George Daniels Spring Case Tourbillon Sold for Record CHF 4,083,500
Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo achieves CHF 4,083,500 / USD 4,092,075 for the exceptionally rare George Daniels Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold. The highest price ever achieved for a watch by a British maker sold during the first session of the Geneva Watch Auction: XVI
The unique Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold, by the founding father of independent watchmaking, appeared at auction for the first time today. After a three-minute bidding war, the watch soared above its pre-sale estimate of CHF 1 million, eventually selling to a bidder in the room for CHF 4,083,500 / USD 4,092,075/ € 4,108,001.
This marks the highest price ever achieved for a watch by a British maker – a true milestone in the market. Daniels only made two unique wristwatches for his own personal use; one of these being this exact novel double-dialled spring case watch with one-minute tourbillon and calendar, completed in 1992.
The momentum continued with the highly anticipated yellow gold Anniversary limited to 35 pieces selling for CHF 693,000 / USD 694,455/ € 697,158 to a phone bidder, against a pre-sale estimate of CHF 300,000-600,000.
The Geneva Watch Auction XVI continues this afternoon and tomorrow, when the superb yellow gold Millennium limited to 48 pieces will be offered (estimate CHF 250,000-500,000).
Alexandre Ghotbi, Head of Watches, Continental Europe & Middle East, said, “The Spring Case Tourbillon is a tour de force wristwatch and collectors worldwide recognised this defining moment in the market today. It is a leading example of George Daniels’ gloriously hand-crafted creations that incorporate the various inventions he made. Daniels was one of the greatest watchmakers in history, and it has been a true honour to present not only this unique tourbillon wristwatch with spring case, made fully by hand by Daniels himself, but also two of the most sought-after wristwatches by an independent watchmaker.”
The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI
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