The opening bid is CHF 400K for a rare F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance Souscription No. 18 platinum and 18k pink gold wristwatch from 2000. But before you can even blink the next bid is CHF 1M (£945K). That’s more like it as I sit and watch the unfolding action in the packed saleroom. We are only up to the sixth lot at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo’s ‘Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII’ held on Saturday 9th May. Phillips’ highly experienced auctioneer and senior watch consultant Aurel Bacs is at the rostrum clearly enjoying the spirited bidding this early on in proceedings. So too are the audience in the large saleroom in an upmarket hotel.
Collectors have come to enjoy the atmosphere and to spend big sums. On we go past CHF 2M then CHF 3M and eventually at a staggering CHF 4.8M (£4.6M) including buyer’s premium it is sold. Applause fills the room in recognition of the high bidding and the buzz is palpable. After all this is a new world record price at auction for this model. Welcome to the ‘premier league’ for watch auctions held in Geneva every May during springtime. A celebration of all things horological and a unique immersive event conducted over a week in the heart of the watchmaking capital by the shores of scenic Lake Geneva.
Having attended this year’s Geneva watch auctions as a reporter I thought it would be interesting to share my impressions along with some of the auction highlights and the thoughts of the watch specialists I met. If you have already gone to the Geneva watch auctions before I hope my comments chime with your own experience. If you haven’t yet had a chance to go and you love watches, have the time, and want to bid in a live saleroom rather than online I highly recommend attending. Would I go again? Absolutely, I am already planning for next year.
From the moment you touch down at Geneva airport you know that you are in watch land. The airport is full of large, bright advertisements for many of the well-known Swiss brands. Then when you arrive at the centre of Geneva, picturesquely situated on the banks of Lake Geneva and along the Rhône river, many of the neatly ordered buildings are emblazoned on their roof tops with names of the watch maisons in large letters. If you can stay in central Geneva it is well worth it. When the sun comes out and reflects on the clear icy blue green water of the lake with the Alps visible in the distance it is a very nice spot. But I would be the first to acknowledge that it can be pricy. I opted to stay central as I wanted to be close to the venues for the watch auctions and the Old Town area. While I joined the whole week’s events, both viewings and auctions, you can of course just stay for a much shorter time in Geneva by attending the auctions you want to be at.
Having said this, attending the viewings is half the experience of the week. Who could resist the opportunity to see up close some of the most collectable watches in the world. The venues used by the auction houses certainly reflect the luxury nature of the event. Each sets up camp in five-star-plus hotels in the very best locations. Christie’s at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Phillips at the Hotel President Wilson. Both by the lake. Sotheby’s base themselves at the equally plush Mandarin Oriental hotel alongside the Rhône river. Nor is their presence low key: banners are unfurled on the outside of the hotels displaying the auction house in residence, while inside it is virtually a takeover of each hotel. By contrast Antiquorum hold their watch viewings at their own Rue du Mont-Blanc office in central Geneva, which is a very nice space. All the houses advertise their viewing times well in advance so it pays to plan how you will maximise your time to attend as many viewings as possible.
My first appointment of the week is at the Mandarin Oriental hotel with Sotheby’s very knowledgeable auctioneer Clara Kessi who is also Head of Sale. We talk vintage Cartier standing next to a display of superb examples from the famed Maison. Sotheby’s have recently brought to market ‘The Shapes of Cartier’ collection. An important single owner collection comprising more than 300 timepieces spanning a century of Cartier’s rarest and most sought-after models. I ask Clara for her thoughts as to why vintage Cartier continues to be so popular with collectors.
“Vintage Cartier watches stand out for their individuality, creativity and versatility which appeals to today’s collectors. They have an elegant style and prove that timekeeping does not always have to be serious. They also reflect a current taste for smaller cased watches”.
Of the ‘Shapes of Cartier’ pieces to be sold in Geneva I particularly like a very rare Parallélogramme 18k yellow gold asymmetrical rectangular wristwatch from circa 1937. This superb piece went on to sell at Sotheby’s May 10 ‘Important Watches’ auction for CHF 121,600 (£115,080) including buyer’s premium. Surprisingly, at least to me, a Cartier Mystère Tortue 18k white gold tonneau shaped rear-wound mystery wristwatch from 1973 did even better. Estimated at CHF 40,000 – 60,000 it conjured up a superb CHF 255,999 (£242,280) including buyer’s premium at the Sotheby’s auction. Just over four times the high estimate.
