Antiquorum: Last Auction Hero.
Within our number of reviews concerning the Geneva auction week, this is a subject about Antiquorum, an array of probably the most interesting pieces in various groups: modern, vintage, rare, horological & memorabilia.
LOT 44: an attractive clock fitted by having an art bronze, which signifies Cupid & Psyche.Focused on base made from yellow Marble, the sculpture is really a copy made following a 1850 work by Thomire…Equiped by having an 8 days clock, hrs and 30 minutes chime.Final cost: 5625 Chf, under-bidden for me, thinking about the apparent artistic and mechanical interest of the type of pieces…And certainly the very best cost/weight ratio from the purchase: the sculpture dimension is 71×48x19 centimetres, made from bronze and marble.
LOT 107: very funny, sign of the 60’s , a Jeager LeCoultre clock from 1955. The 15cm diameter situation consists of Perspex, an industrial kind of Plexiglass, the mechanism is really a Cal. 210 from JlC, one such quality for travel clock, by having an 8 days energy reserve. Designed at the outset of the 30′, it yields poor chronometric performances within the last times of reserve. The ultimate cost, 2125 chf, was over the market rates with this type of table clock.
LOT 119: within the same 60’s design, a tribute towards the old French rurality, a table clock of Jeager LeCoultre, 23cm across, run by an 8-days JlC 222.A tribute to French pastoralism: the permission to search granted to serfs throughout in france they revolution of 1789, was ruled by periods when shooting specific species was forbidden. It didn’t actually work really, wild existence being endangered in French country…The calendar shown on the dial presents for every month all of the the species that may legally be hunted.Final putting in a bid: 5000chf.

LOT 157: among the stars of the purchase, a Rolex watch 5517, is definitely an authentic military watch, area of the British SAS/SBS original gear.You are able to spot the famous broadsword hands, having a stated tritium fresh paint.It finally went for 134000chf.
LOT 206: An Egg-Clock, created from an amethyst block (9cm height), the top end rotates vis-a-vis the primary body, giving the approximate time. The mechanism doesn’t appear to become working, but anyway, this Egg Clock requires a renovating.The bottom is built-in paillonné and guilloché blue enamel. This can be a interesting and remarkably up-to-date work, should you think about the look.Last auction: 5625 chf.
For that eighty years anniversary festivities from the Jeager LeCoultre Reverso, Antiquorum has organized a thematic auction, with three dozen Reverso available.I’ve selected things i deem two of the most representational pieces:
LOT222: a girl Reverso 1931, 16×33mm, among the first sports watch ever.It really is small, even by today factory’s standards, making this watch a “should haveInch for just about any Reverso collector, particularly with a really attractive beginning cost of 3375chf.
LOT250: certainly one of my personal favorite contemporary model, the “Reverso Chronograph Retrograde”. Rather than located on the dial, the chronograph functions are installed on the mechanism side, the straightforward railways making the gold “cotes p Genève” simple to admire and keep the set functional. In rose gold, 26×42mm. Final bid: 15000chf.
LOT301: unusual and rarely observed in any auction, a man Ellia “Jumbo Chrono Carbon” chronograph, superb carbon finish and outstanding design, the complication plate (installed on a great Piguet 1185) originates from Agenhor, using the famous “elastic teeth gear” clearly visible around the dial.The appearance of the watch matches the Cyberpunk trend of those last 10 years, however is not outdated, unlike a number of other watches presented within the catalog.Regardless of its dimensions (50×14mm), this chrono does not look bulky, because of very short lugs, also it feels light around the wrist no matter its carbon-covered whitened-gold situation.It went for 26,000chf, up to 50 % of their retail cost… Lucky bidder.
LOT 451: Louis Audemars “La Russe II”, from 1880, it is a unique double timezone perpetual calendar (for Gregorian and Julian Calendars), with chronograph, moonphase and minute repeating.Probably the most complicated watch from the XIX century: many years to get pregnant and convey.Complete background and description around the Antiquorum catalog:
http://catalog.antiquorum.com/catalog.html”action=load&lotid=451&auctionid=250
Engraved around the bezel, “Fugit Irreparabile Tempus” (Time Past is Irretrievable), prophetic, as it is most likely the final masterpiece of Louis Audemars.Final Bid: 200,500chf , far underneath the fundamental worth of this watch, to become in comparison towards the millions bidden throughout exactly the same event on various other collectible, but much less interesting pieces when it comes to horological significance …
LOT 454: B-uhr Lange&S”hne, observer watch Probably the most exclusive title in German The watchmaking industry, has created watches for that Luftwaffe.Historic piece, a geniune war watch, but of little interest towards the enthusiasts , because it is the situation its Lange&S”hne productions, as well as a cyclopean diameter…55 mm, Radium dial, and super-lengthy leg-strap. Last bid: 10000chf.
Another pure-collector watch, the Rolex watch Explorer 2 1655 “Spade of Oman”, created in 1974 for Asprey, store specialized in the centre East market. More rare compared to 5517, however with no comparable historic interest. Final cost for that rarity: 110500chf.
LOT 549: The star from the auction, Breguet Silver Carriage clock, second phase from the Breguet production (meaning: following the dying of Abraham-Louis). Unusual (only 11 still exist…), using the following complications: Grande & Petite sonnerie striking & repeating, alarm, quadruple perpetual calendar, moon phase and equation of your time.
Final Bid: 200500 chf, same cost as “La Russe II” of Jules Audemars… You’ll have collected it, me applies to the “Russe II”…
Following a departure of Patrizzi, it appears the standard from the pieces along with the degree of the ultimate bids went below Sotheby and Christie’s standards, but without doubt Antiquorum will ultimately restore their original prestige.