In collaboration with Kaplans
9 favourites from Kaplans' Important Watches on 6 May
The auction house Christie’s in Geneva held an auction for ”important watches” this week and the auction results show that Rolex continues to be more than red hot.
Text/Photo: Aleksandar Mladenovic
On Saturday 6/5 starting at 13:00, 106 lots will be hammered at Kaplans "Important Watches" or Klockkvaliten. The spring catalogue contains as usual many interesting lots. We at Eqotime have picked out 9 favourites that we thought were a little extra exciting.
The viewing ahead of Klockkvaliten opens on Wednesday 3/5 at 10:00 and Kaplans Auktioner have an open viewing, so we encourage curious readers to visit them at Biblioteksgatan 5 in Stockholm.
Eqotime has in collaboration with Kaplans taken a closer look at 9 favourites from the auction. It will be a mix between playful watches, classic chronographs and a Rolex Daytona with "tropical" elements.
Auction number 5 - Gerald Genta Octagonal "Mickey Mouse"
Gerald Genta designed many watches with cult status during his time. Under his own name he created slightly more playful watches now and then such as this watch. Octagonal case in yellow gold, mother of pearl dial and Mickey Mouse as the motif where the arms indicate hour and minute.
These watches have become ever more popular in recent years, above all those with jump hour and retrograde minutes, and this lot was one of those that we fell for immediately.
The estimate is 27,000 kr and you can read more about the lot here
Auction number 14 - Breguet Type XX Aèronavale
Breguet are known for their elegant watches in precious metal with fine details and dials with guilloche patterns. But they can make sporty chronographs too and this Type XX Aèronavale is a receipt of that.
The watch is from the end of the 90s and has a well balanced case of 39mm where a Lemania calibre 582 with flyback function is the engine. The original model was manufactured in the 1950s for the French army but in the 90s this civilian version was launched.
Auction number 17 - Patek Philippe Neptune 5080/1JA-001
A slightly odd bird from Patek Philippe's catalogue in the 1990s. The Neptune was meant to be the bridge between their dressy watches and their sports models. This is a typical watch that you either love or hate. We on the editorial team dig it. Rock hard.
The execution in gold and steel feels entirely right for the model and the bracelet, which is inspired by fish scales, is incredibly comfortable to wear.
Auction number 46 - Heuer Monaco cal. 11
One of the most legendary watches Heuer has manufactured. Worn by among others Steve McQueen and a true classic. The model was introduced in 1969 and has the somewhat legendary caliber 11 under the hood, one of the first (or the first depending on who you ask) automatic chronograph movements.
The execution on this lot is exactly the same as the one Steve McQueen wore in the cult film "Le Mans". Blue dial with white registers and red details. The charming original bracelet is also in place.
The estimate for auction number 46 is 62,000kr and you can read more about the lot here.
Auction number 62 - Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5270G
If there is a Patek Philippe with perpetual calendar in the catalogue at Kaplans then it has become custom that we at Eqotime include it. Previously it has been slightly older variants (3970J) but this time we have a modern version in white gold among our favourites.
Reference 5270 is actually a little special since it is the first perpetual calendar with chronograph that has an in-house movement. Patek Philippe has after all a solid history of manufacturing perpetual calendars with chronograph but then usually with base movements from Lemania. What is a little extra special about this particular configuration of the 5270G is that it was only produced for 2 years.
Auction number 78 - Cartier Tank Cintrée 100th anniversary
Cartier's Tank Cintrée has long been the model that has been hottest among collectors. In 2021 when the model celebrated 100 years a limited edition of 150 examples was launched.
The case in yellow gold has the long and elegant shape that so many have fallen in love with. Inside the watch ticks a manual movement from Cartier.
The estimate is set at 400,000kr and you can read more about the lot here.
Auction number 84 - Minerva Chronograph Valjoux 72
This Minerva from the mid 60s is such a lot that we felt deserved a bit of attention. Why then? Well partly because we at Eqotime are weak for this type of chronographs - steel, pleasant size of 36mm, blued hands, charming patina and of course the legendary Valjoux 72 movement.
The estimate is set at 21,000 kr and you can read more about the watch here.
Auction number 86 - Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5060SJ
Yet another slightly odd bird from Patek Philippe. But it is an ordinary Aquanaut, you are thinking? Almost. The reference 5060SJ is actually the forerunner to what we recognise as the Aquanaut today. The watch was namely not born with a rubber strap (even if a completely new one sits on it here). It was namely a transitional model between the Nautilus and later variants of the Aquanaut and it was delivered from the factory on a leather strap.
The model in gold was launched in 1996 (the 20 year anniversary of the Nautilus) and was in production a bit into the 00s. It shares its case (and also in this case dial) with the contemporary Nautilus ref. 3800. The following year the Aquanaut 5060A (steel) was released and it is that one which counts as the "official" first Aquanaut.
Clearly an interesting collector's item that you can read more about here.
Auction number 39 - Rolex Daytona 6239
Last out we have that "tropical" Daytona we mentioned in the introduction. But what do we actually mean by tropical? Well, this delicious Rolex Daytona ref. 6239 from the mid 60s has got brown subdials, it was born with black ones but with the ravages of time these have aged and got a brown tone. This phenomenon is called "tropical" in international collector language and usually commands a bigger premium than if the watch had not aged in this way. What is also interesting is that this reference was the first of the Daytona and was introduced in 1963 which then means that this year the model turns 60.
Read more about the watch here
Eqotime is as usual looking forward to the auction and believes in a strong result. You can take part of the whole catalogue at Kaplans Auktioner here and do not forget to visit the viewing of the auction from 3 May onwards, or why not visit the auction itself on Saturday starting at 13.00.
