a sea and the upper part of the dial is a sunset representing a starry sky made of meteorite, silver obsidian, and opal.
Estimate CHF 500,000 – 700,000
This Fifty Fathoms is an example of brands not putting as much into it as Baltic, but still creating a watch that will be coveted. Blancpain gave their legendary watch that is celebrating 70 years a blue color scheme and a. great blue NATO.
Estimate CHF 20,000 – 30,000
The classical Joy de Lumière is one of the most quintessentially Boucheron timepieces. But this is no ordinary Joy de Lumière timepiece. They have completely reworked the white fold case to allow for an almost three-dimensional setting of diamonds.
Estimate CHF 35,000 – 45,000
Crafted from 18K red gold, this 42mm watch stands out with a magenta guilloché dial with a world time display. It is impressive that more than 95% of the components in this timepiece are produced in-house, making it abundantly clear that Bovet truly deserves its status as one of the few truly integrated manufactures.
Estimate CHF 52,000 – 65,000
The Hora Mundi watch boasts a unique and impressive mechanical complication—an instant-jump time-zone display. What makes the Marine Hora Mundi 5555 special, though, is the dial. Multiple layers and materials create depth and visual interest, with hand-guilloché waves on a gold base and a sapphire plate showcasing luminescent hour markers and engraved navy blue continents.
Estimate CHF 70,000 – 80,000
This is just incredibly amazing - Bulgari has made a Octo Finissimo in marble. It’s not actual marble, it’s a titanium case and bracelet adorned with Verdi Alpi marble, applied in a layer only 0.5mm thick, across 110 facets, but it’s still incredible. The same stunning marble is on the dial. Perhaps the most memorable watch of the auction.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 250,000
Carl F. Bucherer’s contribution to Only Watch is the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral Only Watch, a blacked-out, technical take on the signature design that showcases a cutting-edge forged carbon case and boasts an urban aesthetic with its distinctive carbon-flecked black marbled appearance.
Estimate CHF 60,000 – 100,000
It’s nice that Chanel is offering two unique watches for the Only Watch auction. However, from what I can tell, this could be the least modified watch of the entire auction. I believe the only change Chanel has made is switching out the bezel from the regular Mademoiselle J12
Estimate CHF 40,000 – 50,000
This year for Only Watch, Chopard follows up on the successful return of their historic 36mm dress watch with the L.U.C 1860 Only Watch Edition and gives it an incredible green-toned gold dial.
Estimate CHF 25,000 – 35,000
Even without Only Watch, every Czapek looks like an unique creation. So it’s no surprise this one looks amazing. It’s a reinterpretation of a double escapement combination, something you don’t see very often. Each escapement will beat at its own pace, with any rate variations skillfully balanced by a differential. If you’re going to this much effort, you might as well show it off, which is just what the brand is planning to do, with an open-worked — champlevé enamel ring created in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans inscribed with “Courage Every Second” on the réhaut.
Estimate CHF 80,000 – 100,000
Embracing ancient iron and steel-making techniques, Denis Flageollet meticulously forged the case using Damascus iron and steel, creating incredible patterns on the surface of the watch.
Estimate CHF 220,000 – 270,000
Furtif translates to ‘stealth’ in English and you can see why - the dial is made with incredible translucent blue Grand Feu enamel. Thanks to laser engraving for the numerals and minute track, as well as matt blue hands, everything barring the bright red seconds hand are all but impossible to clearly read. It looks stunning.
Estimate CHF 200,000 – 400,000
This unique piece for Only Watch honors the year the eponymous watchmaker received his ‘Master Watchmaker’ title – 270 years ago in 1753. So now they premiere an impressive new caliber which features the world’s first COSC-certified cylindrical balance spring. You can admire this breath-taking component in full on all angles including the generous porthole on the caseband at 9 o’clock.
Estimate CHF 160,000 – 180,000
Known for its affordable yet complicated timepieces, Frederique Constant turns its flagship perpetual calendar tourbillon wristwatch for Only Watch 2023, but it comes with an unexpected twist: the perpetual calendar has been replaced by something more unusual – a planetarium created by Dutch independent watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw, positioned in lieu of the month register at 12 o’clock. Incredible
Estimate CHF 90,000 – 110,000
Furlan Marri is in competition with Baltic for the most affordable watch makers in this auction, but they also step it up for the auction. For this special occasion, the brand has ventured into new territory by presenting a complicated timepiece: a secular perpetual calendar watch, which represents the highest echelon of such complication. More importantly, this represents a breakthrough in creating a remarkably simple solution to a historically intricate complication, which is a significant achievement for the advancement of watchmaking.
A standard perpetual calendar isn’t perpetually accurate, as it requires adjustment every 100 years due to the exclusion of leap years when the year is divisible by 100 (unless it is also divisible by both 100 and 400). In contrast, a secular perpetual calendar is meticulously programmed to account for these specific intricacies.
