The Timepiece
On Monday, the prestigious auction house achieved a groundbreaking milestone, setting a new global record for the highest-priced watch ever auctioned online. The remarkable feat was accomplished with the sale of an ultra-rare Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon, fetching an impressive $5.8 million at Christie's Top of Time event in Hong Kong. The exquisite timepiece, a 42 mm Ref. 6002G, boasts an 18-karat white-gold case and a captivating blue champlevé and cloisonné enamel dial. Embellished with cathedral minute repeating, a perpetual calendar, sidereal time, a sky chart, and moon phases, this horological masterpiece, adorned with 12 complications, surpassed half of the auctioneer’s final sales total of $8.4 million.
In the culmination of the auction, an outstanding 93 percent of the 111 lots, featuring renowned brands from Rolex to Cartier, found new owners, with an impressive 131 percent surpassing low estimates. While the Sky Moon Tourbillon (Lot 111) took center stage, another gem from Patek Philippe emerged as the runner-up – the Patek Philippe Grand Complications, or Ref. 5208. This minute repeater and single-button chronograph showcase a perpetual calendar and proved as elusive as the record-breaking tourbillon. Lot 110, a self-winding chronograph, was secured by a fortunate collector, acquiring the platinum piece for $999,541.
The 12-complication masterpiece with a cloisonné enamel dial was sold at Christie's Top of Time auction.
The Auction
The success of the Top of the Time auction extended to three additional timepieces, achieving final prices up to seven times their low estimates. Noteworthy examples include Lot 60, featuring a skeletonized Gerald Genta perpetual calendar wristwatch, which fetched $104,791, over five times its low estimate. Another standout piece was an 18-karat white-and-pink-gold wristwatch from Andersen Genève, designed by Jean Pierre Hagman, which sold for $45,141 – seven times more than its low estimate. Lot 72 presented an 18-karat pink-gold wristwatch from Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of only 500 examples, featuring a reverse tourbillon and Jaeger-LeCoultre engravings on its openwork caseback. This exceptional timepiece sold for $45,141, more than twice its low estimate.
Alexandre Bigler, Christie’s vice president and head of watches for Asia Pacific, expressed the auction's success, emphasizing the prowess of Christie's online sale platform. The remarkable results set the stage for upcoming spring auctions in May at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, promising more extraordinary timepieces for discerning clients and watch enthusiasts.