Celebrity Life

Hot on the heels of the gruff bear on the Slim of Hermès Grrrrr! and the howling wolf of the Arceau Awooooo, Hermès’ Arceau Pocket Aaaaargh! joins the bestiary illustrated by Alice Shirley.

The English artist has had an ongoing collaboration with the maison since 2014 by providing her illustrations of flora and fauna for reproduction on its famed silk scarves. This one-of-a-kind pocket watch will be the third Hermès timepiece that bears Shirley’s artwork from a silk carré.

Featuring the classic, distinctive round shape and asymmetrical stirrup-inspired lugs created by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the Arceau watch has been seen in infinite guises showcasing Hermès creativity and expertise. The whimsical Hermès Arceau Pocket Aaaaargh! juxtaposes the timeless white gold silhouette with leather craftsmanship and haute horlogerie in one unique timepiece.

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With jaws half-open and a menacing eye locked on you, it takes in-house watchmakers a month of meticulous craftsmanship – using exclusive techniques developed in the maison’s leather ateliers – to bring the tyrannosaurus rex to life.

A combination of several techniques is employed to create the T-Rex on the pocket watch cover, which looks as if it’s peering through a porthole for its next meal a la Jurassic Park. Its head and scales are crafted in leather mosaic using thousands of finely hand-cut multi-coloured leather fragments that are painstakingly applied individually.

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The dinosaur’s domed eye, visible on both sides of the cover, is made of cabochon-cut Grand Feu enamel. Finally, the jaw and tongue are crafted in leather marquetry, where fine tesserae are cut from various coloured leathers previously thinned to just 0.5mm, before being applied on the enamel base. Adding the final touch to the bold piece is a matte green alligator leather cord-strap, which is secured to the rectangular stirrup and accentuates the overall design.

Boasting a 90-hour power reserve, the 48mm pocket watch beats to the rhythm of the Manufacture H1924 self-winding movement with a minute-repeater and flying tourbillon movement.

(Main and featured image: Claude Joray for Hermès)

The post A T-Rex is the Face of the New Hermès Arceau Aaaaargh High-Complication Pocket Watch appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The year 2020 has been challenging in so many ways due to Covid-19. No industry has emerged unscathed. This is true of the luxury watch world as well, where many manufactures had to shutter their doors for several months — leading to a slowdown in planned releases of new timepieces for 2020. Thus, readers of... View Article

The post Elite Traveler Reveals Top Watches in the World 2020 appeared first on Elite Traveler.

The watch industry is growing. Manufacturers are releasing new technology and products daily, which means that the community for watch enthusiasts is also at a steady increase. Panerai is a watchmaker with an online following of individuals deemed Paneristi. Panerai announced a new Radiomir model commemorating the group’s 20th anniversary. The 45mm stainless steel case […]

The post Panerai Celebrates Paneristi Community 20th Anniversary With A Limited Edition Radiomir Watch appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Hublot is known for designing and manufacturing luxury watches with an enlarged case size to help draw focus to the inner workings using transparent dials. The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 is the prime example, a 45mm watch with a 10-day power reserve. The team at Hublot announced that they have rescaled and designed the January […]

The post The New Hublot Meca-10 Clock Is Inspired By A Previously Released Big Bang appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

The Laureato Absolute Collection by luxury Swiss watch manufacturer Girard-Perregaux has been a highlighted model for the company since 1975. The most recent release from Girard-Perregaux is the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock. The watch features a 44mm case made of a mixture of carbon fiber and fiberglass. Once shaped, it begins to take on a […]

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Exotic cars and fine handcrafted timepieces complement each other in a similar way that salt and pepper do, they just work. In many cases, watch manufacturers create pieces that tailor to the automotive industry and even specific cars altogether. Our new special Makes and Movements, will be selecting spectacular supercars available through DuPont Registry and […]

The post Makes and Movements: Ferrari F8 Tributo x Hublot Big Bang Ferrari Unico 1000 GP appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Period Correct is proud to announce that they have teamed up with the world-renowned watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen to collaboration collection. IWC holds significant roots in the automotive racing world with a partnership with Mercedes-Benz, a similar vision that Period Correct helps portray with their clothing line. The newest collection features sweatshirts, long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts, and […]

The post Period Correct Collaborates With IWC Schaffhausen On In-Store Collection appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Shinola watches are more than just a tool for someone’s wrist. Each piece crafted, expressing a story that ties into the vision behind the design. The newest addition to the Shinola line-up is the Ice Monster Automatic, a 43mm diver’s watch inspired by the ice age. Strength is portrayed by using titanium throughout the Shinola […]

The post The New Shinola Ice Monster Watch Finds Inspiration From The Ice Age appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Major auction houses have recorded staggering results from watch and jewellery sales this year so far, and in the midst of a pandemic.