Estimate CHF 20,000 – 30,000
Having recently been revived by the LVMH group earlier this year, Gerald Genta is participating in the Only Watch event for the first time with a minute repeater with a retrograde minute hand and jumping hours, along with a new octagonal case and a dial featuring Mickey Mouse. Fantastic looking watch, but that estimate hurts. However, I don’t doubt it will go over.
Estimate CHF 350,000 – 500,000
Girard-Perregaux has finally given the Constant Escapement a regal makeover by incorporating the brand’s iconic golden bridges, an element associated with the brand for over 150 years. By combining these two significant and representative elements of the brand – one being classic and the other contemporary – they have created something interesting and fitting for special occasions like this.
Estimate CHF 140,000 – 220,000
For the charitable auction, the Dutch independent watchmaker Gronefeld is offering a uniquely vibrant version of its entry-level automatic wristwatch with a mesmerizing mandala design incorporating 16 vivid colors. Drugs must have been consumed while making this dial
Estimate CHF 55,000 – 65,000
We have no idea what this watch will be, but it will surely be incredible. Teasers have been released: the Streamliner Pandamonium will showcase a miniature panda DJ within the watch, accompanied by a vibrant colour palette that embodies the spirit of the beach.
Estimate CHF 300,000 – 400,000
Nobody expected a Hermes world time to become as popular as it is, but it has. Congrats. Now they’re using this for the Only Watch auction, giving it a rainbow of colors on the dial adds striking bursts of brightness to the black-on-black case and dial combination.
Estimate CHF 30,000 – 40,000
Continuing their fruitful collaboration with artist Takashi Murakami, Hublot presents the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Only Watch Sapphire. But this timepiece differs from any previous collaborations with the artist, as it has been developed from scratch for the occasion. Hublot introduces a brand-new case for this watch, made entirely of clear sapphire and resembling the shape of flower petals. It’s cool, but thankfully only one will be made.
Estimate CHF 350,000 – 400,000
I mean… what did you expect from Jacob? A watch that does not try to blind you? There’s topazes and sapphires in it, there’s a quadruple-axis tourbillon, there’s the world’s fastest remontoir system.
Estimate CHF 700,000 – 750,000
Departing from the classical depictions of flora and fauna found on its past watches, the brand presents the Rolling Stones Automaton—a vibrant display featuring a teeming scene of the musical instruments used by the rock band. But what truly sets it apart is the unconventional and eye-catching use of super trippy colors found on both the time sub-dial and the outer dial.
Estimate CHF 250,000 – 300,000
The Stargazer Only Watch 2023 ahs an impressive lineup of 16 complications (including the tourbillon, if counted as a complication) and comes with a reversible design. Oh, and Chayking casually introduces three firsts for complications, including a sunrise and sunset azimuth angle indicator, as well as a moonphase display that moves in distinct steps.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 220,000
In its latest contribution to the charity auction, Krayon once again presents its impressive Anywhere wristwatch – a seemingly simple timepiece with incredible complexity. It has the ability to accurately display the sunrise and sunset times for a specific location, as programmed by the watchmakers at Krayon’s workshop, tailored to the winner’s chosen destination.
The center part of the dial features a miniature painting that reimagines the Coastal Scene by the renowned Belgian painter Théo van Rysselberghe. Rather than replicating the painting in exact detail, the artwork captures the distinctive brushstrokes that define the original piece. It presents an abstract interpretation that stands on its own while paying homage to the historical masterwork.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 250,000
This year, L. Leroy returns to Only Watch with a minute repeater tourbillon wristwatch that boasts an unusual design - The entire dial is a rotating disc with an arrow indicating the hour by pointing at the 24 diamonds set in the bezel, thereby displaying the time in a 24-hour format.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 180,000
For Only Watch 2023, Laurent Ferrier seizes the opportunity to pay homage to the iconic race car event, Le Mans, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. While high horology independent brands typically lean towards a more reserved color palette, this one goes for an vibrant array of colors, resembling a race track on the dial.
Estimate CHF 55,000 – 85,000
The special edition created by Lederer for Only Watch 2023 diverges significantly from its usual production style, which is already a great watch. The entire dial is comprised of a black coated movement slathered in intense and vibrant colors that are in fact luminescent so the watch is best observed in the dark.
Estimate CHF 100,000 – 200,000
At its core, the Louis Moinet Art-Tech is a strictly traditional watch with a hand-wound tourbillon movement. However, its dial immediately distinguishes it as an ultra-modern timepiece. It’s an explosion of colors placed on a silicon wafer that has been laser engraved, giving the dial an iridescent shimmer.
