Phillips Watches to Auction the Unique A. Lange & Söhne 1815 ‘Homage To Walter Lange’ in Steel

In early 2017, during the SIHH, Walter Lange, the founder of A. Lange & Söhne and a direct descendant of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, who founded the company on 7 December 1845, sadly passed away. In order to pay tribute to this humble and charming man, the company decided to create a homage watch, just the way he wanted (a watch that Walter Lange always dreamed of, without seeing it being made… until now). Available to the public in the 3 colours of gold, one additional piece has been created, in stainless steel. And this steel A. Lange & Söhne 1815 ‘Homage To Walter Lange’ will be auctioned by Phillips Watches in May 2018.

7 years ago

Recap – The 5 Highlights of the Watchmaking Industry in 2017

As 2017 is coming to an end, and before the new horological season starts with the SIHH (as of January 15th, 2018), we thought it was important for you to understand what happened this year in the watchmaking industry. The idea here isn’t to focus on watches, we’ll have another recap article for that. In all fairness, 2017 has been an eventful year. From the game of musical chairs at Richemont to the comeback of growth, let’s make a throwback to the highlights of the watchmaking industry in 2017.

7 years ago

The Speedmaster Chronicles #4 – Aurel Bacs, Auctioneer at Phillips Watches

The former-NASA engineer who certified the Speedmaster, the journalist turned watch-designer who initiated “Speedy Tuesday”, a seasoned Speedy collector… What could have been the next step when it comes to the Omega Speedmaster? At a certain point, when you look at such an iconic watch, you have to talk auctions and markets. So no shortcuts, we asked renowned auctioneer Aurel Bacs from Phillips Watches to join us and talk about the Speedmaster. And the best surprise was that not only he talked about his professional view on this piece of history, but this movie ended up to be much more personal than expected. Please meet Aurel and his personal Omega Speedmaster.

7 years ago

NEWS – Phillips Sells the Omega Tourbillon 30 I, One Of The First Tourbillon Wristwatches Ever, For a Monumental CHF 1,428,500 (Most Expensive Omega Ever Auctioned)

Today is the second day of the Geneva Watch Auction Six (GWA6) by Phillips. While there were some impressive lots (is that even a surprise from Aurel Bacs and Phillips…), with a Patek 2523 or an incredible Patek 2497 in white gold, the star of the show for us here, at MONOCHROME, certainly was the Omega Tourbillon 30L – a 1947 watch and one of the very first tourbillon wristwatches ever made, and the first to have been completed in Switzerland. This watch just sold for an impressive CHF 1,428,500, making it the most expensive Omega ever auctioned.

7 years ago

Breaking News – Phillips Sells Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Daytona for $17,752,500, Being The Most Expensive Wristwatch Ever Auctioned

This is it… This is the big one. The watch that the entire collecting community was expecting to see surfacing one day went under the hammer. This watch, as auctioneer Aurel Bacs explained to us in this video interview, is not only a celebrity’s watch; it represents much more than that. It’s the very watch that created an icon (the Paul Newman Daytona), the very watch that is, in fact, the reason why collecting steel sports watches is now so high. Well, it’s official, Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Daytona has been sold a few minutes ago, for a record price of over 17.7 Million, making it the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned (and that’s with buyer’s premium).

7 years ago

VIDEO – Aurel Bacs Talks Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona & Highlights From Phillips New York Auction

While Aurel Bacs’ reputation as an auctioneer was not to be done anymore, he recently managed to impress the watch-collecting community again, by being entrusted with the sale of no less than Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Rolex Daytona. So to say, a Holy-Grail in watch collecting. However, that’s not all. Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo, managed to create around this watch an entire and fascinating catalogue, which inaugurates the New York auctions for the Maison. Today, we’re pleased to receive Aurel, to talk Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Rolex Daytona and other highlights from the “Winning Icons, Legendary Watches of the 20th Century” that will take place in New York, on 26 October 2017.

7 years ago

Recap: Top Lots & Highlights from Phillips’ “The Hong Kong Watch Auction: Three”

A day after Phillips’ thematic Rolex sale that peaked midway with the record setting Rolex ref. 8171 “Padellone”, the auctioneer just concluded The Hong Kong Watch Auction: Three. This time the sequence of events was inverted: momentum built up haltingly, with several modern complications, including a Lange Tourbograph, passing with no interest. Fortunately the action picked up in […]

8 years ago

Philippe Dufour Simplicity Sells for US$258k – For the Second Time in Two Days

Yesterday Christie’s sold a Philippe Dufour Simplicity, a 37mm in white gold, for HK$1.98m, or about US$256,000, all fees included. Today Phillips just accomplished the same for its pink gold 37mm specimen that sold for HK$2m, about US$258,000. Moments later a white gold 34mm Simplicity in the same Phillips sale sold moments later for HK$1.75m, or […]

8 years ago

Record Set for Most Expensive Rolex Sold in Asia, at Just Over US$1m

Rolex Milestones: 38 Legendary Watches That Shaped History, Phillips’ evening sale on November 28 was its first thematic auction in Asia, becoming a milestone in itself, just a year after another record was set for a Patek Philippe ref. 2499. A total of HK$60.9m or US$7.84m was raised during the sale, with the stainless steel Rolex […]

8 years ago