Antiquorum concludes the bidding season in Hong Kong

On June 27^th in Hong-Kong, Antiquorum concluded its 2009 auction with an outstanding total of HKD 45,453,120. From the 479 lots that were offered for sale, the 82% were sold. Over 250 internet bidders from over 40 countries around the world were standing at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Outstanding prices were achieved for a very rare Patek Philippe 3974, which sold for HKD 3,000,000 (CHF 422,280), followed by the Franck Muller, Caliber 97 which reached HKD 2,820,000 (CHF 396,950).

Patek Philippe modern timepieces achieved outstanding results, such as a the Ref. 3970 in platinum, which sold for HKD 960,000 (CHF 135,130). As well as vintage Patek Philippe, the Patek Philippe silver travelling clock which reached HKD 222,000 (CHF 31,250), more than four times its estimate.

Other notable results included the Rolex Comex Sea Dweller Ref. 1665 that, sold for HKD 768,000 (CHF 108,100); as well as the Richard Mille RM005 which sold for HKD 283,200, double its estimate

Lot 379
Sold including buyers premium: $ 1.800.000 HKD

Lot 272

Sold including buyer’s premium: 2,820,000 HKD

Lot 479

Ref. 3974 Black Dial. Patek Philippe, Genève, Ref. 3974.
Sold including buyer’s premium: 3,000,000 HKD

[Source: Antiquorum’s Press Release]

Filed under: Antiquorum Auction, Antiquorum Hong Kong Auction, Antquorum Auction

Impotant Collectors’ Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks Auction. Geneva – Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th.

On May 9th and 10th Antiquorum will auction over 300 fine timepieces at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, in Geneva. Previews were held in Shanghai April 26 and 27, Hong Kong April 29 and 30, and Geneva May 7 – 10.

The highlight of the sale is the Patek Philippe Ref. 1436 featuring stainless steel split-seconds chronograph. More than unique, only four examples of this model were produced and only three survived. It is said to be one of the first two watch generation to ever exist. This wristwatch was produced in 1945 and then sold on May 11, 1949. It is the first time ever that this watch will be offered at auction. The pre-sale estimated goes from $ 600,000 to $ 800,000.

The action will also offer a Patek Philippe Tiffany split-seconds wristwatch produced in 1928 and sold on September 23, 1938. This 18K yellow gold wristwatch features a single-button split-seconds chronograph, vertical 30-minute register, constant seconds, and mobile lugs. The pre-sale estimated goes from $ 800,000 to $ 1,200,000.

Between many other significant timepieces, another watch included in the auction is another Patek Philippe Ref. 5016 P that features a unique dial. This watch was originally sold on November 13, 2001. This piece in platinum includes a minute-repeater, one-minute tourbillon regulator, retrograde perpetual calendar and moon phases. This piece is estimated goes from $ 600,000 to 800,000.

.

Filed under: Antiquorum Auction, Antiquorum Geneve Auction, Antquorum Auction, luxury watches, Mens, Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe Watch, Patek Philippe Watches, Watch, Watches, Womens

Important “Kennedy Onassis” Wristwatch Worn by John F. Kennedy and Gifted to Aristotle Onassis by Jackie Kennedy.

(President John F. Kennedy’s Wristwatch)

John F. Kennedy’s Wristwatch: Nastrix 57 Jewels Automatic.

This historically important watch was gifted to Aristotle Onassis by Jackie Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s widow.
Nastrix 57 Jewels Automatic was made in 1962. It’s a fine, center-seconds, self -winding, water-resistant, 14 K yellow gold wristwatch.
It is also accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Evelyn Lincoln (President Kennedy’s White House secretary).

This unique wristwatch was sold during Antiquorum’s Important Collectors’ Auction in New York in March 2009 for $120.000.

President John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onasis.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

(President John F. Kennedy)

On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin’s bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the youngest to die.

Of Irish descent, he was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. Graduating from Harvard in 1940, he entered the Navy. In 1943, when his PT boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer, Kennedy, despite grave injuries, led the survivors through perilous waters to safety.

