The first wristwatch George Daniels ever made in a career that spanned over 50 years was the Chronograph Wristwatch (and the second was the inventive and perhaps more lyrical “Spring Case” watch). It was finished in 1991, though Dr Daniels had worked on it for several years, having used it as part of a display at the 1986 Baselworld trade fair to exhibit the use of his Co-Axial escapement in wristwatches made by various brands, including Omega, Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Despite its modest name, the Chronograph Wristwatch is a masterpiece. The late Dr Daniels’ apprentice, and now master watchmaker in his own right, Roger W. Smith serviced the watch not too long ago.

“Whenever a Daniels wrist or pocket watch lands on my bench for a service, I am always tinged with a sense of excitement,” says Mr Smith, “The chronograph wristwatch is no exception and the abundance of ideas within are staggering… this watch packs a mighty punch with the Daniels’ compact chronograph mechanism.”

It is worth remembering that the Chronograph Wristwatch, like all of Dr Daniels’ one-off timepieces, was hand-made with manual tools, from movement to case. Consequently, it exhibits both mechanical inventiveness as well as the peculiarities of a hand-made timepiece. That’s especially so given that Dr Daniels was already 65 years old when he completed the watch in 1991.

The proof of its special nature is evidenced by the fact that Dr Daniels never sold the watch. According to David Newman, one of Dr Daniel’s oldest friends and now the chairman of the George Daniels Educational Trust, “This watch was retained by George, and he rejected many offers for purchase from collectors around the world.”

Only after Dr Daniels’ death was was the watch sold at Sotheby’s in 2012 for £385,250, or US$617,594, to the current owner. A large sum, but one that in hindsight seems like a bargain since the Space Traveller pocket watch sold for just over £3.2m last year.

The watch is physically impressive, being the largest Daniels wristwatch ever made. At 42mm in diameter it’s considerably larger than the Millennium, which was 36mm, and the 40mm Daniels Anniversary. The diameter is identical to that of the later Spring Case, though the Chronograph Wristwatch feels larger due to its wider and longer lugs.

The winding crown sits at 12 o’clock

And the chronograph pushers on the left of the case

“It was his first wristwatch and he must have been experimenting as he made the case,” says Mr Newman, “Its 42mm diameter was the largest wristwatch case made by George.”

“I like the size very much, which has quite a contemporary feel at 42mm,” says the owner of the Chronograph Wristwatch, who prefers to remain anonymous. “The size also works well given the dial design and layout; the watch sits well and is comfortable after long periods of wear.”

The Chronograph Wristwatch (left) and the Spring Case

The more pyramidal Spring Case in the foreground

The reverse faces of the Chronograph Wristwatch (left) and Spring Case

While the case sets it apart from other Daniels wristwatches, the dial and hands are quintessential Daniels style. Despite the classical, Breguet-inspired style, the dial is eminently functional and sensibly laid out, as was typical of Mr Daniels’ work.

The dial is solid silver and engine-turned, with each of the sub-dials being separated pieces attached to the main body. All of the markings are hand-engraved and filled with black lacquer. And the hands are solid gold and in the Daniels-style, featuring arrowheads on the main hands and fan-shaped counterweights on the smaller hands.

A showcase for the Co-Axial

Equipped with twin barrels that give it a 60-hour power reserve, the hand-wound movement boasts two key complications – a tourbillon and chronograph – along with a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock driven by differential screw mechanism.

The primary complication is a four-minute tourbillon with Co-Axial escapement, similar to the one he later installed in the Spring Case. The steel tourbillon cage makes one revolution every four-minutes, a considerably more leisurely pace than the conventional one-minute, and is held in place by a polished steel bridge.

Inside the carriage is a two-arm balance with gold adjusting screws and a blued, free-sprung balance with overcoil.

The other complication is a two-button chronograph that Mr Smith refers to above, with the elapsed seconds and minutes combined on the left sub-dial (constant seconds sits on the right sub-dial).

Writing in All in Good Time: Reflections of a Watchmaker, his autobiography first published in 2000, Dr Daniels described it as “an experimental chronograph”, in essence a smaller version of the compact chronograph mechanism found in the Space Traveller’s pocket watch. The chronograph mechanism was “[compressed] into unused space to the side of the escapement”, in order to reduce the height of the movement.

The chronograph mechanism visible to the right of the tourbillon

“Usually chronograph mechanisms take on a standard format [with the levers and gears on top of the bridges], but in this piece George utilised a tiny space to the right of the tourbillon cage in which to plant his chronograph mechanism,” explains Mr Smith. “The result is a completely original mechanism, which adds no thickness to the movement, the likes of which horology had never seen.”

“It uses a clever clutch type system which engages and disengages the chronograph function from the going train, and was more than likely inspired by his love and fascination of the motor car,” adds Mr Smith.

“George created just two watches which contained his unique chronograph mechanism. Surprisingly, the first was the wrist watch which would have been incredibly challenging to make due to its scale. This was quickly followed by the mighty pocket watch which went on to inspire the dial layout for the Daniels anniversary wristwatch.”

