Page 26 - joa-october-rev

By
Maxine Carter­Lome,
publisher

f time has value then the time is right for bidding on a pre-owned Roger Smith Pocket Watch
luxury timepiece, if you can afford it. Auction houses from Hong
IKong to Geneva, the U.K. and the United States have been setting British watchmaker
records in 2023 for unique timepieces from such venerated watchmakers Roger Smith’s completely
as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe, especially those with handmade Pocket Watch
provenance and a back story. Here is some timely news on record- Number Two hammered
breakers and timepieces of note at auction so far this year: for $4.9 million—the most
ever realized by a British
Patek Philippe North America Dial 2523J timepiece—at Phillips
New York Watch Auction
In May, Christie’s Hong in June. In case you’re
Kong brought to the auction unfamiliar: Roger Smith is
block one of the “holy grail” considered possibly the
watches for Patek Philippe col- most important watchmak-
lectors – the Ref. 2523 North er on Earth at the moment.
America Dial in yellow gold with This truly exceptional
a 24-hour indicator and cloison- work of horological art
né enamel dial depicting the took him five years to make completely by hand and was used to
North American map. Manu- impress watchmaker George Daniels into giving Smith an apprentice-
factured in 1955, there are only ship at his famed studio located at the Isle of Man. In 1998, after his
three examples known to exist. second try, he finally secured the position with this watch, after perfect-
Treated to a single-lot evening ing the 32 skills required to create a watch in “The Daniels Method.”
sale, the wristwatch eventually It worked. This watch is housed in a 66.5mm yellow gold case and fea-
fetched $8.5 million, nearly tures a perpetual calendar, a tourbillon, and a hand-wound movement
tripling its previous auction price with a spring detent escapement.
of $3 million in 2012.
Patek Philippe Sky Mo on Tourbillon
Paul Newman Rolex Daytonas
A Patek Philippe Sky Moon
Two Rolex Daytona watches that Tourbillon watch sold for $5.8
belonged to Paul Newman sold for million—the highest price ever
more than $1 million each (with paid for a timepiece in an online
buyer’s premium) at Sotheby’s auction—at Christie’s Top of
Important Watches auction in June. the Time online auction in
Newman received the stainless steel March. The rare watch, part of
Rolex Ref. 16520 Zenith Daytona in Patek’s Grand Complications series,
1995 after his team won the Rolex features 12 complications,
24 race at Daytona. The Oscar-win- including Cathedral minute
ning actor and race car driver repeating, tourbillon, side real
received his Rolex Daytona Ref. time, perpetual calendar, retro-
116519 as a gift from his wife, grade date, moon phases, Leap
Oscar-winning actress Joanne Year indication, sidereal time,
Woodward, and was inscribed sky chart, and phases and orbit of
“Drive Very Slowly – Jane” on the caseback. The circa 2006 white gold the moon. The watch face
automatic chronograph with black dial was the last of three known features a hand-made blue cloisonné and champlevé enamel dial and is
Rolexes Woodward gave as gifts to her husband and was the only gold encased in an 18-karat white gold hand-carved case that took craftsmen
Daytona watch Newman ever owned according to Sotheby’s. Just a more than 100 hours to make. The strap is made of crocodile skin.
month before Newman’s death, he took his final racing laps in his GT1 The watch was sold to an unnamed collector.
Corvette at Lime Rock Park, with this Daytona strapped to his wrist.

24 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles