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Important Watches

Important Watches

Sale Overview

Following the monumental success of our June Important Watches auction, selling 100% of lots with a total value of US$13,250,000, Christie’s Important Watches auction returns this December.

Curated by an international team of passionate specialists, the New York sale will offer watches of the utmost rarity and desirability, including icons from vintage and independent brands alike. This extraordinary selection of watches is sure to appeal to the most astute and exigent collectors.

Auction highlights include the thinnest watch ever made in series, the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari, which is one of only 150 made, a possibly unique Patek Philippe ref. 1252 ‘Chameleon’ from 1940, which is the only known example with the combination of yellow and pink gold, and an iconic Cartier London ‘Crash,’ dating to 1986. Other top lots include the exceptionally rare F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with rhodium-plated brass movement and the unique piece Richard Mille RM 018 ‘Hommage à Boucheron’ skeletonised tourbillon in white gold with white agate wheels.

If you’re interested in consigning a piece or collection to our Watches auctions, please contact Rebecca Ross (rross@christies.com) or try our online auction estimate tool for a free and confidential valuation.

Auction times
09 Dec 02:00 PM (EST) Lots 1-104

Our specialist’s selection

Brought to you by

Remi Guillemin

Remi Guillemin

Head of Watches, Europe and Americas | Watches & Wristwatches

With over a decade of experience gained in the Christie’s Geneva, New York, Hong Kong and Dubai watch departments since 2013, Remi Guillemin has acquired a deep understanding of the global watch market. Responsible for overseeing transactions in both auctions and privates sales, he has worked with collectors from around the globe to successfully offer some of the rarest timepieces available at any moment to the market. As Head of Watches for the Americas and EMEA, Remi and his teams have energized the department and oversaw highly successful watch auctions, including a white glove sale (100% sold by lot) upon the debut of his tenure as head of department in November 2021 or “The Legendary and Unique Watches” auction in November 2022 selling 100% by lot and achieving 31,877,418 CHF with only 111 lots. Remi and his team were also responsible for the first stand-alone sale for any independent watchmaker, “The Art of F.P. Journe” also selling 100% in May 2023, “Passion for Time” selling for 39,662,316 CHF and kicked off the auction season 2024 by offering eight iconic watches, the property of the most famous F1 driver Michael Schumacher selling 100% and highlighted by his unique F.P. Journe Vagabondage 1, celebrating his 7 F1 title wins and his personalized Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, celebrating 6 F1 championship titles. In New York, Remi has been credited for curating with his team a white glove auction in June 2024, and setting the record for most expensive timepiece ever sold by Christie’s at auction in the US, with a Richard Mille RM56-02 for 3,014,500 USD.

Throughout the years, Remi has been credited with the sale of some of the rarest Rolex timepieces, including the Rolex “Legend” reference 6263 with Paul Newman Lemon dial achieving CHF3,414,000 or the Deep Sea Special No.1 selling for CHF1,890,000. Remi Guillemin has also been responsible for the sale of superb Patek Philippe timepieces for example Ref. 5711/1A-018 which achieved CHF3,174,000 or reference 2523 “L’heure d’Or” selling for CHF2,670,000. Highly passionate, Remi has also overseen sales of milestone wristwatches by independent watchmakers, including the Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie minute repeater No. 1 for CHF5,127,000, the “Jean Todt” Richard Mille, RM56-01 achieving CHF3,654,000 or the unique F.P. Journe Grande Sonnerie with blue dial selling for CHF3,054,000.
Rebecca Ross

Rebecca Ross

VP, Head of Sale, Watches | Watches & Wristwatches

After moving to New York from London, Mrs. Ross achieved a Master’s degree at Christie’s Education. She quickly realized her love of art expanded as she discovered the same characteristics, and magic, in watches. Having been exposed to the artistry of clocks and watches from an early age through her father’s collection, she now travels worldwide to find the rarest timepieces to add to various Christie’s auctions throughout the year, and in addition, manages client wishlists on a Private Sale basis. She is proud to be part of such an immensely talented team at Christie’s and enjoys building a depth of expertise with her team that results in continued outstanding collections and sales. Notably, she has been responsible for offering some of the most recognized timepieces in New York auction history: The Rolex “Dark Star,” reference 6062, and a historically important Cartier Tank, Belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1962. Most recently, her Important Watches live auction in June 2022 totaled over $21,000,000, setting a new record for the highest total ever for a watches auction at Christie’s New York.
Henry Ishikawa

Henry Ishikawa

Junior Specialist | Watches & Wristwatches

Enamored after discovering the world of mechanical timepieces at the age of fifteen years old, Henry Ishikawa has spent the past decade researching, collecting, dealing, and writing about watches. He quickly turned his passion into a career, helping many of the world’s most important timepieces find their new homes where they will be cherished and well-cared for. Prior to joining Christie’s in 2022, Mr. Ishikawa spent the past four years in the watch business at various companies. He is honored and finds great pleasure with unveiling “fresh to market” watches from their original families to the public auction space.

Henry is extremely passionate about vintage Patek Philippe and Rolex “time-only” watches. Furthermore, he is enthusiastic towards early “exploration” watches, as he spent a “past life” in the world of rock climbing and mountaineering. Staying up with market trends, Mr. Ishikawa enjoys connecting with enthusiastic collectors of all kinds and hopes to continue helping them curate their collections.

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