- Bankruptcy proceedings have led to the forced auction of $2.2 million in rare watches.
- The entire collection, being handled by Philips Auctions Australia, was purchased by a Melbourne-based aficionado over three years and has almost never been worn.
- The auction takes place today (June 30th) with the watches to be sold without a reserve price.
Thanks to one unfortunate watch collector’s bankruptcy proceedings, 95 barely-worn timepieces have hit the auction block – ranging from bread-and-butter classics like Cartier and Rolex, to rarer pieces from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, and more.
It’s honestly an impressive collection, and what makes it even more impressive is the fact that they were all purchased within the last three years. As a result, almost all of the watches are in unworn condition, arriving with receipts and certification that should put any prospective buyer’s mind at ease.
“Until the day we arrived at the property, we weren’t absolutely certain what we would find,” Tanya Philips of Philips Auctions told AFR Weekend. “They were all there. There was just this wall of boxes.”
“Some show light wear, but a lot of them, to be honest, I don’t think have ever been worn, and it’s almost impossible for him to have worn them more than a few times.”
“Some of these pieces retail for between $70,000 and $90,000. He really went on the most extraordinary shopping spree over the past few years, something most people could only dream of.”
While there are plenty of fan-favourite everyday watches – such as a TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Skipper, a Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMT, and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual – the less common and more unusual indicate the former Melbourne owner knew his stuff when it came to collecting.
Whoever they were, they had a taste for independent watchmaking: including a Czapek Antarctique Passage De Drake Glacier Blue, an H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Centre Seconds Arctic Blue, a Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronograph, and an Angelus Titanium Chronodate.
Equally, the former owner enjoyed some of watchmaking’s very finest, with a Breguet Traditional Quantieme Retrograde, a Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Ultra Thin, a Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin, and a Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5226G in the mix.
Your opportunity to pick up a potential bargain (with most bids currently below market prices) closes in a matter of hours. Hit the link below for all the details.
