28.32 million Swiss francs (nearly 29 million euros) of which over half for a single watch! The charity sale Only Watch managed to overcome the obstacles and the 2024 edition shocked the counters as expected, notably thanks to the Patek Philippe’s Grand and Petite Sonnerie, Minute Repeater.
Over 15 million euros for Patek Philippe’s Grande and Petite Sonnerie
The Patek Philippe watches are “traditionally” among the most expensive in the world. Particularly at auctions, where collectors and enthusiasts sometimes seem to have an unlimited budget to acquire certain pieces. The brand with the Maltese cross also holds a record in this area, with its Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A sold for the modest sum of 31 million dollars at Only Watch 2019.
In this month of May 2024, the Grande and Petite Sonnerie, Minute Repeater did “much less well”, since it was sold for 15.7 million CHF “only” (which is just over 16 million euros or 17 million dollars). But this one led to a nice back and forth during the sale and this reference 6301A-010 greatly exceeded the initial estimates, with a price between 1.5 and 1.8 million…
Unique piece specially created for Only Watch 2024, this watch features a 44.8mm diameter steel case that is 12.03mm thick. It houses a Rare Handcrafts dial with a manually guilloché motif visible under a Grand Feu green-blue enamel (flinqué enamel technique). This dial is also set with 12 baguette-cut diamond indices (0.45 ct) and features a “only one” inscription printed by transfer.
The back of the sapphire glass case bears the metallized inscription “Only Watch 2024” and this unique timepiece is mounted on a patinated green-blue alligator leather strap with a deployant clasp.
On the mechanical side, Patek Philippe has integrated its manually-wound GS 36-750 PS IRM calibre into this exceptional watch, composed of 703 components. This movement is particularly equipped with a Grand and Petite Sonnerie as well as a Minute Repeater sounding on three classic chimes. Sophisticated and poetic complications, an ultra-refined style, a unique piece, a sale for a good cause: all the ingredients were there for this watch to be THE star of Only Watch!
The other watches that marked Only Watch 2024
After the postponement of the Only Watch sale in November 2023, some brands had preferred to withdraw from this special 2024 edition, following the likes of Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Ulysse Nardin, Tudor or even Carl F. Bucherer. Others, however, had made a very different choice, presenting brand new watches in Geneva. This is precisely the case with Patek Philippe with its 6301A-010 reference, but also with Lederer and Konstantin Chaykin, whose Joker Sandmann went for around 110,000 euros.
But in Geneva, several other models have caught people’s attention, starting with the stunning Anti-magnetic Chronometer by Rexhep Rexhepi. The young watchmaker, who recently collaborated with La Manufacture du Temps Louis Vuitton, saw his watch sold for around 2.2 million euros, after a fierce bidding war between buyers based in London, Dubai, and Bahrain.
Another stopwatch, the “Stealth Blue” by F.P. Journe, also far exceeded estimates, as this unique watch saw its price climb up to 2.1 million euros (far from the expected 200 to 400,000 euros!).
Finally, in a very different and surprising category, a model by Richard Mille did not go unnoticed. The Talisman Origine RM S14, designed as a watch pendant (to be worn around the neck, therefore) and combining wood, gold and titanium, was sold for 2.5 million euros.
In total, 47 watches were auctioned off for this tenth edition of Only Watch. This charity sale, the proceeds of which are donated to therapeutic research against Duchenne muscular dystrophy, raised 28.32 million CHF, or around 30 million euros. In a now calmer climate after the controversies of 2023 (and a change in governance in the structure), Only Watch should be able to regain its usual place on the calendar: see you at the end of 2025 for new record breaking?
