Only Watch 2011 Raises EUR 4.5 Million For Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy!
In what can only be described as a fantastic outcome the 2011 Only Watch Auction held in Monaco on the 23rd of September has raised a staggering EUR 4.5 million for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy!
The phenomenal amount raised is reflective not only of the willingness of passionate collectors and aficionados the world over to dig deep and give generously to this incredibly worthy cause but also of the superb line-up of 40 timepieces created especially for this event by some of the world’s best watch-makers.
Top seller on the night was Patek Philippe’s Ref. 3939 for Only Watch an elegant timepiece in stainless steel complete with minute-repeater and tourbillon. Perhaps more impressive than the timepiece itself however was the price it fetched, bringing in EUR 1.4 million at auction and smashing the pre-auction estimate of EUR 450,000 – 650,000!
Rafael Nadal’s personal Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon (the same one he was wearing when he won the 2011 Monte Carlo championships for the seventh year running) also proved popular with bidders bringing in a very healthy EUR 510,000. One of the many – pleasant – surprises on the night (in my opinion at least) was DeWitt’s “Concept Watch No. 3 – X-Watch” for Only Watch, a complex timepiece featuring double bi-retrograde hours and minutes, visible one-minute tourbillon and a power reserve on the front side with chronograph on the reverse. Although it didn’t quite reach its maximum “wish price” of EUR 500,000 it certainly made a notable contribution to the overall total at EUR 410,000.
It was great also to see some of the independent players putting in big numbers with Bernhard Lederer’s BLU Only Watch Gagarin Platinum Flying Tourbillon selling for a whopping EUR 300,000 and MB&F’s playful HM No.4 Thunderbolt “Flying Panda“ attracting a winning bid of EUR 170,000!
For those who are interested the complete price list of timepieces sold can be found here. Be warned though, the knowledge that there is only one in the world of each of these breath-taking creations is liable to make you cry. Of course you can console yourself with the fact that this is fantastic event which has raised a huge amount of money for a very worthy cause not to mention it will be on again in another 2 years.
Time to start saving!
For more information on this amazing event please visit the official website: www.onlywatch.com
Category: Watch News
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