Christie’s Important Watches auction made history on May 30 with the biggest watch sale ever in Asia, totaling HKD 164,707,500 (USD 21,164,914). With a high 92% sold by lot and 95% sold by value, the auction testifies to the sophistication of the global watch market.

Created in the Vallee de Joux (Switzerland) by Freres Rochat in the 19^th century, the Singing Bird Pistols (above) were the highlight of the Christie’s Important Watches auction on May 30. As the only publicly known matching pair in the world, the pistols meld fine Swiss automata technology with exquisite craftsmanship and are extravagantly embellished with pearls and diamonds.   

Aurel Bacs, International Head of Watches, Christie’s, said “No auction house responds better than Christie’s to the demanding appetite of an ever-growing group of international watch collectors. The auction in Hong Kong was highlighted by an epic bidding war between two of the world’s most connoisseur collectors who fought fiercely for more than 10 minutes to acquire the only publicly known matching pair of singing bird pistols in the world”.   

The result was well in excess of the high estimate, realizing HKD 45,460,000 (USD 5,841,610), effectively marking it as the highest amount for an individual lot sold at any watch auction in Asia, as well as the most valuable achieved for an horological item ever sold at an Asian auction.     

Bacs further says “Another highlight was the charity auction of the world’s first all-aluminium sport watch from celebrated watchmaker FP Journe’s Centigraphe Sport to raise funds for the charities 100maisons100familles and Medecins du Monde to aid Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims”. 

Thunderous applause broke out when a Japanese collector and philanthropist won the final bid online, raising HKD3,620,000 (USD465,170) and knocking down the other nine bidders.

Meanwhile, Patek Philip was crowned la crème de la crème in the wrist-watch category, occupying eight out of the top ten watches being sold. The Ref. 2499R in pink gold sold for HKD 9,380,000 (USD 1,205,330) while the Skymoon Toubillon – the brand’s most complicated wrist-watch ever – sold for HKD 9,020,000 (USD 1,159,070).

“Given the incredible variety of makers, periods and styles on our top ten, we can see an impressive breadth and depth of the market and Christie’s savoir-faire in bringing together the finest property any auction house can offer to the world’s top collectors,” Bacs muses.

Christie’s