Watches Of Knightsbridge has put together its largest-ever catalogue (585 lots!) but fear not, we've done the dirty work and gone through all of the pages to find the highlights for you. The summer sale, which takes place on July 2 in Knightsbridge, features a few off-beat pieces from iconic families, including the Autavia, the Navitimer and the El Primero. Following a season of record-breaking auctions for vintage chronographs, it's good to find some gems at more reasonable prices.
Lot 37. A Stainless Steel Breitling AOPA Navitimer From The 60s
Once a hugely collectible wristwatch - often "the first” in people’s collection - the Navitimer seems to have fallen out of favour these days, even though the all-black dial of the early models is absolutely stunning. Developed during the 1950s with the help of the AOPA (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association) the Navitimer takes what the Chronomat had to offer - the patented slide rule on the bezel - and improves on some aspects of the design to create what was at the time the ultimate pilot’s watch.
Reference 806 was large (41mm), had luminous Arabic numerals and hands for increased legibility, and a beaded bezel for functionality. And it came packed full of lovely details, such as the “syringe” hands and the gilt AOPA wing logo, placed on the dial at 12 o’clock. We know this model is from the late 1950s / early 1960s because the first models were powered by the Valjoux 72, until Breitling switched to the Venus 178 in 1955. This Navitimer has higher estimates (£3,800 - £4,800) than the other early reference 806 watches offered at this auction, reflecting the current appetite for double signature on the dial. Here it's in the form of UTI branding - UTI being at the time a renowned French watchmaker and distributor.
Lot 136. A Stainless Steel Heuer Monaco Chronograph Powered By Calibre 15
One of the best sports watches to come out of the 1970s, the Monaco is instantly recognizable thanks to its distinctive square case. The most desirable edition is without a doubt the Reference 1133B, with the self-winding chronograph caliber 11, as seen on the wrist of Steve McQueen in the movie Le Mans. However, Heuer made quite a few other Monaco wristwatches which did not make it onto the big screen, and which still today do not get the attention they deserve, including the Reference 1533G (the “G” stands for grey dial).
Though it is also cased in a square-ish frame, it is powered by a very different movement: Calibre 15, to which it owes its off-beat dial layout, featuring a single chronograph register recording the minutes at 3 o’clock and a subsidiary seconds register sitting off-center on the left side of the dial. Prices for the 1533G seem to have stagnated in recent years, and the auction house’s estimation of £3,500 to £4,000 seems to be fair, given the condition of the watch, though it does not come with the original bracelet, nor the box and papers.
Lot 144. A Stainless Steel Heuer Autavia Chronograph With 1St Execution Dial
The Autavia has always enjoyed a certain cult status, but appetite for it has never been stronger, partly due to a clever bit of marketing earlier this year from TAG Heuer. The Swiss company, formed in 1985 when TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde) acquired Heuer, put the spotlight on its iconic sports watch when it launched The Autavia Cup, an online competition inviting members of the public to pick which vintage model to re-launch in 2017. Fans picked the manual wind Autavia Mark 3 "Jochen Rindt” but the original Reference 2446 remains the most sought-after. For their summer auction, WoK has gotten their hands on a first execution black dial of Reference 2446 with oversized sub-registers, complemented by the second execution dauphine hands. The shorter and larger hour hand seems to have gathered a bit of rust, but otherwise, it has a nice and even patina throughout which matches the hands, and an almost scratch-free bezel. The cover lot of the auction is one of the watches with the highest estimates in the catalogue, and WoK is hoping it hammers in between £20,000 and £30,000. Back in May, another Reference 2446 sold for three times its high estimate during the Epic 88 Stainless Steel Chronographs sale by Phillips.
Lot 511. A Stainless Steel Universal Genève Chronograph With A Valjoux 72
Stainless steel chronographs from Universal Genève continue to be harder and harder to find at reasonable prices, though some good deals can still be found if you’re happy enough to venture away from the Uni- and Tri-compax names. This Reference 22704-1 is powered by the venerable Valjoux 72, and presents a very attractive silver brushed dial with some nice detailing, including a blue tachymeter scale on the outside. The dauphine hands are sharp, and the lume in them is in as good condition as can be, but the lume dots appear to have some damage. The watch measures 38mm and sits nicely on the wrist as an everyday watch. WoK is hoping this lot realizes between £3,000 and £5,000.
Lot 526. A Stainless Steel Zenith El Primero Automatic Chronograph A385 With GF "Ladder" Bracelet
One of the great mysteries of the current auction market is the lack of enthusiasm surrounding some of the original Zenith El Primero chronographs - a model named after and powered by the same movement that can be found in Rolex Daytonas, beginning in 1988. The Zenith El Primero A385 came right after the much more famous A386, and looks much different. The tonneau shape is a big departure from reference A386, while the fumé dial (also known as a cappuccino dial) gives it a singular look. One of the best arguments for getting this particular model, aside from its impeccable condition, is the presence is that it comes with the original Gay Frères “ladder” bracelet. While the watch itself isn’t hard to find - around 2,400 examples were made - the watch with its original bracelet can be. The auction house is hoping this watch will hammer at between £2,500 and £3,500, which seems like an unbelievably low price considering how much pieces with less history sometimes command.
To view the full catalogue online, please visit the Watches Of Knightsbridge website here (online bidding is supported as well).
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