Estimate CHF 80,000 – 120,000
For Only Watch 2023, Louis Vuitton gives a creative makeover to its signature Tambour watch, resulting in the Tambour Einstein Automata featuring an enamel dial. However, instead of depicting an object or a landscape, the dial portrays the physicist Albert Einstein, renowned for his realisation that time is not absolute but rather relative.
Estimate CHF 340,000 – 440,000
A lot of the Only Watch entrants love humor. And this is one of them. This is one of the craziest ways of displaying time at this auction. All of the applied hour markers are turned upside down, apart from the one that designates the correct hour, while the minute hand does it’s job pointing to the minutes. The watch also gets a spectacular guilloche dial.
Estimate CHF 60,000 – 90,000
Maurice Lacroix enters the Masterpiece for Only Watch 2023, boasting an in-house movement that has been skeletonized to reveal its intricate mechanics, highlighted by the prominent balance wheel positioned at eight o’clock. As a special touch for this occasion, the Masterpiece is given a transparent sapphire case.
Estimate CHF 25,000 – 35,000
The Montblanc gets a great blue dial with luminous glacier blue outline of Mount Everest on the side, but the true value might come from what you get with the watch. The buyer of this unique timepiece will also receive an ice pick from the world record-breaking alpinist, Nimsdai Purja, plus a handwritten note from Purja, delivered with the watch in an ice-like capsule.
Estimate CHF 25,000 – 35,000
For Only Watch, Moritz Grossmann has created a pièce unique Tremblage made in 41mm stainless steel, with a height of 11.35mm. The German silver dial here offers the usual raised hour numerals, M. Grossmann logo and seconds circle. But instead of the standard flat polish finish, the manufacture went with a finely brushed finish just. As a result, the entire rhodium-plated tremblage surface appears beautifully matt. And just for Only Watch, Moritz Grossmann will deliver this watch on a hand-sewn brown kudu leather strap fitted with prong buckle in stainless steel.
Estimate CHF 30,000 – 45,000
Everything is staring at Patek Philippe to see what they will do this year, and the brand has still not announced it. But what we know is that in November, when the auction takes place, Philippe Stern, the owner of Patek, will celebrate his 85th birthday. To celebrate, Patek will create exclusive limited edition wristwatch with Stern’s favorite grand complication which will feature an entirely new movement
After creating this tribute piece, that movement is to never be used again. In honour of the great man, Patek Philippe will produce 30 examples of this monumental timepiece, the first of which will go to Only Watch featuring a unique design.
An exclusive chronograph developed by Perrelet for charity, the Turbine Chrono X Only Watch stands out in a bright blue hue – one of the event’s official colors of the year. Like all Perrelet signature creations, this one comes with a turbine of 12 black anodized blades functioning on a ball bearing system, providing a fun visual display every time you move your wrist.
Estimate CHF 15,000 – 20,000
Everyone loves it when two independent watchmakers collaborate. This three-hand chronometer watch based on an adapted Zenith 135 movement provides all the trappings of Petermann Bédat’s signature design language and Auffret Paris’ aesthetic codes. Specifically, you can expect the former’s beautiful swan-neck regulator system as well as the latter’s famous click system and charbonnage at the surface of the bridges.
It will have a dial in flame-whitened solid silver, black lacquer engraved and adorned with rose gold indexes. Hour and minute hands will be crafted in rose gold as well, and the seconds hand will come in flame-blued steel. The case is a 38.3mm in steel with soldered lugs.
Estimate CHF 50,000 – 100,000
Piaget has had much success lately with their Polo line. And this one for Only Watch will be just as popular. They will give it completely new colors - green, blue and rose gold all over the bridges of its Caliber 1200S1, an homage to the creative brilliance of Hungarian-French artist, Victor Vasarely.
Estimate CHF 50,000 – 80,000
Taking inspiration from nautical measuring instruments of the last century – think depth gauges abroad submarines, compasses, and the like – the Tiefenmesser Tourbillon features a bronze case and a regulator-type white enamel dial. This is the brand’s very first tourbillon. The buyer of this timepiece will also be invited to visit the Telos Watch atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, joined by Reservoir founder François Moreau.
Estimate CHF 50,000 – 60,000
Ah, my favorite brand. Unfortunately, I believe it would drive me completely mad. Ressence says that this piece unique is inspired by a strand of DNA, depicted by a huge X that runs through the dial and subdials. Unfortunately, since the entire dial and all of the subdials rotate on the Ressence, this perfect image will only be visible every Sunday at midnight.
Estimate CHF 20,000 – 30,000
Independent watchmaking superstar and founder of Akrivia Rexhep Rexhepi has still not unveiled what his watch for 2023 will looks like, but it will be the Chronomètre Antimagnétique. Rexhepi is expected to debut an original movement within a 38mm stainless steel case made by Jean-Pierre Hagmann’s workshop. Its dial, too, promises something spectacular, drawing inspiration from “scientific” dials of historical chronometers.