Despite the inventiveness and sophistication of the chronograph mechanism, it was almost an afterthought. “The addition of the complex chronograph was simply to add interest to the watch,” wrote Mr Daniels in his autobiography, “so that attention could be directed to the escapement.”

The entirety of the Chronograph Wristwatch, according to Dr Daniels, was to create a showpiece to demonstrate the feasibility of the Co-Axial escapement. And it happened to be a wristwatch because it was “essential if I was to capture the attention of the Swiss industry”, which he was then hoping would buy the Co-Axial escapement.

From conception to realisation, the Chronograph Wristwatch is illustrative of Dr Daniels’ technical brilliance, artful craftsmanship, and a practically minded approach to business.

To mark its 280^th anniversary, Jaquet Droz is staging “Story of the Unique”, a touring exhibition that is circling the world, having made its way through Europe and Asia, and now arrives in Singapore.

“Story of the Unique” illustrates the wonderful diversity of the brand, from artisanal metiers d’art to automatons, and of course its wristwatches like the Grande Seconde.

Taking place at the Marina Bay Sands casino complex, the star of the exhibition is the stupendously complex, one-of-a-kind Parrot Repeater Pocket Watch created for the anniversary.

Three years in the making, the million-dollar masterpiece is a culmination of just about every decorative technique mastered by Jaquet Droz, including gem-setting, grand feu enamel, paillonne enamel, engraving, and miniature painting.

Also on display is the Signing Machine, a nifty, pocket-sized automaton programmed to flawlessly replicate a written signature, accomplished by a mechanical arm that duplicates the motions of the writer’s hand. The result of four years of development, the Signing Machine is similar to its 18th century predecessor, The Writer, a humanoid automaton that could write out a preprogrammed sentence in a flowing, italic script.

The exhibition will also showcase most of the brand’s 2018 collection, including the Grande Seconde Skelet-One, a somewhat avant-garde take on its signature timepiece, as well as the Grande Seconde Tribute, the brand’s first Grande Seconde in yellow gold.

Event information

The Story of the Unique Exhibition takes place from September 28 to October 14 at the B2 Atrium of Marina Bay Sands, right in front of the Jaquet Droz boutique. It is open to the public daily from 10:30am to 11:00pm.

Jaquet Droz
B2M-215, Casino Level
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Ave                                                                                        Singapore 018956

Following the swift sellout of last year’s Zurich Weltzeit Singapore Edition, Nomos has once again rolled out a pair for limited editions for the city state, clad in a combination of blue and salmon.

Both watches are based on the hand-wound Tangente 38, the basic, 38mm version of the quintessential Nomos wristwatch. The ordinary version of the Tangente 38 is only available with a silvered dial, with coloured dials only being available on the pricier, self-winding neomatik models or limited editions.

The Tangente was inspired by 1930s wristwatches and designed in Deutscher Werkbund style. Simple in form but nevertheless distinctive, the case is steel, entirely polished, and characterised by flat planes on all surfaces.

At 37.5mm in diameter and 6.75mm high, the case is elegantly proportioned, with the long lugs giving it a slightly larger footprint than most similarly sized watches.

Salmon and blue

The first dial variant is inspired by the salmon dial of last year’s Zurich world time, though the dial is a slightly more muted, darker shade of the colour.

The galvanic salmon finish is matched with dark blue markings on the dial and blued steel hands, along with a red seconds hand and a red dot at six o’clock, a reference to Singapore’s nickname due to the island’s size on a map.

In most light the blue markings on the dial appear black, but the polished, blued steel hands catch the light well.

The salmon model is matched with a light tan Horween calfskin strap that matches the dial but offers little contrast, so some might prefer a darker strap.

The second version is essentially an inversion of the colours on the first, featuring a blue dial and rose gold markings.

Though the “midnight blue” dial shares the same name with the blue dials found on other Nomos watches, this is a different, darker colour, being a blue that is almost charcoal under most light.

It’s paired with copper markings on the dial and rose gold-plated hands, along with a seconds hand and dot at six in red.

The blue and rose gold colour combination is an unusual one for Nomos, which typically leans towards lighter, cheery colours, often matching dark dials with pastel coloured accents. Though different, it is a subtle combination that is slightly more serious and luxe than the average Nomos palette.

While the colour is new, the midnight blue model is fitted to the standard, but much loved, Horween shell cordovan strap in black.

Between the two, the salmon dial will undoubtedly be the first choice for many buyers, but the midnight blue Tangente is arguably the one for anyone who already has a Nomos with a light-coloured dial.

Alpha inside

Both are equipped with the standard movement for the Tangente 38, the hand-wound Alpha calibre that has 17 jewels and a 43-hour power reserve.. Built with the ETA Peseux 7001 as a base, the Alpha was the first movement developed by Nomos and is now mostly produced in-house by Nomos.

A few functional improvements were made to the 7001 architecture, including a redesigned winding click, as well as the addition of a Triovis regulator and hacking seconds. Other changes are decorative, including a three-quarter plate, blued steel screws and spiral graining on the winding wheels.

