A Collected Man put itself on the map last year by setting a world record £5 million price for the sale of a Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie watch.
That sale, and the pre-owned specialist’s knack for securing extremely rare watches that command stratospheric prices, set the business on a growth path that could see it employing 25 people by the end of this year.
Low volume independent watchmakers are a particular niche for A Collected Man, a world that is largely inaccessible to all-but the most experienced collectors with very deep pockets.
That is something Silas Walton, the company’s founder, wants to put right by holding an auction for the first time.
Just five watches will be in the first sale, which takes place online next week from April 6 to 13.
The first auction, which Mr Walton describes as a “modest start to prove we can do it”, has somewhat more mainstream brands on the block, but each piece is carefully selected for rarity.
The five watches for the auction are:
Roger Dubuis Hommage Chronograph H40
Daniel Roth Tourbillon Yellow Gold
Cartier Tank à Guichets
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso – London edition (Number 1)
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Anniversary blue dial
The rare and exceptional watch market is constantly evolving, particularly in the pre-owned space, with demand continually outstripping supply.
Interest in watch collecting has soared in recent years, both among traditional collectors and by a new, younger and digitally-native generation of buyers.
A Collected Man wants to tap into this with a simple proposition where there will be a fixed rate of 15% to the seller with no hidden fees, and no buyer fee.
The hammer price is what the buyer pays.
“As buyers and collectors flock online, there is a clear gap in the market for a digital-first auction platform for exceptional watches that addresses a global audience. With this auction functionality, we are looking to build upon A Collected Man’s existing online presence and expertise to offer buyers and sellers the same curation, best-in-class customer service, and sense of discovery that can be found across our fixed-price sales,” Mr Walton says.