This is, in large part, due to the swift and effective manner in which auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Phillips and Bonhams have adapted their business models to an online format, if not further strengthening and expanding the digital platforms they already had in place. At least within the realm of the secondary market, the appetite for watches and jewellery is stronger than ever.

The aggregate of jewellery sales at Sotheby’s Asia, for instance, totalled more than HK$470 million year-to-date, with all its three online jewellery auctions held earlier in the year selling 100 percent of its lots. “These results effectively made Sotheby’s the leading jewellery auction market in Asia. The jewellery segment has been resilient in spite of the challenge of Covid, and clearly our strategy of focusing on top-quality jewellery, coupled with quick actions in expanding our online auction program, the effort in curating themed sales and exploring new auction formats, paid off,” Wenhao Yu, deputy chairman, jewellery for Sotheby’s Asia, told Prestige.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Magnificent Jewels live auction in Hong Kong held in July recorded HK$438 million (about US$56 million) in sales, making it the highest-value jewellery sale worldwide across all auction houses to date.

At Sotheby’s, its online watch sales have also seen a notable jump from January to July this year. According to Sam Hines, worldwide head of Sotheby’s watches, sales “quintupled in volume” with a combined value of more than HK$217 million or US$28 million — seven times more when compared to the same period last year.” Hines explained that along with the increase in sales, there’s been “a surge in demand” for great- quality watches. “The lockdown period has given many collectors time at home to research watches and study the market, and therefore resulting in an increase in passion among them. And under the travel restrictions, there’s been a massive increase in online business,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_211267" align="aligncenter" width="769"] A rare 102.39-carat D-colour flawless oval diamond was offered "without reserve" at a single-lot auction at Sotheby's recently.[/caption]

Jewellery at Phillips is also significantly ahead compared to this time in 2019. By the end of 2020, the auction house will have held six online jewellery sales in New York and Hong Kong, compared to only two in 2019, Graeme Thompson, worldwide head of jewellery at Phillips, revealed, adding that its Hong Kong July sale of Jewels and Jadeite registered a 54-percent increase over the previous year’s sale. The auction also saw a record number of online bidders from 20 countries/regions, with a 163 percent increase on the previous year.

While collectors traditionally make up majority of bidders in these segments, there’s been in the last year an increase among those who purchase for investment purposes. Thompson from Phillips tells us: “The motivation of buyers has transformed. Today, buyers are looking to purchase jewels, diamond and gemstones as a store of wealth and as a hedge against possible future inflation.” In Asia, more than 50 percent of Phillips’ jewellery buyers of lots over US$100,000 buy primarily for investment purpose. The same is true on the watches front, with investors comprising the bulk of its watches clientele (40 percent), while “avid collectors” and connoisseurs each make up 30 percent.

Sotheby’s Asia is seeing the same trend, noting that while there’s a healthy balance of avid collectors and new buyers at their jewellery auctions, there seems to be more people looking at jewellery as a form of alternative investment. Hines weighs in, saying that while Sotheby’s Asia encounters many collectors who want to buy a nice watch that they can wear and enjoy — and, they hope, increase in value — a lot of them prefer to invest in “a tangible asset and try to avoid the volatile, complex financial markets”.

Asked which watch brands have consistently generated good results at auctions, unsurprisingly big names top that list, including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille, but making the cut, too, were more niche brands like FP Journe, Philippe Dufour, MB&F and Urwerk. When it came to jewellery, as expected, renowned houses like Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston have shown strong results time and again, and notably smaller jewellery designers like Belperron, JAR and Wallace Chan, to name a few, with non-mainstream names like Edmond Chin, Taffin, Lauren Adriana, Hemmerle and Bhagat increasingly getting attention in recent years.

[caption id="attachment_211269" align="alignnone" width="716"] Van Cleef & Arpels is believed by some experts to be the most sought-after 21st-century jeweller because production was more limited in the 20th century and thus harder to come by. This is a Van Cleef & Arpels zip necklace sold for HK$4.35 million at a Phillips auction in 2019.[/caption]

Brand prestige aside, provenance also plays a huge part in ascertaining the value of these pieces. Case in point, an antique diamond and enamel bracelet given to Princess Margaret as a 21st birthday present went under the hammer for significantly more than its high estimate at a Sotheby’s spring sale this year, selling for over HK$1.6 million or US$209,674. “We’ve seen jewellery sold over 10 times their pre-sale estimates due to impeccable provenance,” Yu explains.

Bonhams’ head of jewellery Leslie Roskind agrees, saying that while one cannot pre-determine the value of provenance when it comes to appraising a collection or a jewel with a historical or celebrity history, and therefore an auction estimate is based on what the jewel is — the quality of gemstones, signature, time period, etc — provenance plays an enormous role in the results of the sale. “I was fortunate to have worked on the collection of Elizabeth Taylor, and there were several instances where the final sold price was over 10 times the pre-sale estimate,” Roskind shares.