The result is a robust, reliable but unique proprietary movement that offers tremendous value and also appealing aesthetics. The only downside of the movement, albeit a minor one, is its size, which at 10 1/2”’ or 23.3mm is quite a bit smaller than the watch case. That leaves the subsidiary seconds sitting relatively close to the centre of the dial.

Price and availability 

Each version is limited to 100 watches, individually numbered on the case back. The Tangente ‘Red Dot’ is available from The Hour Glass, priced at S$3200 including local taxes, which is the same as the ordinary version of the Tangente 38. That’s equivalent to US$2340, and includes shipping for foreign buyers.

Two months after the Swatch Group upended the natural order at Baselworld by announcing it would not take part in the trade fair next year, the other major Swiss watch fair of the year has just seen two major names leave. Next year will be the last year for both Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), the upscale show that takes place in Geneva every January.

First reported by Dutch watch blog Monochrome, Audemars Piguet’s departure was announced by its inimitable chief executive, Francois-Henry Bennahmias, in an interview with Swiss newspaper Le Temps.

“We today want to focus 100% on the end customer,” Mr Bennahmias was quoted as saying, instead of the retailers and journalists who make up the bulk of the fair’s attendees. This is happening alongside a dramatic trimming of Audemars Piguet’s retail network, from 540 points of sale in 2011, to between 200 and 220 by the end of 2018.

The Royal Oak RD#2, one of Audemars Piguet’s flagship watches at SIHH 2018

Instead, Audemars Piguet will launch products throughout the year at smaller events, with only a selection of clients and press invited. According to Mr Bennahmias, this will also reduce the traditional, months-long lag between the launch of a new watch and its arrival in stores.

But Mr Bennahmias was careful not the criticise the organisers of SIHH. “”I find no fault with the event; I just want to follow my own path.” And with that one of the longest tenured brands at SIHH was out.

On the same day in the most coincidental of occurences, Richard Mille also said it would leave SIHH after 2019. The brand, in which Audemars Piguet coincidentally owns a 10% stake, cited its reliance on wholly-owned boutiques, rather than third party retailers, as a reason for its split with the fair.

A day after both brand’s announcements, the organiser of SIHH, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) issued a statement hinting at an evolution in the fair’s purpose and set-up.

“[We intend] to pursue the SIHH’s core purpose, which now extends beyond a trade salon with a distribution focus, to encompass a true culture and experience-led communications platform for all professionals and end customers of Haute Horlogerie.”

Addition September 27, 2018: Included statement from the FHH in response to the news.

De Bethune’s wide ranging aesthetic has in the past utilised Mayan and Aztec elements for some strikingly styled watches. Now the watchmaker turns to East Asia for the Maestri’Art collection, which makes its debut with a pair of watches decorated with motifs inspired by Japan and China. The Maestri’Art marks a return to Asian influences in its watch design, after the Imperial Fountain Chinese Zodiac watches of 2014.

Both watches were engraved by Michèle Rothen Rebetez, a Le Locle-based engraver who’s one of the best in her field. She’s worked for De Bethune in the past, and also Parmigiani and Girard-Perregaux amongst others.

The Maestri’Art I is based on the DB27 Titan Hawk V2, with the brand’s signature sprung lugs. But instead of the liberal use of polished metal synonymous with De Bethune, the Maestri’Art I is entirely black and gold, inspired by tsuba, the hand guard of Japanese swords, or katana.

Tsuba were often made of various metal alloys, and often decorated. A common decorative material used was irogane, a family of coloured copper alloys, often inlaid with gold. Specifically, the material De Bethune used for the case and dial is similar to shibuichi, an alloy of silver and copper that’s been patinated to give it an almost black surface, which is then decorated with gold highlights.

The dial depicts a dragon and tiger in relief, while the case back continues the motif, showing the back of the dragon.

The Maestri’Art I is powered by the same movement found in the Titan Hawk, the AutoV2. It’s a self-winding movement with a 60-hour power reserve, as well as De Bethune’s patented silicon balance wheel with gold masses, which is visible through a small opening in the case back.

Maestri’Art II is quickly recognisable as a De Bethune, being entirely in blued titanium. It’s based on the DB25, with a 42mm case in polished, blued titanium.

The dial is also blued titanium that’s been engraved by hand and accented with fine gold leaf inlaid onto the surface. It depicts a carp and a dragon, a reference to the Chinese myth that believes a carp which is able to jump the Dragon Gate of the Yellow River will turn into a dragon.

The hour markers are small round diamonds, while the leaf-shaped hands are polished steel.

Inside is the hand-wound DB2005 movement inside that will run for six days on a full wind. It’s equipped with De Bethune’s proprietary adjustable mass balance wheel, as well as a silicon escape wheel.

Price and availability 

Both watches are unique pieces. The Maestri’Art I is priced at SFr135,000, while the Maestri’Art II in blued titanium is SFr110,000. Prices exclude taxes.

