We’ve handed the reins of The Journal back over to Arthur Touchot, International Head of Digital Strategy at PHILLIPS, who talks us through the two upcoming Geneva Watch Auctions featuring some of the most desired watches on the planet.
PHILLIPS will be hosting two watch auctions in Geneva this May: The Royal Oak 50th, a thematic sale of 87 collectible Royal Oak models, and The Geneva Watch Auction XV, featuring around 200 of the most sought-after vintage and modern watches.
What is striking about the watches being offered, besides their price, is their diversity in terms of style, eras and brand names. But despite their aesthetic differences, many of watches share historical connections, including two very rare offerings: an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 25820 and a limited edition BVLGARI Octo Finissimo.
On the surface these two watches appear to be worlds apart. They were not made by the same company, or in the same metal, and their movements are incredibly different.
One features a perpetual calendar with moon-phase and leap year indication, a high-end complication which Audemars Piguet dared, in 1995, to combine with the Royal Oak.