Rare Cartier Desk Clocks to Be Offered by Bonhams on December 11th
Collectors of fine watches are eagerly awaiting Bonhams’ December 11 three-city simulcast auction, the Winter sale of Fine Watches and Wristwatches, set to begin at 5:00pm EDT. The auction will be held in the international auctioneer’s Madison Avenue salesrooms and simulcast to Bonhams & Butterfields’ Los Angeles and San Francisco galleries.
Inarguably the most highly anticipated aspect of the sale is the presentation of wristwatches from the renowned Clavius Collection. Assembled by a California collector and entrepreneur, the collection aptly derives its name from the celebrated mathematician, inventor and astronomer Christopher Clavius — the primary architect of the Gregorian calendar and the scholar responsible for standardization of modern time.
Bringing together some of the finest contemporary examples of refined craftsmanship and technical mastery in horology instruments, the pieces to be offered are, according to Bonhams specialists, all especially rich in grand complications and intricate artistic embellishment.
Quite possibly the most coveted piece from the collection – and the sale as a whole – is an extremely fine and important 18k rose gold Westminster Carillon wristwatch by Girard-Perregaux. To be offered along with its fitted presentation box, setting pin, key, original certificate of authenticity and hardback two-volume instruction book, the exceptional piece could fetch as much as $150,000.
The rhodium-plated minute-repeating wristwatch features a visible one-minute tourbillon regulator under three bridges and a tourbillon carriage of the type designed by Ernest Guinand.
The watch’s perpetual calendar with leap year indication boasts a cream dial with gold faceted dagger hour markers and subsidiary dials with outer gilt ring for date, day of the week, and month. Its brushed and polished case is highlighted by a glazed exhibition back held by sapphire crystals and its fitted maker’s leather strap is secured with an 18k rose gold folding clasp.
Also exciting from the collection is the complete series of three very fine and rare platinum astronomical wristwatches by Ulysse Nardin. Comprising the “Astrolabium Galileo Galilei,” the “Planetarium Copernicus,” and the “Tellurium Johannes Kepler,” the trio claims a number of impressive features.
The “Galileo Galilei” watch is identified by its distinctive sun hand indicating solar hour, sunrise, sunset, dawn, dusk, month and zodiac sign. Its moon hand indicates moonrise, moonset and phases of the moon. The “Tellurium Johannes Kepler” watch is known for its rotating enameled center dial (depicting the Northern hemisphere). Its flexible wire spring divides night and day and indicates the changing length of day throughout the year. Rounding out the group, the “Planetarium Copernicus” possesses a dial composed of six black steel rings, each featuring a planet rotating around the sun — which is represented by the center of the watch. An outer ring is calibrated for monthly and annual Zodiac rotations. Presented with a fitted Ulysse Nardin/Scatola del Tempo winding box, tool kit, certificates, swing tags and instruction books, the three-watch set is estimated at $80/100,000.
Another lot from the Clavius Collection – an extremely fine and important platinum automatic minute repeating bracelet watch by IWC – is also expected to perform quite well. With a square button chronograph, secular perpetual calendar, moon phases, and apertures for the four-digit year, the lot is likely to spark competitive bidding. Offered with a fitted maker’s platinum bracelet with double folding clasp, a fitted secure box, outer card, gloves, polishing cloths, hard backed instruction book and guarantee booklet, the piece carries an estimate of $60/80,000.
Of interest to collectors will be a rare 18k gold Patek Philippe watch. Featuring automatic movement adjusted to heat and cold, the watch is described as aesthetically pleasing, with its white enamel Roman numeral dial, Arabic outer dial with 5-minute divisions, and apertures for day, leap year, week and moon phases. Offered with a fitted box, papers, a spare strap and case, the watch could bring as much as $60,000.
Also by Patek Phillipe is an 18k gold watch, Ref. 130. It is estimated at $40/60,000 featuring a silvered dial with applied gilt Breguet numerals and polished case with snap on back, presented with a fitted associated leather strap and case.
A 1960s “Pre-Daytona” 14k gold chronograph bracelet watch from Rolex will go to the auction block as well. Its silvered dial with applied faceted baton hour markers, luminous dots and hands, and polished case make for a stately piece. With its fitted maker’s bracelet, spare links and case, the lot carries an estimate of $40/60,000.
Two rare Cartier desk clocks are also sure to entice bidders. Coming to auction will be an exceptional French Art Deco rock crystal clock featuring Chinoiserie motif dial inlay with abalone shell mother-of-pearl depictions of celestial observers and rose-cut diamonds, set in its original case. This exceptionally rare piece is estimated at $8/12,000. Also, a fine miniature 18k gold French Art Deco keyless “Prisma” desk clock will be presented. Offered along with its original circa 1960s fitted leather traveling case, this lot is estimated at $7/9,000.
The illustrated auction catalog will be online for review and purchase in the weeks preceding the sale at www.bonhams.com/us. Previews open at Bonhams & Butterfields in the San Francisco gallery on Dec. 2-3 and at Bonhams NY on December 6th, continuing daily until the auction.
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