Hong Kong watch auctions tended to be populated, at least in numbers, by modern complicated watches and the odd example of independent watchmaking. But with strong demand in Asia for vintage watches – in fact a good number of the priciest vintage watches are bought by Asian collectors – historical timepieces are slowly but surely taking up more space in the catalogue.

Sotheby’s has included a good number of vintage watches in its upcoming Hong Kong auction, which takes place on October 2. The highlight is undoubtedly a Tiffany-signed, third series Patek Philippe ref. 2499 in pink gold.

Here we take a look at one watch from each category of vintage watch collecting that’s now in vogue: Patek Philippe, Rolex and Gerald Genta-designed luxury sports watches.

The rest of the catalogue is available here.

Lot 2258 – Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1

A desirable watch as it is one of the formative references for an important watch model, the ref. 6536/1 is an early, though not the earliest, Rolex Submariner. Such early models are generally nicknamed “James Bond”, after Sean Connery wore one (specifically, a ref. 6538 “Big Crown”) in Dr No.

Produced from 1955 to approximately 1959, the ref. 6536/1 is a “Small Crown” Submariner, named after the size of its screw-down crown. This example is from 1959, and is handsome despite showing signs of age. In fact, it’s one of three early Submariners in the auction.

The black gilt dial has cracked surface lacquer, a phenomenon, like all else in vintage Rolex collecting, nicknamed “spiderwebbing”.

The case is notably well preserved, retaining its original form as well as bevels along the lugs.

The Submariner is estimated at HK$800,000 to HK$1.3m, or US$102,000 to US$166,000.

Lot 2311 – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 5402ST “B-Series”, signed “Tiffany”

This is an unusual example of a 1976, “B-series” Royal Oak, the second production run of the iconic wristwatch after the initial 2000-piece “A-series” made from 1972 to 1975.

While the serial number prefix marks it as distinct from the “A-series” and subsequent runs, the watch is largely identical to the original Royal Oak, having the same case as well as dial with the “AP” logo at six.

The dial is particularly striking, having aged to a variegated brown from its original dark grey. Particularly popular amongst collectors of vintage watches now, the “tropical” dial adds significantly to the value of a vintage sports watch in today’s market.

And that appeal is further enhanced by the uncommon Tiffany & Co. signature at six o’clock, just above the AP logo, indicating the watch was originally sold by the American jeweller (which once upon a time retailed a great variety of watches beyond its own house brand and Patek Philippe).

Double-signed early Royal Oaks are extremely uncommon, regardless of the retailer signature, with only a handful having come up at auction. And because Tiffany’s is widely known, and boasts a significant historical presence in watchmaking, its name tends to carry a little bit extra cachet.

While the case and bracelet still have most of their original form, the watch has been obviously polished in the past, with the bezel have particularly soft edges. The bracelet also exhibits a fair amount of looseness.

Fortunately the cosmetic condition of the case and bracelet can be restored at AP, albeit at considerable cost. Even the bracelet can be replaced with a correctly sized modern example, which AP now produces (or soon will) but with markings indicating it is a service replacement.

And most importantly of all, the case and movement numbers match according to AP’s records, which further reveal the watch was sold in New York in 1976.

While the vintage Royal Oak “Jumbo” has rising substantially in value in the last several years, it still lags behind its only peer, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, in value terms. The Royal Oak appears to be on its way to catching up, slowly but surely, which is why this is likely to sell closer to the high estimate than the low one.

This Royal Oak is estimated at HK$200,000 to HK$400,000, or US$25,500 to US$51,000.

Lot 2362 – Patek Philippe ref. 2499, third series signed “Tiffany & Co.”

So it will come as no small surprise that another vintage highlight in the sale is also carries the New York jeweller’s signature.

But what is surprising is that it is a third-series ref. 2499 in pink gold, which inevitably means it is a million dollar – US dollar – wristwatch by a considerable margin. Surprisingly because such big ticket vintage watches are typically sold in Geneva, or sometimes New York, where vintage watches tend to have a greater share of the catalogue.

Already the 2499 is a tremendously desirable watch, being rare, historically important (being one of the earliest, serially produced chronographs with perpetual calendar), as well as handsomely sized at 37.5mm in diameter, making it eminently wearable even by modern tastes.

This watch has a low estimate of US$1.5m for three crucial reasons. The first being the most obvious: the Tiffany’s signature at six o’clock.

The second is the pink gold case. The vast majority of ref. 2499s across all series are in yellow gold. Only six pink gold third-series watches are known, across a total production run (encompassing all series) of well over 300.

The third is the condition, which is crisp. Any servicing or polishing that was done since it left the factory in 1972 was artful and sympathetic, leaving the watch in handsome condition.

The lugs in particular retain the pronounced lengthwise flute on their top edge. And the inside of the top left lug is also stamped with the last three digits of the case number, as is correct for the watch.

This is its second outing at auction, having first come to market in 2005, when Christie’s sold it on behalf of the original owner for US$777,6000, all fees included. It is now being sold by the collector who bought it in 2005, meaning the watch has had only two owners in its almost 50-year life.

