Vintage and Modern Wristwatches For The Distinguished Gentleman

A small but perfectly formed collection of 60 fine vintage and modern wristwatches for the collector and connoisseur, ranging from £500 – 12,000, will be offered as part of Dreweatts & Bloomsbury auctions Wednesday 26th March sale of Fine Watches, Pens & Luxury Accessories. The auction, containing the most sought after of watchmaker brands, includes timepieces by Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Omega, Cartier, Bulgari, Franck Muller and Vacheron Constantin.

In the week that saw the British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, accept his first Oscar wearing a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions offer an opportunity to own an equally stylish vintage 18 carat gold Jaeger-LeCoultre, Master Control, 1000 Hours. Before being released to the outside world Jaeger-LeCoultre watches have to pass the 1000 Hours Control test. The rigorous tests ensure their watches are of the highest standard and the example offered in this auction, No. 0940, is no exception. The beautifully crafted piece, circa 2000, comes with original Jaeger-LeCoultre paperwork, and is estimated to sell for £4,000 – 6,000. [Lot 27]

A section of 19 Rolex watches includes the opportunity to own a very rare Rolex Chronograph wristwatch, circa 1940. Reference 2508, the 17 jewel Rolex chronograph valjoux movement makes this an extremely valuable and sought after example, estimated to sell for £8,000 -12,000. [Lot 51] A 2008 Rolex, Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 18 carat gold wristwatch is one of the most prestigious and elegant watches from the Rolex family. Made in only platinum or gold, this stunning timepiece carries an estimate of £7,000 – 9,000. [Lot 59] An example of the equally stylish 1988 Rolex, Oyster

Perpetual GMT-Master II ‘Tiger Stripe’ wristwatch, reference ref. 16718, no. R986068, is made with the serious business professional in mind, is estimated at a cool £4,000 – 6,000. In 18 carat gold the watch is sure fire head turner for the jet setting elite. [Lot 60]

Breitling Top Time watches came to public prominence through the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, which saw Bond wear a Breitling watch for the first and only time. Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions are offering a later 1970’s version of the Top Time, which is stylistically different but carries the same pedigree as the version that plays an influential part in Bond’s pursuit of the villain Emilio Largo, and makes its very last screen appearance in the underwater scene at the beginning of the films climax. Reference 2007/33, no. 12-2.4.18 a 1970 example of the Breitling, Top Time, gentleman’s stainless steel and chrome plated chronograph wristwatch comes complete with a three piece case and is estimated to sell for £1,000 – 1,500. [Lot 12]

The auction will be held at their Donnington Priory Saleroom in Newbury, Berkshire, with public viewing in the Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions London saleroom in the heart of Mayfair, from Monday 17th – Wednesday 19th March. Online bidding with no additional premium will be available via www.dreweatts.com