Sotheby’s Appoints Geoff Hess as Head of Watches, Americas

Appointment Follows Record Year for Sotheby’s Watches in 2022 with Worldwide Auction Sales Achieving $179 Million - a 22% Increase Year Over Year. 

NEW YORK, 10 August 2023 – Sotheby’s announces the appointment of Geoff Hess as Senior Vice President and Head of Watches, Americas. Based in New York, Geoff will work with colleagues both in the Americas and internationally to accelerate the growth in Sotheby’s Watches category by driving innovation, further developing brand awareness, and collaborating across regions to ensure a globally aligned strategy. 

Geoff arrives at Sotheby’s with meaningful years of experience in the global watch industry, with a broad knowledge across vintage and modern timepieces, and especially sports watches. Most recently, Geoff was an International Specialist of Phillips Watches Department in New York. Prior to joining Phillips Auction House, Geoff was the CEO of Analog / Shift, a platform for vintage timepieces, and was instrumental in the company’s growth and acquisition by Watches of Switzerland. As a dedicated collector and active member of the watch community for many years, Geoff is the proud founder of the acclaimed ‘Rolliefest’ gathering, which will take place once again this September in New York. He’s also an Academy Member of the Grand Prix d’Horologerie de Genève (GPHG). 

Josh Pullan, Head of Sotheby’s Global Luxury Division, commented: “The watch market is one of the most global and fastest growing collecting categories, and we are delighted to welcome Geoff during a moment of unprecedented growth for Sotheby’s, where annual worldwide auction sales achieved a record $179m in 2022, a 22% increase from 2021. As an internationally respected curator with longstanding experience and deep commitment to fostering a passionate collecting community, Geoff brings unmatched gravitas, scholarship and strong relationships to our Americas team, and I look forward to working with him on further strengthening Sotheby’s Watches position to meet the ever-growing interest and demand from the region.”

Geoff Hess, remarked: “It is my honor to take up the role of Sotheby’s Head of Watches, Americas. Witnessing the recent unprecedented changes in the global watch market, I believe the potential for growth is significant. I am delighted to be joining an existing results-driven team and look forward to working together to conceive and execute plans to drive consistent sales and growth.”