OnlyWatch 2021. The 9th edition of the Only Watch biennial charity auction will take place on 6 Nov 2021 in Geneva. 54 brands, 53 unique timepieces
The 9th edition of the Only Watch biennial charity auction will take place on Saturday 6 November 2021, at 2PM at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues, in Geneva, in collaboration with Christie’s. The event is organised by Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies (Monaco Association against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) and is supported by Prince Albert II of Monaco.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of 53 one-off luxury timepieces created by the finest watch manufacturers will be invested in scientific and medical research on neuromuscular diseases in general and on Duchenne muscular dystrophy in particular. An achievement made possible by to the generous donation and participation of the 54 watch brands, the partners offering a variety of services and logistical support, the media offering substantial coverage and the auctioneer.
Since the first edition in 2005, Only Watch has aggregated more than 70 million Euros that enabled to finance numerous scientific and medical research programs.
Each watchmaker donates a one-off timepiece specifically made for Only Watch or offer a one-off version of an iconic/bestselling model of the brand’s collection.
The 54 watch companies supporting Only Watch 2021 are:
Akrivia – Andersen Genève X Edward Sexton – Armin Strom – Artya X John Mc Laughlin – Atelier De Chronometrie – Audemars Piguet – Baltic – Bell&Ross – Blancpain – Boucheron – Bovet 1822 – Breguet – Bulgari – Carl F. Bucherer – Chanel – Charles Girardier – Chopard – Cyrus Genève – Czapek Genève – D.Candaux X Saturno – De Bethune X Voutilainen - F.P.Journe X Francis Ford Coppola – Faberge - Frederique Constant – Girard-Perregaux X Bamford Watch Department – H. Moser & Cie – Hermès - Hublot - Jacob&Co – Jaquet Droz – Konstantin Chaykin – Krayon – Laurent Ferrier – Louis Moinet – Louis Vuitton – Ludovic Ballouard - Maurice Lacroix – Mb&F – Montblanc – Moritz Grossmann – Patek Philippe – Perrelet – Rebellion Timepieces – Reservoir - Richard Mille – Romain Gauthier – Speake-Marin – Tag Heuer – Trilobe X Daniel Buren – Tudor – Ulysse Nardin – Urwerk – Zenith X Felipe Pantone
Below, a selection of some of the unique timepieces that will be auctioned.
Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force Only Watch 2021
The Gravity Equal Force by Armin Strom (our full hands-on review here) is the world’s first automatic watch with a constant force transmission that delivers consistent power to the balance for enhanced precision.
The Only Watch 2021 special version is characterised by unique design details. The movement’s black plate guilloche pattern was done by hand by renowned watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. The off-center grey-toned sapphire dial – a first for the brand – offers glimpses of the mechanics below. Another eye-catching detail is represented by the trio of orange-coated brass bridges positioned behind the ASB19 in-house manufacture movement whose colour matches the orange coated balance wheel bridge on the back of the movement and the hand-finished orange-coated stainless-steel hands.
Presented in a classic 41 mm stainless-steel case, the Armin Strom Only Watch 2021 comes
with a black fabric strap with orange stitching.
Estimate: CHF 16,900 - 25,000
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak "Jumbo” Extra-Thin ref. 15202XT Only Watch 2021
This dedicated Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin is the last unique ref. 15202 and the last unique piece powered by Calibre 2121, the thinnest automatic movement with central rotor and date indication of its time, first introduced on the Royal Oak in 1972 (you can read the full history of the Royal Oak here).
The case and bracelet combine sandblasted titanium with polished Bulk Metallic Glass – a first at Audemars Piguet. Characterised by a new grey hues, the Petite Tapisserie dial retains the original Royal Oak’s typography for the signature and monogram as introduced in 1972 with the 5402 A series.
Estimate: CHF 160,000 - 320,000
Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad Only Watch 2021
The Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad watch (our full presentation article can be read here) revisits a Blancpain diving instrument from the mid-60s, which was notably used by the German Navy's Combat Swimmers. The latter has the characteristic feature of a stamp on the dial with a "no radiations" logo indicating that Blancpain did not use luminescent materials composed of radium – a highly radioactive element declared harmful to health.
The model created for Only Watch 2021 is characterised by a chapter ring, hands and a bezel time scale featuring orange-coloured Super-LumiNova. Bespoke to this special piece, this acidulous shade refers to the colour representing the 2021 edition of Only Watch. The dominant element on the dial remains the "no radiations" logo, whose original yellow and red colours have been replaced by orange and yellow, respectively. The 40.3 mm case is crafted from stainless steel.
Estimate: CHF 12,000 - 18,000
Breguet Type XX Only Watch 2021
This faithful re-edition of Breguet’s renowned pilot’s watch pays tribute to the civilian versions of the Type XX chronograph from the 1950s and 1960s. The Type XX Only Watch 2021 flyback chronograph is notable for its specific architecture, meticulously reproducing the codes of the first generation of civilian Type XX timepieces.