The 2499, produced in 1971 according to the archive extract, is estimated at HK$12.0m to HK$18.0m, or US$1.50m to US$2.25m.

Exhibition and auction details

Sotheby’s Hong Kong watch auction takes place on October 2, 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai. All lots will be exhibited prior to the auction from September 28 to October 1, at the same location.

The full catalogue is available online here.

This was brought to you in collaboration with Sotheby’s.

While not as well known amongst watch enthusiasts as their cousins made by fellow Japanese watchmaker Seiko, Citizen’s dive watches have exemplary pedigree, being recent or current military issue to divers in the Italian, French and British navies. The model most often encountered is the Promaster ref. NY004, a robust, no-frills diver with an automatic movement and a crown at eight o’clock.

With Citizen’s emphasis on solar-powered watches, the NY004 was discontinued several years ago; the professional-spec dive watches in its current catalogue are all quartz. But the automatic diver has just been resurrected as a limited edition for Asia as the Promaster ref. NY008.

The Promaster Asia Limited edition NY008 retains the same 42mm steel case with a mineral crystal, serrated bezel and cal. 8203 automatic movement.

And the depth rating remains 200m, although COMSUBIN, the Italian navy’s commando frogman unit, tested the NY004 to 500m before clearing it for use. The unit’s issued watches are thus marked “Marina Militare” and “500m”. Having the same case, the Asia edition should presumably withstand similar pressure.

The Asia edition case back features a lightly engraved pufferfish, or fugu in Japanese

But the dial has been designed, taking inspiration from Citizen’s signature analogue-digital JP2000 dive watch, with luminous baton markers replacing the spheres on the original. The hands have also been enlarged, with the minute hand outlined in red to distinguish it from the hour hand.

Five versions of the NY008 are available, each limited to 1000 pieces and available across Asia. The line-up includes two known versions of the Citizen diver, one with an entirely luminous dial (NY0080-12X), and another with a red and blue “Pepsi” bezel (NY0088-11E).

Additionally, two 500-piece runs will be available in specific markets. Singapore and Malaysia gets a version with a gold-plated case, green bezel and brown dial (NY0082-17X), while Thailand’s edition has a steel case with green bezel (NY0089-18E).

The Singapore-Malaysia edition at top right

Price and availability 

Available at retailers around Asia, the Promaster Asia Limited Edition divers start at S$455, or RM1340, including local taxes. That’s equivalent to US$330.

After a few more restrained recent outings, MB&F has returned to outer space with the Horological Machine No. 9 (HM9). The coolest Horological Machine of late, the HM9 is reminiscent of the HM4 “Thunderbolt”, a resemblance perhaps driven in part by the HM4’s desirability on the secondary market.

Like many “machines”, the HM9 is a sleek, sculptural timepiece powered by a movement made to the case, giving it a delta-shaped form. But the movement is also one of the most complicated to be found in a Horological Machine, not merely because of its form but the fact that it’s regulated by twin balance wheels linked by a differential.

Like many of MB&F’s other Horological Machines, the HM9 is a driver’s watch, with the time shown on a vertical face, allowing the watch to be read with one’s hands on a steering wheel. But more importantly it is an artful blend of the twin philosophies that shape each of MB&F’s model lines. While the form and style is vintage Horological Machine, the movement takes inspiration from the Legacy Machine 2 (LM2).

“We cut our teeth for four years with LM2 and the double balance wheels,” says founder Maximilian Büsser, “And in parallel spent 10 years creating the most insane case designs [for the HMs].”

The “engine”

The LM2, introduced in 2013, was MB&F’s first foray into double regulators. While the HM9 shares the same oversized balance wheels and barrel of the LM2, its movement is entirely new, developed from the ground up by MB&F’s in-house constructor, Guillaume Thévenin, over three years.

As in the LM2, the two balance wheels – free-sprung, adjustable mass balances – are linked by a planetary differential, which averages the rate of both balance wheels, each of which sits under a sapphire porthole.

But the HM9 also borrows some of the fine finishing from the LM2. Visible through the sapphire windows are the rounded, polished steel bridges for the balance wheels. The base of each bridge is circular grained on top, while being bevelled and polished on its edges.

Glimpses of the rest of the movement are visible through the windows on the top and bottom of the case, but the thick, curved sapphire crystals slightly distort the view. Despite being mostly hidden, the rest of the movement is equally decorated, including polished countersinks for the largest jewels, a black polished, shuriken-shaped barrel bridge, as well as Geneva stripes on the main bridge.

The movement is powered by a single barrel that gives the movement a 45-hour power reserve. In its entirety the calibre has a 301-piece part count, including 44 jewels. By comparison, the conventionally constructed LM2 movement is made up of just 241 parts, with also 44 jewels.

A good deal of the added complexity is a consequence of the vertical time display. Bevel gears, essentially a pair of wheels with angled teeth that mesh perpendicular to each other, are required to translate the horizontal motion of the movement gears into the time display that’s indicated on a small dial on the front of the watch.

