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Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo Presents Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, A Thematic Auction Celebrating Horological Masterpieces from 1980-1999
Sale in Geneva on 8 November to Offer Game-Changing Timepieces, Including the First-Ever 'Rainbow' Rolex Daytona, a Previously Unknown Philippe Dufour Duality, Derek Pratt's Legendary Oval Pocket Watch for Urban Jürgensen, and the First Wristwatch brought to the market by F.P. Journe
ROLEX The First-Ever ‘Rainbow’ Daytona Ref. 16599 Estimate: In excess of CHF 3 million
GENEVA – 26 AUGUST 2024 – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is delighted to introduce Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking 1980-1999, an unparalleled celebration of neo-vintage timepieces. This dedicated auction will take place on 8 November at Geneva’s Hotel President. From avant-garde designs to groundbreaking mechanical complications, the auction offers a comprehensive look at the watches that defined the horological landscape of 1980s and 1990s. Preceded by a challenging era dominated by quartz-powered timepieces, the luxury watch industry experienced a renaissance of mechanical ingenuity in the 1980s and 1990s. During these pivotal decades, watchmakers and brands delved into their craft, producing some of the most innovative and complex mechanical watches ever created. Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking 1980-1999 will celebrate these achievements by showcasing unique and iconic timepieces from this remarkable period. From 29 August to 2 September, a curated selection of auction highlights will be on display at Phillips' Geneva showroom, located at 7 Rue de la Confédération, as part of Geneva Watch Days.
Alexandre Ghotbi, Head of Watches, Europe & Middle East, and Tiffany To, Head of Sale, jointly said, “The 1980s and 1990s were a period of intense change and experimentation. They were the decades of superstars and indie music, blockbusters and experimental cinema, the dawn of the internet and the PC. The world was never quite the same after. With the arrival of the quartz watches, mechanical horology was at a crossroads — change or die — but the watchmaking industry showed its resilience and innovative spirit. The 1980s-1990s was one of the most creative periods for watchmaking with the rise of independent watchmakers, the birth of multi complication wristwatches and the desire to create movements that had never been seen before. The watch industry reinvented itself, laying the foundations for the luxury, precision, and craftsmanship we see today. Without the pioneering spirit of the time there would be no watch making as we know it today. Reloaded will be one of the most exciting auctions - not just for the top lots, which we are incredibly thrilled about, but also for the meticulously curated selection, offering a diverse range of brands, styles, complications, and price points. This is truly a watch lover’s auction curated for other watch lovers!”
A few timepieces are so elusive that only a handful of horological connoisseurs have seen them in person. The unique, first-of-its-kind Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ‘Rainbow’ ref. 16599 in white gold is one such watch, making its auction debut during Reloaded this November after decades in a private collection. Created as a one-off masterpiece in the 1990s, this Rolex features a bezel set with degradé-hued sapphires transitioning from deep red to purple, mimicking the colours of the rainbow. While now recognised as one of the most exclusive Rolex timepieces, this watch was a groundbreaking concept at its creation, unlike anything the market had seen before. Nearly two decades passed before the production series ‘Rainbow’ Daytona was introduced. This watch features a unique rainbow colour scheme different from all later models. Previously, the market had only seen Zenith El Primero caliber-based Cosmographs with bezels set with a single type of baguette stone, making this piece exceptionally rare. The ‘Rainbow’ Daytona, celebrated as one of Rolex’s most exclusive timepieces, offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire this technically and visually stunning masterpiece.
The Tourbillon Souverain à Remontoir d’Egalité 15/93 is the first wristwatch sold by François-Paul Journe and the watch that established F.P. Journe as a need-to-know brand, launched in 1999 as a 20-piece subscription set. Before becoming a renowned watchmaker, Journe created unique pieces for a select group of collectors. The present Tourbillon is the second wristwatch he made and the first he sold. This 1993 watch is immediately identifiable as a Journe, featuring a gold movement, a raw dial design with visible elements like the cone-and-feeler power-reserve indication at 11 o’clock, and a solid caseback. This watch, which was featured on the cover of Jean-Pierre Grosz's book Invenit et Fecit, is one of only three to be handmade by Journe himself. It is meticulously hand engraved with inked inscriptions on the dial and numbered ‘15/93’, marking it as made in 1993 and as Journe’s 15th timepiece. The watch comes with the original technical drawings, articles, and the invoice.
This unique Philippe Dufour Duality challenges the belief that only nine models were made. This previously unknown 10th piece was crafted for a long-standing collector and features a distinctive configuration: a fully brushed platinum case, a dark grey dial with pink-gold indexes and hands, and a movement without inscriptions. Its unique status is confirmed by the Certificate of Origin. Introduced in 1996, the Duality was the first wristwatch to feature a double escapement, with two independent balance wheels connected by a central differential gear for enhanced accuracy. Inspired by a school watch from the Vallée de Joux Watchmaking School, Dufour miniaturized this complex mechanism for wristwatch use. Although initially planning to produce 25 pieces, only nine were believed to have been completed due to the intricate nature of the design and market limitations. This 10th and final piece, fresh to the market and offered by the original owner, represents a significant milestone in independent horology.
The Oval Pocket Watch by Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen stands out with its oval shape and advanced flying tourbillon featuring a remontoir and detent escapement. Crafted between 1983 and 2005, it boasts a brushed platinum case and a hand-finished movement signed ‘Urban Jürgensen’ and ‘Invenit et Fecit’. This fully handmade watch showcases Pratt’s dedication to precision horology, incorporating a tourbillon with a detent escapement and remontoir for consistent power and accuracy. As technical director at Urban Jürgensen & Sønner, Pratt hand-crafted this piece with Kari Voutilainen’s assistance, honoring legendary watchmakers like A-L Breguet and John Arnold. From Dr. Helmut Crott’s collection, this watch makes its auction debut during Reloaded this November, offering a rare opportunity to acquire a masterpiece of horological sophistication and tradition.
Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999 Auction: 8 November 2024, 2pm CET Auction Viewing: 6-8 November 2024 Location: Hotel President, Quai Wilson 47, 1211 Genève
Highlight Tour
Geneva Watch Days: 29 August– 2 September 2024 Location: Phillips, 7 Rue de la Confédération, Geneva 1204
New York: 25-27 September 2024 Location: Phillips, 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Dubai: 10-12 October 2024 Location: MAD Gallery, First Floor - Unit FF, 290 - 269 Financial Center Rd, Downtown Dubai
Singapore: 17-20 October 2024 Location: Artyzen Singapore, 9 Cuscaden Road, Singapore, 249719
London: 21-23 October 2024 Location: Phillips, 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX
Hong Kong: 23-25 October 2024 Location: Phillips, 503 Pedder Arcade, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong
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. 2023 marked the second most successful year for Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo with an annual total of $215.8 million.
Record–breaking prices include:
1. Paul Newman’s Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona reference 6239 (CHF 17,709,894 / US$17,752,500) – New York Auction: Winning Icons – 26 October 2017 – Highest result ever achieved for any vintage wristwatch at auction.
2. Patek Philippe reference 1518 in stainless steel (CHF 11,020,000 / US$11,112,020) – Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR – 12 November 2016 – Highest result ever achieved for a vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch at auction.
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