Bonhams’ Knightsbridge auctions always bring together an eclectic spread of watches and are often a great place to spot trends that are impacting both the new and vintage ends of the market.
Take the three watches we have chosen for the top of this story: all slim, all from the seventies, all examples of the far more radical approach to design that brands took amid the chaos and confusion of the quartz era, and all bang in fashion for today’s market.
Rolex’s Cellini King Midas, reference 4015 (this example from around 1974) goes under the hammer with an estimate of £4,000 to £6,000.
That would have been a punchy price a few years ago, but the model has been given a new lease of life thanks to an homage piece by Toledano & Chan.
Now the valuation looks designed to attract a bidding war that will most likely end with a five-figure deal.
Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse is equally hot right now, and unusual vintage references like the manual wound white gold reference 3598/1 from around 1970 in the Bonhams sale looks certain to attract interest from around the world with a £6,000 to £8,000 pre-sale estimate.
Piaget’s Polo is enjoying a revival thanks to modern day reissues, but classics like this two tone 18ct gold quartz reference 7661 C 701, (c.1980) are hard to resist with an estimate of £5,000 to £7,000.
Gerd-Rüdiger Lang collection
Elsewhere in the Bonhams Knightsbridge auction, which takes online and in the sale room on February 19, are a collection of timepieces from the late, great watchmaker Gerd-Rüdiger Lang, who created Chronoswiss in the 1980s.
Highlights from his private collection include an 18ct gold Arnold, 84 Strand, London pocket watch, London Hallmark for 1847.
It has an early form of split seconds stop watch that is operated with a pusher running through the pendant that arrests one seconds hand whilst the other continues to run.
When released the stopped hand catches up with the continuous hand. The pocket watch is offered with an estimate of £3,500 to £4,500.
From the same era, Bonhams also has a Lang-owned Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand, London pocket watch, London Hallmark for 1874.
The fine 18ct gold keyless wind open face chronograph pocket watch is offered with an estimate of £3,000 to £4,000.
The highest pre-sale estimate is for an 18ct Rolex Datejust, reference 6105, dated circa 1952.
Specialist collectors will notice that its date and the Datejust name are in red on the dial. It also is labelled as merely “Swiss” on the dial, as oppose to the more common “Swiss Made”.
The watch offered with an estimate of £25,000 to £35,000.
Competing at that price point is a Patek Philippe annual calendar watch with moon phase and power reserve indication, reference 5036/1G-013, from around 2004.
The 18ct white gold watch has a black dial and luminous Roman numeral hour markers and is offered with an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000.