Back from the war, he became a Democratic Congressman from the Boston area, advancing in 1953 to the Senate. He married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953. In 1955, while recuperating from a back operation, he wrote Profiles in Courage, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history.

In 1960, winning by a narrow margin in the popular vote, Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic President. He took vigorous action in the cause of equal rights, calling for new civil rights legislation. He wished America to resume its old mission as the first nation dedicated to the revolution of human rights. With the Alliance for Progress and the Peace Corps, he brought American idealism to the aid of developing nations. But the hard reality of the Communist challenge remained.

Aristotle Sokratis Onassis was one of the prominent shipping magnates of the 20th century. Some sources say he was born in 1900 and later changed his age to 16 so as to avoid deportation from Turkey.

(Aristotle Onassis)

Aristotle’s father had a fleet of 10 ships with 40 sailors. This enterprise was a financial success enabling him to send Onassis and his sisters to prestigious schools. At the age of 16, Aristotle spoke four languages: Spanish, Turkish, English and Greek.

After being briefly occupied by Greece in the aftermath of the allied victory in World War I, Smyrna was re-captured by Turkey; the Onassis substantial family holdings were lost, causing them to become refugees fleeing to Greece. During this period Ari lost three uncles and one aunt with her husband Chrysostomos Konialidis and their daughter, who burned to death when the Turks set fire to a church in Thyatira where 500 Christians were seeking shelter.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

(Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis)

Onassis ended his relationship with Callas to marry Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of 35th U.S. President John F. Kennedy, on October 20, 1968. It was said that Kennedy insisted on marriage rather than an affair so as to avoid upsetting her children.

According to Peter Evans, Jacqueline received US$3 million for her and $1m for each son as an offer if she accepted marriage. Using a rate of return of 8% a year, from 1968, it would be equivalent to US$65m and US$22m respectively in 2008 value. After Onassis’s death she would receive US$150,000 ($3.25m using the same calculus) each year until the end of her life. The whole marital contract was discussed with Teddy Kennedy and later reviewed by André Meyer, Jacqueline’s financial consultant. Christina, Onassis daughter, made clear that she didn’t like Jacqueline, and after Alexander’s death, she convinced his father that Jacqueline had some kind of curse due to John and Robert Kennedy’s murders.

The relations between Aristotle and Jacqueline that were already balanced came to an end.During his lifetime Onassis was one of the richest men in the world and one of the most famous. Just like Rockefeller his name has become synonymous with wealth.

.

Filed under: Antquorum Auction, Aristotle Onassis, Jackie Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Watch, John F. Kennedy Wristwatch, Onassis, Watch, Watches

Joseph Bonanno’s Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève Watch

Joseph Bonanno, Sr. (1905-2002) Joseph Bonanno was born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Italy, to Salvatore Bonanno and Catarina Bonventre. In 1906, the 26-year-old Salvatore took his young wife and one-year-old son to the United States. At age 26, he became one of the youngest bosses of a crime family, as well as an influential member of the “Commission”, a nation-wide organisation formed in 1931

Bonanno is said to have been one of the models for the character “Vito Corleone” in Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather. Both Bonanno and Corleone wanted their sons to succeed them, and both allegedly wanted their crime families to stay out of the narcotics rackets (although many of the soldiers and associates of the Bonanno crime family were dealing in drugs, most known was later Boss of family Carmine Galante).

Joseph Bonanno’s Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève was given to Joseph Bonanno Sr. by Charlie “Lucky” Luciano in Palermo, Sicily, in 1957. It’s No. 966280, case No. 302352, Ref. 1516. It was produced in the late 40s. 18K yellow gold wristwatch with a 14K yellow gold brick link bracelet. The watch has been authenticated by Joseph Bonanno’s daughter Catherine Bonanno Genovese, in a document included in the lot.

Joseph Bonanno, Sr. died in Tucson, Arizona on May 12, 2002 at the age of 97, of natural causes.

This watch was sold for $36,000 in the last Antiquorum’s auction in March, 4^th and 5^th in New York.

.

Filed under: Antquorum Auction, Audemars Piguet Watches, Joseph Bonanno, Mens, Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe Watch, Patek Philippe Watches, Womens