With November’s watch auction season just weeks away, Monaco Legend Group – the Monaco-based auction house and private sales specialist led by industry stalwart Davide Parmegiani – kicked this off early over the weekend with a sale of rare and collectible timepieces.
Highlights included some unusual geometric designs from Cartier and Patek Philippe, as well as a selection of 10 Rolex and Patek Philippe double-signed Tiffany & Co dials.
One of Tiffany’s most brilliant and successful business strategies has been its joint-ventures with high-end Swiss watch manufacturers such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Longines, which began at the end of the 19th century.
So esteemed was its reputation as a reseller of wristwatches that Tiffany was allowed to place its signature on some dials.
Rolex and Tiffany’s collaboration is one of the most famous and ended at the beginning of the 21st century.
The retailer’s relationship with Patek Philippe, however — which goes back to 1851 when Tiffany became Patek’s first official partner in America — is still ongoing today.
Among the stunning pieces from Rolex, Patek and Cartier, there were also be some famous watch faces on the block – pieces from the personal collection of renowned watch connoisseur John Goldberger and some stars of Rolex books by Pucci Papaleo.
It was another auction, the new normal this year, where pre-sale estimates were designed to attract the broadest interest, but the results tended to come in around the mid-to-low end of those estimates.
One exception was a fresh to market Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 Paul Newman chronograph in steel with a gorgeous tropical brown “Oyster Sotto” dial, which had a pre-auction estimate of €1 to 2 million and hammered at €1.8 million.
Other the highlights of the weekend sale were:
Sold for €214,500.
Sold for €416,000.
Sold for €266,500.
Sold for €806,000.
Sold for €351,000.