JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone
4/24/2008

“A new record for Rolex watches sold in auction was set at Wednesday’s “Important Watches” sale of Sotheby’s in New York City, the international auction house said.

A Rolex stainless steel Oyster Cosmograph Daytona went for $505,000 to a private bidder (all prices include buyer’s premium). It was a new record for a Rolex Daytona and the second-highest price achieved in auction for any Rolex watch.”

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ABC News
By NICOLA RUIZ
Forbes.com
March 5, 2008

“Over the past few years, prices for this specific watch category have increased dramatically,” says Zimmermann, who estimates that his Rolex watch collection has increased in value at about 15% per annum. But certain pieces have done much better–some of his watches have tripled in price in less than a year.

“No other watch has experienced the kind of phenomenon that vintage Rolexes are going through right now,” says Robert Maron, president of the eponymous Robert Maron Inc., the largest watch dealer in the U.S. “Still, nothing has performed as well as Patek Philippe over the long term. Patek is a safe and proven investment-quality watch that in the last 20 years has only seen increases, while Rolex values have bounced around.”

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The World’s Most Expensive Watches:
- Henry Graves Supercomplication (1932) – Patek Philippe – $11,002,500 – Sold at Sotheby’s in 1999
- Caliber 89 (1989) – Patek Philippe – $5,002,500 – Sold at Antiquorum in 2004
- Platinum World Time (1939) – Patek Philippe – $4,026,524 – Sold at Antiquorum in 2002
- Model 2523 Heures Universelles (1953) – Patek Philippe – $2,899,373 – Sold at Antiquorum in 2006
- Model 2499 First Series (1957) – Patek Philippe, 1957 – $2,280,000 – Sold at Christie’s in 2007
- Model 1591 (1944) – Patek Philippe – $2,263,964 – Sold at Christie’s in 2007
- Model 2499 First Series (1957) – Patek Philippe, 1957 – $2,280,000 – Sold at Christie’s in 2007
- Model 2499 First Series (1951) – Patek Philippe – $2,129,000 – Sold at Antiquorum in 2002
- Grande Complication (1926) – Patek Philippe – $1,980,200 – Sold at Christie’s in 2005
- The Grogan (1925) – Patek Philippe – $1,945,040 – Sold at Christie’s in 2006
- Officier (1923) – Patek Philippe – $1,918,387 – Sold at Antiquorum in 1999

June 20, 2007

“Antiquorum’s summer auction, held at The New York Timezone, obtained the extraordinary sum of $8,586,583. Bids came in from around the world including Italy, Malta, Singapore and the Netherlands.

…The highlight of the sale was lot 289, a Patek Philippe Ref. 5002 which sold for $ 1,240,400; a record for a wristwatch in the United States.”

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www.nationaljewelernetwork.com
November 27, 2007

“New York – Antiquorum’s Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks sale, to be held in New York City on Dec. 5, will consist of 402 fine timepieces, including a rare Patek Philippe collection.

A first series Patek Philippe Ref. 2497 with perpetual calendar and moon phases is one of the highlights of Antiquorum’s December auction (estimate $450,000 to $650,000).”

Other highlights:
Patek Philippe Ref. 5016 made in 1995 – estimate $450,000 to $550,000.
Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 “Without Moon Phases” – estimate $350,000 to $450,000.

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Savvy investors enjoy steep returns by investing in vintage timepieces

By Thomas Kostigen, MarketWatch
Jan 3, 2007

“SANTA MONICA, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Sure you can’t buy time, but you can invest in it.
Timepieces such as vintage wristwatches are turning in big returns to collectors. Last month, at Antiquorum’s “Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks” auction in New York City, just 396 pieces sold for a total of $7.2 million.

The auction’s top seller was a “Grande Complication Automatique” Audemars Piguet, Geneve wristwatch, which sold for $372,400. Next was another Piguet, the “Cabinet Watch No. 2,” that sold for $333,200. And yet another Piguet, the Tourbillon Repetition Minutes Chronographe, sold for $243,600.

…Patek Phillipe, by far, is the most renowned collectible watch. Forty-seven of the 50 most expensive watches ever sold at auction have been Pateks, according to Worth magazine.”

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