Image – MB&F

And the “fuselage”

The movement sits inside an impressively formed titanium case that’s large – measuring 47mm wide and 57mm long (and 23mm high at its peak) – but lightweight and also surprisingly wearable, thanks to short lugs that sit on the underside of the case.

Sleekly formed and almost aerodynamic in shape, the case is made up of 44 components, but is visually comprised of three distinct segments. Two pods on each flank contain each of the balance wheels, while the central section indicates the time on the front end, with the winding crown on the opposite end.

The contrasting polished and brushed surfaces of the case are impressively executed, especially given the form of the case, and no doubt required exceptional dexterity on the part of the specialist responsible for its finishing (named as Aurélien Bouchet of AB Product).

While the upper surfaces of the case are linearly brushed, the underside is mirror polished.

Despite the fantastical form of the case, it is water-resistant to 30m, sealed by a “patented three-dimensional gasket”, a one-piece O-ring on two planes.

The gasket. Image – MB&F

And installed in the case. Image – MB&F

While two versions of the watch are available, both share exactly the same titanium case. Where they differ are the dials – aviator- or speedometer-style – and the movement finish, either dark grey or rose gold.

Nicknamed “Air”, the first version has a dial modelled on Second World War German airforce navigators’ watches, known as beobachtungsuhr, or B-uhr, with a distinctive triangle as the 12 o’clock marker. The HM4 featured a similar dial, and here it’s an obvious pair with the grey movement finish.

The “Road” edition, on the other hand, channels the retro-automobile feel found on other MB&F watches. The dial takes its cues from a vintage speedometer, while the movement has a rose gold-plated finish. It’s an attractive combination, with also greater contrast between case and movement.

Price and availability 

The HM9 Flow is limited to 33 pieces in each style, priced at SFr168,000 or US$182,000, before taxes. In Singapore it retails for S$258,100.

Sotheby’s expansive Hong Kong watch auction takes place in just under two weeks, and typical of sales in the city is replete with high-end modern timepieces from the big names, including an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak skeleton tourbillon and Lange Handwerkskunst – and also the one-off Rolex Daytona “Zenith” in platinum.

But beyond complications the line-up also includes what would be labelled metiers d’art watches, the sort featuring artisanal decoration, including a delicate, miniature enamel Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, as well as a one-off Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts pocket watch.

Here’s a look at a handful of picks from the assortment in the sale (we covered the highlights from independent watchmakers last week). The full catalogue can be seen here.

Lot 2117 – Patek Philippe ref. 5959P rattrapante

The Patek Philippe ref. 5959P is almost tiny, just 33mm in diameter. For that reason it’s never been particularly popular, despite the gorgeous CHR 27-525 PS movement inside. Consequently, relative to what equivalent models now cost, the ref. 5959P represents as good value as a six-figure watch can.

Launched in 2005, the ref. 5959P was modelled on a 1923 wristwatch, which Sotheby’s sold for almost US$3m in 2014. The ref. 5959 is almost a dead ringer for the vintage model, right down to the unusual 60-minute counter and even the construction of the movement, which was a Victoria Piguet ebauche in the original.

It’s a single button split-seconds chronograph, with one button for start, stop and reset, and another for the split timing.

The calibre is the second-thinnest split-seconds on the market (after the Vacheron Constantin cal. 3500), but it is surely the most compact, with all the mechanical magnificence inside squeezed into a diameter of 27.3mm and thickness of 5.25mm.

The dial is lacquered white, with black Breguet numerals and spade-style hands.  The ref. 5959 has since been discontinued and replaced by the larger ref. 5950.

This example has all the original boxes and papers, which are dated 2011, and is estimated at HK$1.8m to HK$2.4m, or US$230,000 to US$306,000.

Lot 2211 – Patek Philippe Chiming Jump Hour “175th Anniversary” ref. 5275P

Part of the 175th anniversary commemorative collection, the ref. 5275P is one of the most unusual watches Patek Philippe has made in recent years. In fact, it was arguably the most interesting watch in the 175th anniversary collection because of its intriguing complications.

Most notably, it has a triple jumping time display. The hours are shown on a jumping disc, the minute hand ticks forward in one-minute steps (even when setting the watch), and the seconds is a deadbeat seconds. And it also strikes a single chime at the top of every hour, simultaneous with the hour disc jump; the chiming function can be turned off via a slide on the left side of the case.

It’s powered by the cal. 32-650 HGS PS, a movement produced in a one-off run just for this model. Not only are its complications unusual, so is the material used for the jumping seconds mechanism. The lever and wheel are made of Silinvar, which is silicon with an oxide outer layer to protect it from ambient temperature changes. It’s was the first, and so far only, instance Patek Philippe used silicon for anything but the escapement.

Unfortunately the movement is hidden behind a solid case back, though there is also much to admire on the case and dial. All outside surfaces of the case are covered in ornate hand engraving, as are the silvered, solid gold dial and even the folding clasp.

The case is made of platinum, and a sizeable 39.8mm wide and 47.4mm, giving it significant presence on the wrist.