Next up it was over to Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at Hotel President Wilson where the auction house has literally located their watch and jewellery viewing space into what can only be described as an extensive glass box venue atop the hotel. The view looks out to Lake Geneva so couldn’t be much better. Excuse the pun but the Phillips viewing runs like a perfectly well-oiled Swiss watch. There is an upbeat buzz when you enter the room. Collectors are gathered around viewing tables and the watches are displayed in glass cabinets all around. Many of the collectors seem to know each other and it is more of a reunion. I recognise a few faces of well-known Instagram watch personalities. On hand to help bring the watches out of the cabinets for viewing is a small army of university students all decked out with Phillips t-shirts. The watch specialist team are here as well along with a watchmaker complete with his bench. Only in Switzerland! For those needing a quick espresso to fortify themselves before viewing, this was provided too. Security is tight, as it is at all the locations including bag checks, but not obtrusive.
At the Phillips viewing I caught up with Alexandre Ghotbi, Deputy Chairman and Head of Watches, Europe, and Middle East. Alexandre has previously helped with commentary for my Oracle Time articles. He is passionate about his subject and part of one of the most successful watch auction departments ever created. So what is his take on the springtime Geneva auction scene and the current collector market so far in 2026.
“The May spring watch sale launches the year for Phillips. While we hold several online auctions prior to May it is the first big live auction for the year. Collectors gather in Geneva almost as a community and will even go out to dinner together. Live auctions are also exciting, it’s a competition, the real thing. The big recent shift for collectors is looking beyond just having a brand name in their collection. Instead, they are focussed more on specific rare models and are more audacious, hence the interest in independents. Trophy pieces must be of utmost quality. Phillips’ role is to help curate collections for these collectors and to add value by finding watches that can’t otherwise be easily accessed.”
I get the opportunity to see some of these rare sought after pieces at the viewing. This includes my first chance to have a hands-on look at a Rexhep Rexhepi Akrivia AK-06 No. 3 stainless steel wristwatch from 2018. Having previously covered Rexhep Rexhepi and his brand Akrivia in my auction reports, it is brilliant to see this watch. Estimated by Phillips at CHF 350,000 –700,000 the watch certainly ticked all the right boxes for the connoisseurs as it sold for an outstanding CHF 3M (£2.8M) including buyer’s premium at Phillips 9 May sale. This being a new auction world record price for an Akrivia wristwatch. Somewhat humbling as well to know that I had held a watch worth £2.8M.
Later in the week I have the chance to meet with Tom Heap and to learn more about his new role as Christie’s Senior Specialist, Watches based in London. I know Tom from his previous role in the watch auction world. However, first I needed to extract him from a very busy viewing room full to the brim with collectors. We managed to find a quiet space for a quick coffee in the upscale Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Talking trends he observes.
“There is continued growing interest in ‘neo-vintage’ period wristwatches along with more younger collectors entering the market. This group are doing their homework and are serious about the subject and buying great watches”. About his new role Tom adds that he is looking to create “a strong presence and a community for watch collectors building on the heritage of Christie’s” at the firm’s iconic 8 King Street London location. Additionally, he will be sourcing watches for consignment and working with Christie’s wider worldwide watch team.
I must admit there are times in the auction sessions that you do ask yourself did that just happen and how much was paid! Insulated in five-star luxury hotels watching bidders spending up to millions of pounds on watches, you need to remember there is a real world out there. But sometimes you need to just go with it – this is the real world too. Albeit a glimpse of part of it only seen in these salerooms. Although that also includes bidders located around the world participating online or via phone. Some people do have the money to buy very expensive watches and this is their passion or investment or both. Beyond this, it helps support a whole eco-system including auction houses, dealers, commentators, watchmakers, and even the mighty watch brands all of whom need dedicated collectors.
To end therefore with two more star highlights from Geneva. Firstly, Christie’s had an utterly stunning and rare Audemars Piguet ‘Coussin Tortue’ platinum cushion-shaped single-button chronograph wristwatch from 1937. This piece made a deserved CHF 2.1M (£2M) including buyer’s premium with a lower estimate of CHF 200,000 – 400,000. Phillips went all out with their Patek Philippe, ref. 2523 , polychrome two-crown world-time wristwatch with a cloisonné enamel dial depicting a map of South America from 1953. Given a pre-sale estimate in excess of CHF 5M and only available to ‘premium lot’ bidders it achieved a stunning world auction record for the reference at CHF 7.9M (£7.5M) including buyer’s premium.
Lastly, if you are going to take a week in Geneva, try to get out of the salerooms and include some horological related sightseeing as well. Geneva is the watchmaking capital after all. I was lucky enough to get one of the last available tickets to see the Patek Philippe ‘Rare Handcrafts 2026 Exhibition’ held at their famous Salons Genève on Rue du Rhône. It was brilliant. A trip to the Patek Philippe Museum at Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 7, 1205 Geneva is also an absolute must. It is best to book tickets in advance but you can queue at the entrance which wasn’t too long when I visited. An amazing museum that you can literally spend hours in entranced by the collection.
