Displaying items by tag: rolex

Christie’s Geneva held a three-session auction of important watches on November 10^th and 11^th that realized an unprecedented combined total of $43,985,467 million – the highest result for a series of watch sales ever held. Rolex Daytona “Lesson One,” a unique single-themed auction featuring 50 exceptional luxury wristwatches garnered $13,248,167 million and the various-owner Important Watches sale totaled $30,737,300 million. The top lot of the week was a 1957 Patek Philippe ref. 2499-second series in pink gold, which sold for $2,160,474.

Aurel Bacs, International Head of Christie’s Watch Department, said, “On November 10 and 11, Christie’s dispersed over 370 fine watches in an historical ten-hour auction marathon, which set a new record total for any series of watch sales. We exhibited highlights in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, Dubai and in all locations we noticed an ever-growing appetite for high quality collector’s watches. This trend was demonstrated by a fiercer-than-ever competition generated by both experienced and new international bidders, in the room, on the telephone and online.”

The sale set 50 world records for 50 watches as well as a record price for any Rolex Daytona ever sold at auction.

U.S. Antique Shows announced that they will be adding another event to their roster this spring. The L.A. Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, which will take place March 22-24, 2013, will bring together over 100 preeminent antique jewelry dealers from across the country.

The show, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century City, will offer patrons a variety of rare and unique jewelry and watches by notable brands such as Cartier, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Cameos, rings, decorative necklaces, brooches, gemstones, and pendants spanning from the Renaissance to the Art Deco era will also be featured. Highlights from the upcoming show include a 12-carat internally flawless fancy yellow ring from Raymond Lee Jewelers, rare Art Deco diamond bracelets and jewelry from Jerome Heidenreich Inc., and an Art Deco platinum and diamond Tiffany & Co. pendant from J.S. Fearnley.

Dan Darby, group fair director, said, “We are thrilled to be able to bring together dealers and antique jewelry enthusiasts in the market that boasts the largest jewelry district in the country…We look forward to introducing local antique collectors to some of the most unique pieces ever offered on the West Coast.”

During the holiday season donations to Goodwill start pouring in; one location in Federal Way, Washington got more than they bargained for this year. A signed etching by the pioneering Surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, was dropped off by an anonymous donor and quickly identified by employee, Shea Munroe. The piece was added to Goodwill’s online auction system for a mere $999 and the price has continued to soar. It is currently listed on the organization’s auction site at $18,525. The auction ends tonight, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. PST.

Authenticated by Period House Appraisal Service in Tacoma, the framed color etching titled, Reflections, is from the artist’s The Cycles of Life Suite and features one of Dali’s famous melting watches. Signed and numbered “126/150,” the piece is also labeled as an “etching and photolithography from collage.” Although the work’s paper is slightly warped due to humidity and there is some discoloration to one part of the matting and a few scratches and scuffs to the glass and frame, the etching will undoubtedly sell for an impressive price.

Goodwill trains their employees to look for potentially high-value items and asks that they put aside any signed items or pieces with paperwork attached. Other valuable items that have appeared on the Goodwill auction site are a Rolex watch that sold for $900, a diamond ring that reached $12,000, and a Frank Weston Benson watercolor that fetched $165,002 in 2006, the most valuable piece to sell online to date.