This was limited to just 175 pieces, and is accompanied here by its original packaging and documentation. The estimate is HK$2.8m to HK$4.8m, or US$357,000 to US$615,000. The low estimate is approximately the original retail price, which means with fees the watch will sell for above retail, which is typical for something like this.

Lot 2230 – Lange 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar

A. Lange & Söhne is highly regarded for its spectacular chronograph movements, most obviously with the Datograph and more recently with the Triple Split. The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar tends to go under the radar (though last year’s Handwerkskunst edition gave it a boost), despite being a highly complex watch with a chronograph construction inspired by the Tourbograph. And for that reason, it’s compelling from a value perspective.

This is the platinum version of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, featuring blued steel hands, a rare feature on complication Lange watches. And like all 1815 models the dial layout is traditional, drawing heavily on vintage pocket watches.

Inside is the cal. L101.1, a surprisingly slim movement despite the perpetual calendar and split-seconds chronograph, allowing the case to be just under 15mm high. That’s in part due to the wider and flatter chronograph levers, an idea first utilising in the Tourbograph.

The watch is complete with original boxes and papers, and has an estimate of HK$600,000 to HK$1m, or US$76,500 to US$128,000.

Lot 2233 – Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst

Introduced in 2013 as a tiny run of just 15 pieces – this is numbered “10/15” – the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst was the second in the Handwerkskunst series. It’s essentially a heavily decorated version of the most complication Lange 1, which combines a smartly constructed perpetual calendar mechanism that manages to retain the classic styling of the Lange 1, as well as a tourbillon only partially visible from the case back.

Handwerkskunst is German for “artisanal craft”, and the watches are suitably decorated. Here the dial is made of solid gold, and hand engraved with curlicues in relief as well as a fine tremblage graining. And in a lyrical touch, the numerals of the oversized date display are hand-painted in bright blue.

The decoration on the back echoes that on the dial, with similar engraved on the movement and cocks for the tourbillon. And instead of the usual striping, the German silver bridges have a fine radial graining, so as not to draw attention away from the engraving.

The case is platinum with a diameter of 42mm, giving the watch significant heft.

The watch is accompanied by its original and very large box, as well as paperwork and accessories. It has an estimate of HK$1.2m to HK$2.8m, or US$153,000 to US$357,000.

Lot 2238 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso ‘Chemin De La Vérité’ miniature enamel

Jaeger-LeCoultre was one of the first watchmakers to do enamelling in-house when Hungarian enameller Miklos Merczel set up his workshop in 1996, specialising in miniature enamel.

This Reverso Grande Taille is one example of JLC’s fine miniature enamelling. Titled Chemin De La Vérité, or “Path of Truth”, it depicts in exquisite detail a pair of monks holding candles lighting up the darkness.

The Grande Taille size case, which is 26mm wide, is in 18k yellow gold. And like many enamelled Reverso watches of the period, the dial is also fired enamel, with the hour numerals in an Art Nouveau, Chinese calligraphy-inspired font.

The example is numbered “3/8” and dates from the early 2000s. It’s complete with box and papers, and has an estimate of HK$100,000 to HK$180,000, or US$12,800 to US$23,000.

Lot 2248 – Patek Philippe Calatrava Cloisonne “Horse” ref. 5075G 

The Calatrava ref. 5075 was produced only from 2000 to 2004, and is one of the simplest cases Patek Philippe ever made, with no bezel and straight lugs that flow seamlessly into the case. That’s because the case was a mere canvas for the dial decoration, with the ref. 5075 having been offered with a variety of enamel dials, most frequently executed in cloisonné. According to Sotheby’s only about 250 examples of the ref. 5075 were made.

This watch was introduced in 2002 for the Chinese Year of the Horse, as part of a set of four watches, each depicting a single horse from a Qing Dynasty cloisonné bowl decorated with horses. Three sets were produced, with at least two having been split into their component watches.

The dial is executed in cloisonné enamel, with thin gold wires forming the outline of the motif. The work is exceptionally fine and delicately rendered.

The white gold case is 36mm in diameter, with an display back revealing the cal. 240 inside.

The watch is complete with the box and certificate, and is estimated at HK$400,000 to HK$600,000, or US$51,000 to US$76,500.

Lot 2310 – Panerai Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Titanio PAM00315

For a brief few years Panerai produced a variety of tourbillon watches, most sharing the same discreet aesthetic of a hidden tourbillon. And because highly complicated watches are not synonymous with Panerai, its tourbillon watches tend to be strong value proportions on the auction circuit.

This is one such example, a Radiomir with a second time zone indicator and tourbillon visible on the back. It is powered by the hand-wound P.2005 movement that has a six-day power reserve.

The only indication on the front of the tourbillon is a rotating disc with a dot inside the sub-dial at nine o’clock, which is linked to the tourbillon regulator. And the tourbillon is no ordinary tourbillon, as it rotates on an axis perpendicular to the balance wheel, like a barbecue spit.

An arrow-tipped GMT hand indicates a second time zone, in sync with the day and night indicator at three o’clock.

The case is a large 48mm in diameter, but being in titanium is relatively lightweight.