The bronze colour of its dial is a nod to the extremely rare original models with dials coloured in this way. The bidirectional steel bezel comes fitted with a 12-hour scale, along with a luminous triangular marker.
The 38.30 mm stainless steel case houses a Valjoux 235 movement, directly derived from the Valjoux 222 used by Breguet in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Estimate: CHF 35,000 - 50,000
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar Tantalum
Based on the model introduced by Bulgari last April, the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar for Only Watch is a one-of-a-kind execution in Tantalum, an extremely rare metal.
This unique piece features a deep blue dial echoing the colour of the metal. In a nod to the objective of this one-off creation, the graphic design of the month of November recalls the Only Watch abbreviation (NOW) in a symbolic shade of colour.
The 2.75mm-thick movement drives the hour and minute hands as well as all the perpetual calendar functions: retrograde date display, retrograde day, month and leap-year indication.
Estimate: CHF 80,000 - 120,000
Cyrus Klepcys DICE Only Watch 2021
For Only Watch, Cyrus created an unprecedented monopusher chronograph capable of measuring two short intervals of time independently or in synchrony.
Framed in a titanium case, its open-worked dial reveals the new in-house automatic calibre CYR718. This timepiece is equipped with two independent chronograph movements and two display axes, one corresponding to the small seconds counter and the second to the 30-minute counter of the double chronograph. The chronographs are activated by two column wheels, visible on the dial side, which in turn activate the different levers that move the gears of the seconds and 30-minute chronograph display.
A special system of insulation ensures precision measurement of the two chronographs which work independently without exerting any influence on one another. To free up as much space as possible for the dual chronograph complication, Jean Francois Mojon (our exclusive interview here) conceived a specifically compact concentric mechanism of the motion work which is coaxial to the axes of the hands.
Estimate: CHF 35,000 - 45,000
François-Paul Journe FFC Blue
Francois-Paul Journe explains the genesis of this unusual timepiece: “This watch was born in 2012 while having dinner at Francis Ford Coppola’s house in the Napa Valley. He asked me if it could be possible to tell time with a hand in a watch. I replied that the idea was interesting and required thinking about it. But how to display 12 hours with 5 fingers? It was not an easy matter and this complex challenge inspired and motivated me. Once I figured it out, Francis immediately sent the sketches for the fingers positions. After more than 2 years, I could finally focus on “Fecit”. After 7 years of development, I am proud to present the FFC prototype”.
The minutes are read by rotating disk at the 12 o’clock position, while the mobile fingers appear or disappear instantaneously to display the hour according to their positions.
The fingers are inspired from a mechanical hand created by Ambroise Paré (1509-1590), the father of modern surgery.
The 42 mm x 10.70 mm round case crafted from tantalium houses the automatic FFC 1300.3 calibre in rose gold. The unidirectional oscillating weight in 22K 5N Gold is engraved Ambroise Paré (1509-1590) & F.F.Coppola.
Estimate: CHF 300,000 - 400,000
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon Only Watch 2021
For Only Watch, Jaquet Droz created a flying tourbillon timepiece with an exclusive plique-à-jour dial that is not formed of a single piece of enamel; rather it is made up of cells of different colors and shapes. These cells are separated by gold wire cloisons. With no metal backing, the composition is a standalone piece similar to a stained glass window.
Every tone of enamel has been fired at a very high temperature several times in a row before the ultimate polishing step. The tourbillon cage follows the geometry of the skeleton movement, with a triple cross shape which, once a minute, aligns perfectly with its bridges. The 41 mm x 13.36 mm case is crafted from red gold.
Estimate: CHF 160,000 - 200,000
Patek Philippe Complicated Desk Clock
Inspired by a desk clock delivered to James Ward Packard in 1923 and now safeguarded in the Patek Philippe Museum, the complicated desk clock ref. 27001M-001 offered by Patek Philippe for the Only Watch 2021 charity auction is equipped with the new caliber 86-135 PEND IRM Q SE and features a perpetual calendar, moon phases, week-number display and power-reserve indication (31 days). It is adjusted to a precision rate of -1/+1 second per day.
This Grande Complication is housed in a sterling silver cabinet with vermeil decorative elements and American walnut inlays.
Estimate: CHF 400,000 - 500,000
TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon Monaco
With its extensive use of carbon, from the 39 mm x 15.56 mm case and skeletonised dial down to the hairspring, the Only Watch Carbon Monaco ref. CBL2191.FC6507 combines avant-garde design and cutting-edge materials with tradition.
Visible through the largest sapphire case back mounted on a Monaco, the unique Heuer 02 calibre is the first to be fitted with a carbon hairspring. It is hand-finished using 10 different techniques including a distinctive gratté finish giving the impression of a chequered flag.
Estimate: CHF 50,000 - 100,000
Discover all the other timepieces at onlywatch.com
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