Christie’s Watches – Highest first-half results for the watch category in the Asian market, reaffirming the demand in the region for rare and exceptional – vintage & contemporary – timepieces
- Global record for the most expensive watch auctioned online: the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 6002G sold for US$ 5.8 million/HK$45.4 million/EUR5.2 million/CHF5.0 million
- The first-ever auction dedicated to a living independent watchmaker: The Art of F.P.Journe (May, Geneva), with 40 lots as a tribute to Journe’s relentless pursuit of perfection, achieved US$15.3 million/EUR14.1 million/CHF13.6 million.
Christie’s Watches achieves best-ever first half results worldwide with more than US$122 million/ EUR110 million/CHF107 million in combined sales across 6 live and 8 online auctions in Hong Kong, Dubai, Geneva and New York between March and June 2023, demonstrating the brand’s continued authority within the global community of watch collectors and enthusiasts, as well as its stature as the reference platform for sellers of the rarest and most desirable timepieces.
Christie’s Hong Kong achieved its highest half-year results ever – HK$443,780,550/US$56,925,684/ EUR51,629,998/CHF49,993,406 – and set 11 auction records. While the single-owner ‘Ultimate Collection’ reached HK$126,718,200/US$16.2 million/EUR14.5 million/CHF14.2 million, the Patek Philippe Ref. 2523J “Dual Crown World Time”, presented at the Masterpiece Auction II from the Triazza Collection, achieved a record HK 66,625,000/US$8.5 million/EUR7.7 million/CHF7.4 million.
Standout moments of the season: Christie’s Watches established a milestone with the most valuable timepiece ever sold online at auction globally, the Patek Philippe Ref. 6002G “Sky Moon Tourbillon” – achieving HK$45,450,000/US$5.8 million/EUR5.2 million/CHF5.0 million, in the Christie’s Hong Kong Watches Online: Top of the Time sale.
In Geneva, Christie’s held the first-ever thematic auction dedicated to an independent watchmaker: The Art of F.P.Journe, where 40 lots were presented by the celebrated timepiece designer, including an exceedingly rare Tourbillon Souverain ‘Souscription’ that achieved for CHF2,707,000/US$3,004,653. This historic 100% sold auction totalled US$15.3 million/EUR13.8 million/CHF13.4 million.
Emmanuel Danan, Christie’s Global Managing Director, Luxury, shares: “We are delighted and proud of the results achieved by the Christie’s Watches teams across the first half of the year. This performance is the result of consistent growth, building on the concerted efforts of our specialists, and, importantly, on the collective commitment to delivering the best experience for sellers and buyers alike. Relationships built on trust, expertise and a quest for excellence by our specialists who think and act long-term – these are Christie’s hallmark values that can be seen at work as our House is poised to maintain its trajectory through the second half of the year.”
About Christie’s
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).
Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection, and philanthropic sale, ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s also achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.
Following the groundbreaking 2021 sale of the first digital art NFT ever offered by a global auction house (Beeple’s Everydays), Christie’s recently launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including a new venture capital investment fund, the use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats.
Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability through net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.
Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.
*Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium.