Our final live auction of the fall 2024 season, the New York Watch Auction: XI, takes place on December 7-8, at our Manhattan headquarters. The auction includes 180 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it’s one of the best catalogs we've ever put together. We'll highlight several of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sales over the next few weeks, including the watches highlighted in this article.
– By Logan Baker
Cloisonné enamel is one of the most intricate dial techniques in haute horlogerie.
Fine gold wires define the design, and enamel filled with metal oxides is fired up to 12 times in a kiln to create stunning, unique artwork. While this process is prone to a high fail rate, it produces a vibrant and durable image with a rich array of colors.
Vintage enamel dials stand out for their deep, glossy, and translucent colors. Created by skilled artisans using mercury, lead, and cyanide in the 1940s and '50s, these dials were rare due to the cost and expertise required.
Rolex and Patek Philippe are known for their exceptional cloisonné enamel dials. The Rolex reference 6100 "Caravelle" dial, crafted by Marguerite Koch, is a prime example.
It depicts a multi-colored "Caravelle" sailing vessel on a blue-green sea, with faceted baton hour markers, gilt stars, and pearl-like minute markers. The dial bears the Stern Frères inscription and the design code No. 29 for Mrs. Koch. A similar model, reference 6102, was sold for 1,270,000 CHF, at Phillips Geneva in May 2024.
Since its inception, Patek Philippe has excelled in technical mastery and also enhanced its mechanical feats with exceptional aesthetics.
This meticulous technique showcases Patek Philippe's craftsmanship and creates a lasting visual masterpiece that is both stunning and resilient. In 2017, the brand unveiled the reference 5531R, a groundbreaking watch that combined two of its most extraordinary complications: the world-time mechanism and the minute repeater.
The Ref. 5531R is especially notable for being the first-ever minute repeater that always chimes the local time, a remarkable achievement. Recently discontinued and replaced by a white-gold version, this particular pink gold model, the ref. 5531R-015, features a stunning cloisonné enamel map of Geneva and is one of only three ever made.
Upon closer inspection, a subtle 'A.P.' signature can be found discreetly nestled within one of the streets, marking it as a creation of the esteemed Anita Porchet atelier, a name revered by collectors worldwide—a second example of the ref. 5531R-015 even graces the front cover of Fabienne Reybaud's book Patek Philippe: The Impossible Collection, further solidifying its significance in horological history.
The 5531R epitomizes the pinnacle of Patek Philippe's centuries-old watchmaking expertise. Its world-time complication can be traced back to the 1930s, when legendary watchmaker Louis Cottier developed it during the rise of intercontinental travel. Patek Philippe's first world-time model, reference 1415, featured a 31mm case and a rotating bezel that made time-zone adjustments effortless. This was followed by the landmark reference 2523, which featured a 36mm case and a two-crown system. On rare occasions, select examples of these historical models included cloisonné enamel dials with intricate maps, inspiring the modern 5531R.
The reference 5131 was introduced in 2008, first in yellow gold, then white gold in 2009, pink gold in 2014, and platinum in 2017. It succeeded the reference 5130, launched in 2006, with several upgrades, including a stunning cloisonné enamel dial, an outer ring displaying the names of 24 world cities, and "Patek Philippe and Geneva" engraved on the bezel.
The cloisonné enamel dials are a testament to the brand's craftsmanship. Yellow gold models feature a dial depicting the Americas, Europe, and Africa, while the white gold version showcases Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The pink gold editions highlight Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Now discontinued, it was the first modern world-time reference to be graced with the fabled cloisonné dial featuring geographic maps.
Finally, the New York Watch Auction: XI contains a set of four individual wristwatches from Patek Philippe's Rare Handcrafts collection, featuring cloissoné enamel dials with unique flower displays.
The reference 5075 debuted in 2000 as a set of four unique pieces, with a new release each year featuring distinctive cloisonné dials. The present models belong to the “Flowers” series, believed to be limited to just 10 sets, with production ending in 2004. Its case embodies Patek Philippe’s signature refined elegance, showcasing a bold, tapered bezel and a classic 36mm diameter. Adding to its uniqueness, each movement rotor is engraved to mirror the floral motif on the dial, blending artistry and mechanical craftsmanship in a timeless design.
We have the “Echinocereus Leucanthus,” an endangered cactus flower native to the Mexican states of Sinaloa and Sonora; the "Graptopetalum Bellum,” a species of flowering cactus native to northern Mexico; the “Epidendrum Ibaguense,” sometimes called the crucifix orchid or fiery reed orchid; and the "Anemone blanda," also known as the Grecian windflower, native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East.
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Phillips New York Watch Auction: XI catalog right here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
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