Monaco (29 June 2023) – Only Watch is delighted to reveal all 62 lots of the upcoming 10th edition of its biennial charity auction of unique watches to take place on November 5, 2023, in Geneva under the hammer of Christie’s at PALEXPO. For the 4th time the auction house has been selected as partner of choice and is delighted to support Only Watch once more.
As per previous editions and since 2005, the event will be held under the patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. All auction proceeds will benefit research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and genetic diseases (see more below and on onlyproject.org).
This anniversary edition celebrates Only Watch’s bright and colorful story by including all colors of previous editions in its visual identity, and adding the colour green, an emblem of hope, as a new component.
On the research side, doctoral and post-doctoral grants for young researchers have taken a central dimension in the charity’s projects, and on the watches side, the 2023 selection features iconic loyal brands and several young brilliant watchmaking talents collaborating to bring an innovative fresh touch to the offering.#
Auction to take place in Geneva and digitally on November 5, 2023.
The one-of-a-kind timekeepers are the result of the generous, committed and creative work of 73 watchmakers/brands, featuring 16 collaborations (between watchmakers or with artists and legendary brands), and resulting in an auction of 62 lots.
After the world tour (see details below), all watches will be auctioned by Christie’s Geneva on Sunday November 5, starting at 2pm (CET) at PALEXPO, the auction can also be followed online via christies.com and bids can be additionally placed over phone (please liaise with Christie’s). No buyer’s premium or commissions are applicable for the Only Watch charity sale, as in previous editions.
Please find below the list of watch brands participating in ONLY WATCH 2023, as well as the names of those who have collaborated to create some of these unique timepieces:
ANDERSEN GENÈVE – ANGELUS x CHÂTEAU ANGELUS – ARMIN STROM — ARTYA – ATELIER DE CHRONOMÉTRIE – AUDEMARS PIGUET – BALTIC – BARBIER-MUELLER – BELL & ROSS – BIVER – BLANCPAIN – BOUCHERON – BOVET 1822 – BREGUET – BULGARI – CARL F. BUCHERER – CHANEL – CHOPARD – CZAPEK GENÈVE – DE BETHUNE – F.P.JOURNE – FERDINAND BERTHOUD – FREDERIQUE CONSTANT x CHRISTIAAN VAN DER KLAAUW – FURLAN MARRI – GÉRALD GENTA – GIRARD-PERREGAUX – GRÖNEFELD – H. MOSER x MB&F – HERMÈS – HUBLOT – JACOB & CO x CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY – JAQUET DROZ – KONSTANTIN CHAYKIN – KRAYON – L. LEROY – LAURENT FERRIER – LEDERER – LOUIS MOINET – LOUIS VUITTON – LUDOVIC BALLOUARD x BRITTANY NICOLE COX – MAURICE LACROIX – MONTBLANC – MORITZ GROSSMANN – PATEK PHILIPPE – PERRELET – PETERMANN BÉDAT x AUFFRET PARIS – PIAGET – RESERVOIR x TELOS WATCH – RESSENCE – REXHEP REXHEPI – RICHARD MILLE — SINGER REIMAGINED x GENUS – SPEAKE MARIN – SYLVAIN PINAUD – TAG HEUER – TIFFANY & CO. — TRILOBE – TUDOR – ULYSSE NARDIN – URWERK — VOUTILAINEN – ZENITH.
To attend the auction in person – bidders, media or observers – please express interest through this short form.
The genesis and purpose: raising funds for research on DMD and genetic diseases.
Only Watch was launched in 2005 by Luc Pettavino in collaboration with the watch industry to advance research in the field of therapeutic solutions for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (a genetic disease that affects 1 boy in 3,500), following Paul’s (Luc’s son) diagnosis.
The Monaco-based charity benefiting from the Only Watch auctions, the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, has been active internationally since 2001 in accelerating research. Its actions, all regrouped under the name the “Only Project” are focused on:
- organizing key conversations (roundtables, collaborative and research programs) for researchers from around the world to share knowledge and accelerate breakthroughs;
- financially supporting dozens of research projects with the goal of reaching and refining therapeutic outcomes for DMD.
Thanks to the generosity of watchmakers, collectors and partners, in recent years, the funds raised by Only Watch have allowed for a significant breakthrough in the quest for a cure. On top of grants and fellowships given out by the charity to researchers within public institutions (hospitals and universities), one of the main projects supported is a biotech operated by a consortium of parents and researchers that is currently launching a phase 1 clinical trial for a drug it has developed. The technology aims to treat patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and could be transposed and adapted for other genetic diseases. The first step in a whole new chapter of a 20+ year collaborative success story.
→ Get to know the charity organization’s history and purpose by watching the movie “The Story of Us” and by visiting http://onlyproject.org/.
World tour locations and dates.
In the weeks preceding the auction, the watches will be presented to the public, media, and horological enthusiasts, during a promotional tour that will start on September 6, 2023, in Los Angeles, and will end on November 5, 2023, in Geneva.
Tour stops hosted by ONLY WATCH and Christie’s Los Angeles6-9 September Christie’s New York 14-17 SeptemberChristie’s Hong Kong 5-6 OctoberChristie’s Bangkok 11-12 OctoberChristie’s Geneva3-5 NovemberFour Seasons Hôtel des Bergues Tour stops hosted by ONLY WATCH and Other Partners Monaco27-30 SeptemberMonaco Yacht Show Singapore 20-22 OctoberMalmaison by The Hour Glass Dubai 27 OctoberSeddiqi at the Musem of the Future
→ More information of world tour stops on onlywatch.com/attend.
About Only Watch
Only Watch started in 2005 with one intent: raise funds for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy by auctioning one-off timepieces. Since then, thanks to the increasing formidable mobilization of the watch industry and the support of an entire ecosystem, this initiative has become a very awaited biennial rendezvous in the horology calendar for both brands and collectors.
All participating brands offer their watches, whilst partners offer their services, logistical and/or organisational support. Thanks to their commitment, the cost for organising Only Watch represents about 1% of the auction proceeds.
The past 9 editions have allowed for an immense progress in research thanks to the near EURCHF 100 million raised to date and have given the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies – the Monaco-based charity organizing Only Watch – the means to approach clinical trials while always preserving the virtuous, non-profit nature of our approach.
The 10th edition will be held on November 5, 2023, at 2pm (CET) in Geneva at PALEXPO, as well as online and via phone under the high patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.
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 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.