Antique and period jewels from a previous eras have been replicated and copied for centuries, according to Thompson from Phillips, and today, he says, is no different. “Provenance is paramount because it allows us to date a jewel before 1970 with confidence, therefore adding value. Known provenance pertaining to an important family, or celebrity, such as the sapphire and diamond brooch owned by Elton John, which we have coming up for sale this November, can also add significant value.”

When it comes to watches, while rarity and condition are of prime importance, provenance, too plays a huge role. And this is especially true when it comes to vintage pieces, according to Hines at Sotheby’s. “Knowing how the timepiece has been acquired tells the authenticity and the history of the timepiece. Also, as demonstrated in many sales, if the watch has been worn/collected by well-known figures, it would usually draw a lot more attention to the sale and hence help adding value.”

It would be remiss, in this discussion, not to mention that eye-watering sale of the 1968 Rolex Daytona owned by Paul Newman at a Phillips auction in New York in 2017, where the watch sold for a staggering US$15.5 million (the final price amounted to US$17,752,500 after the buyer’s premium). “Coming from an original owner, or previously sold at auction, or if it has been worn by an important figure/celebrity — for example those that used to be owned by Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Elvis Presley — all fetched high price at Phillips’ auctions,” Thomas Perazzi, head of watches, Asia, at Phillips, says.

“Some collectors look mostly for a watch in pristine condition, others maybe will focus on purchasing unique pieces or examples made in extremely small numbers, but for some it’s all about the story behind the watch or the person who previously owned it. If we look at some of the greatest watches ever sold, many of them highlight a significant history.”

[caption id="attachment_211268" align="alignnone" width="515"] Cluster pendant earrings by Graff featuring 4.65 carats of emeralds and 8.05 carats of diamonds that sold at a Bonhams auction this year for HK$288,125.[/caption]

Increased online sales activity has also given rise to a more diversified clientele. Roskind, head of jewellery at Bonhams, says that online sales proved to be an effective way to both engage its existing clients under the stay-at-home policy, and to attract new clients, especially the younger, digitally savvy collector. Seeing the potential in this market segment, Bonhams launched the Luxury Online series in May, a new initiative that combines jewellery with other luxury categories, including watches, handbags and wine and whisky, to offer a “one-stop shopping experience”. The series saw more than 40 percent of buyers new to Bonhams, and about a third of the bidders under 40 years old.

Perazzi at Phillips agrees that the manner in which they communicate with clients has changed. Phillips Jewels’ Instagram followers has increased by 181 percent from 5,333 in June 2019 to over 15,000 today, and the number is still rapidly increasing. “Social media, the internet, vintage timepieces are being represented and talked about on a daily basis, with experts from the industry and collectors transcending their passion and knowledge to the next generation,” he says. There’s definitely an increasing number of first-timers or participants who are relatively new to auctions. For example, we held two cross-category online sales this year (mixing contemporary art, watches and jewellery), each has 56 percent of buyers who were new to Phillips.”

And because the demographic of collectors has somewhat shifted, Phillips’ Thompson argues that while there continues to be a consistent demand for pieces by famous houses, individual jewellery designers are definitely getting more attention in the market. He says: “Younger collectors nowadays treasure craftsmanship that takes time to refine. More and more individual jewellery designers are challenging the limit of jewellery design.”

And at Phillips, as we move into the new decade, we have been partnering with more independent jewellery designers.”

From this year, Phillips is looking forward to bringing more precious gemstones to the market while fostering young, contemporary talent among jewellery designers around the world to drive up the interest among the next generation of bidders.

The Most Notable Watch and Jewellery Auction Sales in 2020

The post In the Midst of a Pandemic, Jewellery and Watch Auction Sales Have Never Been Better appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The watch community recently was introduced to some remarkable timepieces created by Jacob & Co., including the $1 million-dollar Twin Turbo Furious “La Montre Noire” Bugatti Edition. The New York City based watch maker announced the release of a new collection collaborating once again with the hyper car manufacturer. The Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron […]

The post New Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon by Jacob & Co. is Mesmerizing appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Sixty years old, but you would never tell. The SCAFOGRAF 300 is an automatic-winding mechanical diving watch with a 43 mm Ø steel case, unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel and valve enabling the release of helium at 9 o’clock. A celebratory edition called “MCMLIX”, in Roman numerals the year of the collection’s birth (1959) is now […]

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TAG Heuer is celebrating the 160th anniversary of operating as an industry leader in luxury watch manufacturing. A special edition Carrera collection commemorates the milestone. The TAG Heuer Carrera 160th Anniversary is a sports chronograph with a 44mm stainless steel case. A Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic movement drives the watch with an 80-hour power reserve […]

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