Four Extraordinary Prototype Watches At The Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII

On 9 & 10 May, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will host its first live watch auction of 2026, the Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII. The sale will present more than 200 exceptional timepieces spanning over three centuries of watchmaking, including a remarkable selection of prototype wristwatches.

Prototypes are watches created during the development of a model before serial production begins. These pieces are rarely intended for sale and often remain in the workshops of the watchmakers who created them. As such, they provide a direct glimpse into the creative and technical process behind a finished watch.

Prototype watches frequently feature unique details, experimental configurations, or construction techniques that never appear in production examples. In many cases they are truly unique, representing an early and tangible stage in the evolution of a watchmaker’s ideas.

One such example in the sale is the 2025 Auffret Paris Giverny “Prototype” Blue Train in stainless steel (Lot 101 – Estimate: CHF 60,000–120,000). Paris-based watchmaker Theo Auffret has emerged as one of the most compelling young voices in contemporary independent watchmaking. A winner of the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition in 2018, Auffret quickly established a reputation for combining classical chronometer-inspired movements with distinctive finishing techniques.

The Giverny, introduced in 2025, is a 36mm time-only watch powered by a newly developed in-house calibre inspired by mid-20th century chronometer movements such as the Peseux 260, featuring a large 13mm balance beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour. The present watch is one of only five prototype examples cased in stainless steel and the only one fitted with blued indexes, earning it the nickname “Blue Train.” A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Bertrand Scheck Foundation and SOS Préma.

Equally striking is the Ludovic Ballouard × Atelier Blandenier Upside Down “Quel Homard Est Il?” unique piece in platinum (Lot 103 – Estimate: CHF 100,000–200,000). The watch is the result of a playful collaboration between Atelier Blandenier, watchmaker Ludovic Ballouard, and art students from Geneva’s HEAD and Centre de Formation Professionnelle des Arts. The prototype dial depicts a vibrant composition of lobsters and lemons executed through a combination of métiers d’art, including grand feu enamel, miniature painting, hand engraving, and laser cutting. Cutting enamel via laser was a first for Les Ateliers Blandenier, making this dial a true prototype. 

Beneath this colorful surface lies Ballouard’s distinctive Upside Down display, in which twelve rotating discs shaped like lobster claws indicate the hours. At the top of each hour, the previous disc returns upright while the new hour rotates 180 degrees. Proceeds from the sale, including Phillips’ buyer’s premium, will benefit the charity Paint a Smile.

The Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer Inverto “Prototype 00” in stainless steel (Lot 100 – Estimate: CHF 60,000–120,000) represents an equally fascinating stage in the development of one of the most innovative movements in contemporary watchmaking. Lederer’s Central Impulse Chronometer, awarded the Innovation Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, features two independent gear trains each equipped with a 10-second constant-force remontoire feeding twin escape wheels.

In the Inverto, Lederer re-engineered the architecture so the movement itself becomes the dial, placing its technical complexity on full display. Produced in roughly 15 pieces per year, the Inverto is already exceptionally rare, but the present watch stands apart as the only functional prototype and the only example cased in stainless steel, created to validate the design and proportions of the model before production.

Rounding out the group is a 1996 Urban Jürgensen Reference 2 “Prototype” in 18k yellow gold (Lot 146 – Estimate: CHF 40,000–80,000), dating from the celebrated revival of the brand under Peter Baumberger and the legendary English watchmaker Derek Pratt. 

The present example is marked “Proto” on the dial and bears the movement number 000000, strongly suggesting it served as a developmental piece for the model prior to serial production. It is likely that the watch was executed entirely by Pratt himself, including the fabrication and finishing of its exquisitely crafted dial. To the best of current knowledge, it is the only yellow-gold Reference 2 prototype ever to appear on the market.

The Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII will take place on 9 & 10 May 2026 at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva, offering collectors an exceptional selection of historically important and rare timepieces.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS TOUR
NEW YORK | 25 – 27 March | Phillips, 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022
MILAN | 31 March – 1 April | Verga 1947, Via Vincenzo Capelli, 4 20124 Milano, MI, Italy
SINGAPORE | 10 – 11 April | The St. Regis Singapore 29 Tanglin Rd, Singapore 247911
LONDON | 16 – 17 April | Phillips, 30 Berkeley Square, London W1J 6EX
RIYADH | 22 – 23 April | Crown & Compass QJ8R+64Q, Metro Blvd, Al Aqiq, Riyadh 13519, Saudi Arabia
HONG KONG | 23 – 25 April | Phillips Perpetual, 503 Pedder Arcade, Pedder Building 12 Pedder St, Central, Hong Kong
 
AUCTION DETAILS
Auction: 9 & 10 May 2026
Auction Viewing: 6 – 10 May 2026
Location: Hotel President, 407 Quai Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland, 1201

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. The annual total for watch auctions in 2025 exceeded $290 million, marking the first time any auction house’s Watches department has surpassed $200 million in annual sales for five consecutive years. 
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 14,190,000 / US$17,631,075) – Watches: Decade One (2015–2025) – 8 November 2025 – Highest result ever achieved for a vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch at auction.

ABOUT PHILLIPS

Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design, and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewels. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning.
Visit phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.