Clocks & Watches - Post Sale Report by Oliver Allen
Twgaze final Clocks and Watches sale of 2017 once again featured some very strong results in what continues to be a resurgent market in recent years. Kicking off this sale was the watch section which featured a wide range of Swiss manufacturers in wristwatches and some quality antique English pocket watches. The star lot of the sale, as expected, was lot 4035 – an 18ct gold wristwatch by Vacheron and Constantin with a moderate estimate of £1000-1500, with three phone lines, internet and room buyers competing for the coveted timepiece, eventually knocked down to a telephone bidder for £2,400 – one of the premier and most prestigious makers in the Swiss watch industry, a name to look out for. Other notable highlights in the watch section included a 1950’s Rolex Oyster Precision (lot 4034 - £1200), an Omega Speedmaster Professional Mk II (lot 4092 - £850), a 9ct gold half hunter pocket watch with chain (lot 4003 - £1000) and a Breitling Windrider automatic wristwatch (lot 4089 - £850). To complement the watches a fine selection of clocks, barometers along with tools, materials, spares and horological literature dating from the 18th Century to the present day. Two fine Regency period English bracket clocks were among the highest quality lots on offer, lots 4151 and 4154 by their respective London and Norwich makers, each selling for £1600 to the same room buyer. Longcase clocks had more success this time around; admittedly the markets for typical country longcases remains extremely hit and miss as fashions fluctuate. Decorative French clocks from the 19th Century remain moderately popular with around a dozen examples selling for £100 – 500. With this sale gradually increasing in strength and profile as each year goes by, future ideas to develop it further may include in next year’s calendar two sales, one solely dedicated to Clocks and Barometers, and the other for quality wrist and pocket watches, maybe next year or the year after…
Nonetheless whatever next year’s calendar has in store, entries for the next sale are now accumulating, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this department or potential consignments.
‘Till the next time, Oliver Allen
