Watch Dandy

To our New York based readers: we’re hosting an event tonight with Piaget, at their flagship boutique on Fifth Avenue and there are still a few slots open! Come join us for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and see Piaget’s incredible collection of timepieces including the new Polo S Collection. Mr. Thomas Bouillonnec, President of Piaget North America, as well as HODINKEE Editor-in-Chief Jack Forster, will be there, and we’d love to see you there.

We are seeing something big happening in the world of vintage Heuer Autavias. Just five months after a first generation Autavia brought $57,000 at auction in the UK, just moments ago we saw a similar watch hammer at $100,000, meaning a final selling price of $125,000.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: at watch auctions, there’s Patek and Rolex, and then there’s everything and everyone else. However, not every Patek or Rolex is necessarily a six or seven figure hammer, and even within Patek and Rolex, there can be found timepieces that show how different tastes, and auction results, can be. If you’re collecting, you tend (of course) to focus on whatever it is that is in the bullseye for your tastes, tendencies, and budget, but it’s interesting to step back a little and see just how diverse offerings – even at roughly the same estimate – can be. Here are five coming up tomorrow from Christie’s New York’s Rare Watches (including Nautilus 40 Part IV) auction.