This is 48 of a limited edition of 125 pieces, and is complete with the original packaging. The estimate is HK$280,000 to HK$400,000, or US$35,700 to US$51,000.

Lot 2320 – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin 40th Anniversary

Launched in 2012 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak, this was a limited edition of just 40 pieces, featuring an open-worked movement and a platinum case and bracelet. Subsequently variations of this model were either in steel, or had solid dials.

The watch is expectedly, and impressively, weighty, bearing all the gorgeous detailing typical of the Royal Oak. Though this watch has been worn, it shows only minor wear, and still retains the original factory finish on the case and bracelet.

The hand-wound cal. 2924 is skeletonised in a geometric manner, with clean, circular forms for the bridges, and is also characterised by the distinctive three-armed tourbillon carriage of Renaud & Papi. And unlike earlier generation Royal Oak tourbillons that had a finicky crown on the case back, this has a conventional crown at three.

This watch is accompanied by the boxes and paperwork, carrying an estimate of HK$1.0m to HK$2.0m, or US$128,000 to US$255,000.

Lot 2382 – Patek Philippe ref. 5029P minute repeater

One of the most beautiful contemporary Patek Philippe minute repeaters, the ref. 5029 was a limited edition of just 30 watches, with 10 each in yellow and pink gold, as well as platinum. It was unveiled in 1997 to mark the opening of Patek Philippe’s factory in the Geneva suburb of Plan-les-Ouates that same year.

This example is in platinum, with a black dial featuring applied Breguet numerals. Produced by now retired master case maker Jean-Pierre Hagmann, the artfully constructed case has a hunter back, with the hinge smartly integrated into the crown guards. It’s a smallish 35mm, but beautifully proportioned.

Under the hinged back is a sapphire window that shows off the self-winding cal. R 27 PS.

This watch is in unused condition, with the protective blue paint still on the case back. It’s complete with all original accessories, including the commemorative medallion for the factory opening. The estimate is HK$3.5m to HK$5.0m, or US$446,000 to US$640,000.

Lot 2408 – Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts ‘Japanese Cherry’ ref. 982/159G pocket watch

This is a unique piece that was a flagship model of the Rare Handcrafts collection presented in 2015, featuring a Japanese-inspired motif in enamel. The 18k white gold case has a case back decorated in pale pink enamel, depicting a Japanese cherry tree with red enamel cherries on a hand-engraved branch.

The hand-engraving continues onto the bow of the pocket watch, which is finished with a bark-like surface.

The dial is also pink enamel to match the back, and has applied, solid gold Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands.

Inside is the cal. 17”’ LEP RS IRM movement, a slim pocket watch movement that Patek Philippe has been producing for decades, though now only in tiny numbers. The graceful layout of the bridges and snail cam regulator attest to its mid 20th century origins.

The pocket watch is accompanied all original accessories, including boxes, paperwork, 18k white gold chain, stand in 18k white gold and lacquer, as well as a wood travelling box. It’s estimated at HK$1.8m to HK$3.0m, or US$230,000 to US$383,000.

Exhibition and auction details

Sotheby’s Hong Kong watch auction takes place on October 2, 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai. All lots will be exhibited prior to the auction from September 28 to October 1, at the same location.

The full catalogue is available online here.

This was brought to you in collaboration with Sotheby’s.

Panerai’s latest trio of watches share the power reserve function, in-house movements, and the classic 44mm Luminor case rated to 300m. Two have the conventional crown and a power reserve on the dial, while the third is a left-handed, or destro, watch with the power reserve display on the back.

The first is the Luminor 8 Days Power Reserve Acciaio (PAM00795) that’s in stainless steel with a black “sandwich” dial and beige Super-Luminova. It’s powered by the cal. P.5002, a hand-wound calibre with the power reserve indicator in between four and five o’clock. The case back is solid and screw-down.

Notably, the power reserve hand is tipped with an arrowhead, a detail drawn from the earliest contemporary Panerai models, namely the Luminor PAM 27 and PAM 28 from the “A-series” of 1998.

The Luminor 8 Days Power Reserve Titanio (PAM00797) is essentially identical, save for the brushed titanium case and dark brown dial.

And then there’s the Luminor Left-Handed 8 Days Acciaio (PAM00796), which is the most affordable of the trio by a small margin, and also the most modern looking thanks to the touch of blue on the dial. It has the crown on the left side of the steel case, and the P.5001 movement inside.

This has a display back that reveals the movement, which has a power reserve display on the three-quarter plate indicated by a more conventional baton-shaped hand.

All three watches are delivered on leather straps but accompanied by an additional rubber strap.

Price and availability 

The Luminor 8 Days Power Reserve Acciaio (PAM 795) is priced at US$7000, while the Luminor 8 Days Power Reserve Titanio (PAM 797) is US$7400. And the destro Luminor Left-Handed 8 Days Acciaio (PAM 796) is US$6900.

In Singapore, they are priced at S$10,000, S$10,600 and S$9800 respectively. All three are already available at Panerai boutiques and retailers.