Watches by Patek Philippe dominated sales at GWS Auctions’ Luxury Timepieces and Master Jewelry Pieces auction in January. Top of the auction list at the California event was a Gubelin Travel Time Limited Edition 150th Anniversary 18K Yellow Gold watch, one of only 50 made. This ultra-rare wrist watch features a solid 18k yellow gold 38mm case with large crown and push buttons, see-through sapphire exhibition case back, Swiss handmade manual wind movement with two...
Personalisation may feel more commonplace than ever these days—everyone seems to have an embossed iPhone case or Goyard tote, and meddle with another’s Spotify or Netflix playlist at their own peril. Watches too, are now objects of self-expression, with engraved case backs now giving way to personalised internal bridges and mainplates. For the London-based high jewellery watchmaker Backes & Strauss, however, bespoke has always meant something more rarefied and unique. As the world’s oldest diamond...
Luxury watch companies must adapt to changes in consumer behaviour or run the risk of becoming irrelevant—Arts & Collections investigates this lucrative industry. The concept of the wristwatch came into fruition during World War I; they were originally worn by soldiers as a convenient and practical way to time-keep. Since then, this horological device has reached a ubiquitous status. It has gradually morphed into a lavish accessory, admired not just for its capabilities in telling...
Geared towards introducing new models and future trends within the watch and jewellery industries, Baselworld keeps its crown as the key event for timepiece aficionados. Every year, exhibitors, affluent collectors, retailers and members of the press gather in the Swiss city of Basel to view and display the latest ware in the ever-growing watch industry. But Baselworld isn’t just another watch and jewellery show. Here, even the simplest entry-level pieces can cost thousands of pounds...
Over thousands of years, horology has developed from a primal undertaking into an artisanal craft. Read about the history of horology and how—over the course of time—it has become a unique art form. Time: A human infatuation Time is the only constant. Over the course of history, humankind has always been absorbed by it. The passing of time denotes change. And change, like time, is inevitable. The hourglass, one of the earliest timekeeping devices, is...
A KERBEDANZ world premiere in a limited edition of 99 pieces, introducing Maximus: The world’s largest tourbillon cage at 27 millimetres across. An unusual timepiece that breaks the mould, the Maximus masterpiece of horological micromechanics was introduced to the media and all the world’s buyers at the end of March at the Baselworld trade fair. With its 27-millimetre cage, which is almost twice the size of the largest one known to date, the biggest wristwatch with...
Geared towards introducing new models and future trends within the watch industry, Baselworld keeps its crown as the key event for timepiece aficionados. This year’s show—which is now in its 101st edition—proved that the watchmaking industry is showing signs of improvement. In terms of attendance, it saw around eight percent more visitors over the first few days compared to last year. As is the case every year, Baselworld was yet again the epicentre of the...
Every year, Christie’s gathers horology experts and connoisseurs from far and wide to marvel at the stunning collectables at their watch auction in Dubai. It has been confirmed that Christie’s will auction King Farouk’s watch as part of the ostentatious event: the Patek Philippe Reference 1518 wristwatch. The British auction house will offer the personalised timepiece, formerly owned by King Farouk of Egypt and Sudan—who was also the great grandson of Muhammed Ali of Egypt—in...
Sotheby’s London sells the ‘Space Travellers’ watch for £3.2 million, making George Daniels’ legendary timepiece the most valuable English watch in history. After 10 suspenseful minutes of competition between four bidders, the masterpiece of horology went to an anonymous bidder. Attendees at the Sotheby’s London auction were wowed by the showstopper as it beat its previous sale record of £1.3 million from back in 2012. George Daniels (1926–2011) was undoubtedly the most important horologist of the...
The idea to make a watch for space travellers was the brain-child of George Daniels—a watch that wouldn’t just record the time according to the sun, but also the time reckoned from the motion of the earth in relation to the distant stars. He called it the Space Traveller Watch, named in honour of the American moon landing in 1969. This watch is being sold at auction by Sotheby’s on 19 September. It represents the...
