From JustLuxe content partner iW Magazine

Zurich-based auction house Ineichen Auctioneers will offer an enticing series of auctions featuring complicated watches during the final quarter of 2022. 

First up is an auction on October 29 that features more than thirty watches and will showcase tourbillons and open-worked (skeletonized) watches. Part two of the series, slated for December 3, will focus on watches with chronograph and date functions. 

Notable lots for the October auction include a Vacheron Constantin Les Complications Tourbillon Ref. 30050, an MB&F LM Perpetual, a Girard-Perregaux Laureato Flying Tourbillon Skeleton, a Daniel Roth Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, several stunning Jaeger-LeCoultre complicated pieces, an IWC minute repeater and a pair of Breguet beauties, among others.

“Despite their mechanical complexity, I think tourbillon watches and skeletonized pieces are the most visually pleasing. This auction is purely about joy-inducing aesthetics for me,” says Ineichen Auctioneers CEO Artemy Lechbinsky.

Here’s a peek at a few of the top lots for the October 29 auction.

Vacheron Constantin Les Complications Tourbillon (Ref. 30050/000P-7605) 

This early and rare tourbillon (dated 1990-2000) from Vacheron Constantin is cased in platinum 950 with a diameter of 38mm, a thickness of 11.5mm, and a sapphire case back.

Silvered gold dial with Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, Caliber 1760, hand-wound, double barrel. Functions: indication of time in hours and minutes, the small second's hand on the tourbillon shaft, power reserve at 12 o’clock. Black leather strap, Vacheron Constantin half Maltese cross-shaped platinum pin buckle. Estimate: CHF 30,000-40,000.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tourbillon Chronograph Tondagraph Limited Edition (Ref. PFH236) 

An impressive limited-edition rose gold tourbillon and chronograph wristwatch. Estimated production period: 2013–2019. The case is made of 18-karat rose gold, a diameter of 43mm and 13.4mm thick frames an open-worked dial, sapphire case back. Caliber PF354 is manually wound with a power reserve of up to 65 hours.

Functions: indication of hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock, the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, chronograph with central seconds hand and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. Original Parmigiani Fleurier black leather strap, made by Hermes, Parmigiani Fleurier 18-karat rose gold pin buckle. Limited edition of 30 pieces. Estimate: CHF 30,000 – 40,000. 

MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual Limited Edition (Ref. 03.YL.BL)

The complexity of this fully integrated perpetual calendar developed by MB&F and Stephen McDonnell limits production. The 581-component in-house movement was developed to eliminate the drawbacks of conventional perpetual calendars. It is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that dates are not skipped or gears jammed. Adjuster pushers automatically deactivate when the calendar changes.

This watch forms part of a collection limited to twenty-five pieces that were launched in 2020. It is presented in a yellow-gold case, which contrasts beautifully with the blue detail on the dial. High-end hand finishes that respect the 19th-century style can be admired throughout. The watch is fastened with a black leather strap with an 18-karat yellow and white gold MB&F triple folding clasp produced by G&F Chatelain.

Estimate: CHF 80,000 to 100,000.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Flying Tourbillon Skeleton (Ref. 99110-52-000-52A)

The numbered edition 42mm Laureato Flying Tourbillon Skeleton, first introduced in 2017, is produced exclusively in 18-karat gold. It is arguably one of the finest complicated luxury sports watches presented on an integrated bracelet.

Caliber GP09520-0001, which powers this model, is an extremely rare movement for Girard-Perregaux. It is equipped with a flying tourbillon, devoid of a bridge on the dial side, and features a proprietary design normally with three gold bridges. The GP09520-0001 is produced exclusively in the skeletonized version and was the brand’s first self-winding flying tourbillon movement. Estimate: CHF 60,000 to 80,000.

Daniel Roth Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date ‘XV years’ Limited Edition (Ref. 199.Y.70.011.CN.BD)

This watch showcases a rare combination of complications: a perpetual calendar with two retrograde indicators (date and leap year), a tourbillon, and automatic winding functionality, which are powered by the DR740 caliber. All Ref. 199 sub-references were produced in very limited quantities and precious metals including platinum as seen in the current lot. It was launched in 2004 as a jubilee limited edition to commemorate the brand’s 15th anniversary.

Early Daniel Roth watches are known for their elaborate dials decorated with different guilloché motifs that highlight the placement of his signature blued steel hands as well as double ellipse-shaped Ellipsocurvex cases and Haute Horlogerie movement finishes.

This piece is one of the first generation (Mk1) releases of the Ref. 199 design. It features a solid dial as well as a guilloché small seconds subdial with three “XV” embossed inscriptions woven into the pattern. Such decoration is atypical of the Daniel Roth style. The presence of a tourbillon is indicated only by the inscription “Tourbillon” on the subdial because it is only visible through the sapphire case back. There is also an engraved inscription “XV years” on the rim of the case back. Estimate: CHF 30,000 to 40,000.

Breguet Classique Grande Complication Tourbillon ‘Senza B’ (Ref. 5357PT/1B/9V6) 

This rare and fine platinum tourbillon wristwatch was most probably produced in 2012. The case is made of platinum 950, it measures 39mm by 8.9mm, with a signed crown, sapphire case back, 18k gold silver-plated dial with hand-made guilloché decoration, recessed hours and minutes sub-dial, Breguet double secret signature between XI and XII and XII and I. The hand-wound caliber 558.1 is hand-engraved with Breguet hairspring. Functions – hours, minutes, tourbillon, small seconds hand on the tourbillon shaft. Black leather strap with Breguet platinum 950 double folding clasp.

 

This Classique Grande Complication Tourbillon Ref. 5357 was introduced in 2002 as a larger 39mm alternative to the original 35mm Tourbillon Ref. 3357 (initially 3350). Unlike reference 3357, Ref. 5357 featured a new single-layer solid-gold and silvered dial, decorated by a hand-made guilloché pattern, with recessed hours and minutes sub-dial and a round tourbillon aperture, but the same original Breguet’s hand-wound tourbillon caliber 558 (version 558.1). 

The reverse side of the movement deserves special attention – it is exquisitely and lavishly engraved by hand, and, moreover, there exist at least five basic engraving generations. The engraving of caliber 558 is done by hand and although it follows one of the 5 basic designs, the engraving is different each time in small details, therefore any watch is essentially a unique piece. Estimate: CHF 30,000 – 40,000. 

Source: Ineichen Auctioneers