Estimate CHF 100,000 – 150,000
Here’s Richard Mille having all the fun. Instead of making a wristwatch, RM has designed a watch to be worn around the neck, its red gold case and necklace is fully hand engraved and integrates rhodonite, marble and Swiss grapevine wood set on Grade 5 titanium threaded on metal and rubber string.
Estimate CHF 600,000 – 800,000
For Only Watch, Singer has teamed up with the incredible indie watchmaker Genus. Inside the 70s inspired cushion shaped case is the Genus GxS-23-Ru movement – a deeply mesmerizing caliber that uses rotating number discs in place of conventional hour and minute hands. The winning bidder of this timepiece also gets to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience at a motorsport event of his or her choice: the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024 or Monterey Car Week 2024 at the Laguna Seca Raceway.
Estimate CHF 100,000 – 120,000
This one looks almost exactly like a regular Speake Marin, save for the Only Watch 2023 engraving on its case back done by master engraver Boris Nemitz. What’s special about it is the movement. Inside the watch is the Caliber SMA03-T20, the first time this is appearing in a non-precious metal Speake Marin watch.
Estimate CHF 35,000 – 65,000
For Only Watch, Pinaud designs a one-off model for charity that includes two things that always spark passionate discussions among watch lovers: guilloche and flame-bluing. Pinaud offers a beautiful two-tone dial decorated with traditional guilloche in a personal and contemporary pattern. Special attention was also paid to the different shades of blue used for the off-centered dial and seconds display.
Estimate CHF 70,000 – 100,000
Perhaps a bit surprisingly, TAG is putting a lot into their Only Watch appearance. This will be their first ever made rattrapante chronograph. They also gave the watch a very interesting titanium case that has a unique texture, almost like a material camo pattern. The movement, Caliber TH81-00, is also constructed in titanium. The buyer of this unique timepiece will also be invited on an all-expenses paid trip to the 2024 Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Estimate CHF 150,000 – 300,000
While we wait for Patek to stun us with their creation, Tiffany & Co. will take the crown of the most impressive object for sale at the Only Watch auction. Those who know Tiffany will recognise Bird on a Rock motif. The bird is made in platinum, set with some of the finest diamonds available, and set on a yellow gold case of the watch that is supposed to be worn as a pendant. An incredible 34 carat light blue aquamarine serves as the crystal of the watch, while the dial is a snow-set diamond dial.
Estimate CHF 350,000 – 500,000
Inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, the Trilobe Réconciliation embodies the philosophy of embracing life’s imperfections. In this Only Watch version of the iconic Une Folle Journée, impact marks on the rings and movement are manually cut and chiselled by a craftsman watchmaker who also applies a hammered finish on the bridges, plate and symbolic rings. Finally, the cavities are gilded by hand using fine 22K gold.
Estimate CHF 25,000 – 35,000
While Tudor likes to create crazy watches for Only Watch, not many people expected something like this. A full solid gold interpretation of a 70s classic known as the “Big Block” chronograph, with a brand-new prototype manufacture chronograph movement. While the original was powered by the Valjoux 7750, this new one gets Tudor’s first fully in-house manufactured column-wheel chronograph calibre called the MT59XX with silicon hairspring and 70-hour power reserve.
Estimate CHF 25,000 – 35,000
This Freak is getting freaky. Based on the Freak S first launched in 2022, this unique timepiece has a double oscillator in silicon and a double escapement in DiamonSIL. Celebrating the occasion that is Only Watch 2023, Ulysse Nardin refreshed the movement Caliber UN-251 with vibrant colors of the rainbow.
Estimate CHF 160,000 – 200,000
It’s a Star Wars lightsaber merged with art-horology. URWERK loves to play with the concept of displaying time, and for this Only Watch they’ll sell you a 2 meter high glass capsule set on a bronze pedestal allowing you to carry time around like a sword. Why would you want to do that? You wouldn’t. But with this you can.
Estimate CHF 45,000 – 80,000
Made of titanium, with light satin finish and polished surfaces, it features a completely new world time caliber, TMZ217, which is an evolution from the previous Vingt-8 caliber. Pressing the crown conveniently allows you to adjust the world time mechanism. The 39mm X 39mm case is secured by four screws on both sides, but nothing is going to take any attention away from the beautiful silver dial in a vibrant green hue. Guilloché decorated with a center trivague along with sunburst finishing on the outer ring, this is an amazing timepiece for modern collectors of independent watches.
Estimate CHF 175,000 – 215,000
Since its introduction in 2021, Zenith’s wildly popular Chronomaster Sport has only gotten more popular among watch enthusiasts. For Only Watch Zenith has taken the Chronomaster Sport and given it four unique variants with four intense colors - yellow, green, blue and red. These colors are present on both the dials and the bezels.
Estimate CHF 45,000 – 55,000
Reply