Christie’s announces its first online auction of 2022, taking place from March 15th-30th. The Watches Online: Dubai Edit is ready to present a curated selection of more than 150 lots that will be available to view at the gallery of Christie’s Dubai during the entire time of the online sale. The selection includes a range of vintage and unique pieces.
Here are a few essential highlights from the upcoming auction:
Rolex Daytona’ Rainbow’
Always an auction favourite, the Rolex Daytona ‘Rainbow’ lures watch collectors across the globe with its 36 baguette-cut sapphires in a rainbow gradation around the bezel. The black lacquer dial with its gold counters and a mid-case set with brilliant-cut diamonds enhance the watch’s overall look. Due to the complicated nature of its production, the watch was released in limited quantity, making it one of the rare Daytona watches. The estimated price of the Rolex Daytona’ Rainbow’ is $300,000-500,000.
Richard Mille RM70-01 Tourbillon Alain Proust
One of the more contemporary watches of the lot, the Richard Mille RM70-01 Tourbillon Alain Proust, was released in 2017. As the name suggests, the timepiece was created in partnership with four-time Formula One champion Alain Proust, an enthusiast cyclist. It is the perfect example of how the brand pushed the boundaries of watchmaking.
The Richard Mille RM70-01 Tourbillon Alain Proust sports an asymmetrical shape that offers ease while the cyclists grip the handlebars. Additionally, the watch brings together a tourbillon movement that features an unusual complication of a mechanical odometer. This function helps the watch tally distance up to 99,999 kilometres—a much-needed feature for an enthusiastic cyclist. The estimated price of the watch will be provided by request only.
Two FP Journe Timepieces Up for Auction: The Tourbillon Souverain with brass movement and the Chronomètre à Résonance Black Label
Another rising brand in the auction market is FP Journe. For the 2022 Christie’s Dubai watch auction, the sale presents two masterpieces from F.P Journe. The first is the Tourbillon Souverain – a timepiece that launched F.P Journe’s illustrious career in 1999. It was the first wristwatch to combine a remontoir d’egalité (a constant force device that ensures a consistent supply of power from the mainspring to the escapement) with a tourbillon. The timepiece established F.P Journe’s status as a technical and design genius. What makes this one very rare and important is the use of a brass movement—a feature present in models between 2001 and 2004. It is estimated that only 200 timepieces were fitted with brass movements during this time, making this one even more special. The estimated price of the FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain is $400,000-600,000.
The second FP Journe piece ready to be sold at the Spring 2022 watch auction in Dubai is the Chronomètre à Résonance Black Label. The brand released the technically marvellous Chronomètre à Résonance back in 2000. It marked the second wristwatch developed by Mr Journe that featured featuring two balance wheels that oscillate in resonance with each other. But the watch presented in the 2022 auction isn’t one of your ordinary Chronomètre à Résonance timepieces. This one is a Black Label Edition, pieces reserved for existing FP Journe clients only. These special timepieces are distinguished by their platinum cases and black lacquer dial. Furthermore, only 12 Black Label editions are allotted to a boutique every year. Hence, the availability of this Chronomètre à Résonance Black Label timepiece at the Christie’s Dubai watch auction offers a rare opportunity for watch collectors to add it to their collection. The estimated price of the FP Jourbe Chronomètre à Résonance Black Label edition is $250,000-450,000.
A unique Patek Philippe Ref. 3940G perpetual calendar made for Michael Ovitz
Made especially for Micheal S. Ovitz—the former president of the Walt Disney Company, the Ref. 3940G is set with a perpetual calendar in white gold features and an exclusive pink gold dial with applied Breguet numerals. According to Christie’s, the former president regularly commissioned many custom-made Patek Phillippe watches bearing his stylized initials “M.S.O” on the dial. Ref No. 3940 is one of them. It is a quintessential Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watch produced between 1984 to 2007. The estimated price of the watch is $100,000-200,000.
Patek Phillipe Ref No. 3974J
Launched in 1989 to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary, the Ref No. 3974J is one of the most important watches ever made in series. When it was launched, the watch held the record of being the most complicated wristwatch. It includes various complications, including a combination of a minute repeater and a perpetual calendar. With only 160 examples available, the Patek Phillipe Ref No. 3974J makes for a worthy purchase. The estimated price of the watch is $350,000-450,000.
Images: Christie’s Dubai
