Only Watch. Charity that has an effect.

Text:. Britta Rossander

So it is time again. This year is the ninth time the charity auction Only Watch will be carried out. It is 54 brands that are taking part with watches auctioned off in aid of research concerning Duchenne Muscular Dysrophy. An incurable disease with a fatal outcome that primarily strikes young boys. The auction is carried out under the patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II and on the initiative of Luc Pettavino, chairman of the Association Monégasque Contre les Myopathies. Eqotime’s Britta Rossander recounnts more about the background and this year’s edition.

Large contributions to the research

Luc Pettavino’s son was struck by the disease and the despairing father could not do anything that could cure him. But being the driven event maker with superb contacts within the watch industry that he was, he created Only Watch and ”all” the heavyweight brands wanted to take part and donate a unique watch. Now we are into the ninth edition and the names of the 54 brands taking part were revealed last week.   

The combination of the watch manufacturers’ generosity, the international press spreading the project and the collectors who bid for the watches has been successful. The watches have been auctioned off for astronomical sums. So far they have managed to collect over 70 million euros.

The money has made it possible for researchers to dive into the heart of the cells to gain knowledge about genetic diseases. And in that way better understand the dysfunctions they bring with them. They also mean that they have been able to start the long process required to be able to correct what is wrong and find therapies and develop techniques for treatment and prevention.

The researchers who work for the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies have come so far that they are now preparing a first clinical trial next year with the hope of being able to change the lives of thousands of young people. So the work has certainly come a long way since the first edition of Only Watch, which was carreid out in 2005.

Tour

From the beginning it was Pettavino’s good friend Osvaldo Patrizzi with his Antiquorum who arranged the auctions but since he was manoeuvred out of his life’s work (started in 1974) it has for several years been Christie’s who is responsible for the auction. During the weeks before the auction all the watches will be presented to the public, the press and collectors during a tour that starts on 22 September at the Monaco Yacht Show and ends in Geneva on 6 November.

The timetable looks as follows:

Monaco: 22-25 September – Monaco Yacht Show
Dubai: 30 September – 3 October – Christie’s
Tokyo: 8-10 October – Christie’s
Singapore: 15-20 October – Malmaison by the Hour Glass
Hong Kong: 25-28 October – Christie’s
Geneva: 4-6 November – Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues
The auction is carried out on 6: November 2021 starting at 14:00 at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues.

Everyone is taking part

The list of watch brands taking part in Only Watch (along with the names of collaboration partners) is:

Akriva, Andersen Genève & Edward Sexton, Armin Strom, Artya & John Mc Laughlin,  Atelierde Chronometerie,  Audemars Piguet, Baltic, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Boucheron, Bovet 1822, Breguet, Bvlgari, Carl F. Bucherer, Chanel, Charles Girardier, Chopard, Cyrus Geneve, Czapek Genève, D. Candaux & Saturno, De Bethune & Voutilainen, F.P. Journe &Francis Ford Coppola, Faberge, Frederique Constant, Girard Perregaux & Bamford Watch Department, H.Moser & Cie, Hermès, Hublot, Jacob & Co, Jaquet Droz, Konstantin Chaykin, Karayn, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Mionet, Louis Vuitton, Ludovic Ballouard, Maurice Lacroix, MB & F, Montblanc, Moritz, Grossman, Patek Philippe, Perrelet, Rebellion Timepieces, Reservoir, Richard Mille, Roman Gauthier, Speake-Marin, Tag Heuer, Trioble & Daniel Buren, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin, Urwerk, Zenith & Felipe Pantone

The brands try to tear at their hair to create something quite extra for the auction. This is for example how Louis Vuitton describes its contribution:

– For 2021 edition, Louis Vuitton unveils a new version of the Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon, the latest addition to the Tambour collection, in shades of warm and vivid orange. This timepiece pays tribute to the traditional and exceptional craftsmanship of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.