The biennial event so eagerly awaited by the watchmaking microcosm is back at the end of the year. It's the November 5 will be held at Genevathe 2023 edition of the Only Watch charity auctioncelebrating its 10th jubilee.
Building on the success of its previous editions, this year's auction will feature no fewer than sixty previously unseen pieces, with all proceeds going to charity.Monegasque Muscular Dystrophy Associationan organization dedicated to research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
A look back at the genesis of a project as generous as it is ambitious, and the unveiling of a 2023 edition that promises some very fine watchmaking discoveries.
It all began in 2001 in the Principality of Monaco, when the businessman Luc Pettavinowho at the time was managing director and shareholder of the Monaco Yacht Show, was faced with the diagnosis of his son Paul, suffering from a muscular dystrophy better known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Monegasque then committed himself to making the fight against these diseases his personal cause, and founded the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, with the royal support of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
The association initiated a number of fund-raising activities, based on the auction model, using the boat show as a lever and offering works of art, luxury goods and fine wines to its wealthiest visitors. It was in 2004, when the famous Blancpain watchmaking house signed up as a sponsor of the Monaco Yacht Show, that Luc Pettavino became aware of the strong interest aroused by the watch object and the importance of integrating the watchmaking market into the fight he had been waging for three years against his son's degenerative neuromuscular disease.
In September 2005, the first Only Watch operation took place in Monte Carlo, an exceptional charity auction featuring 34 unique lots of watches and table clocks. Created especially for the occasion by the participating watchmakers, who donated them to the organizers, the timepieces were all sold for the benefit of the association fighting muscular dystrophy, raising almost 2 million euros that year.
Since then 100 million euro loan The funds raised have enabled the creation of start-ups, scholarships for doctoral students and the registration of patents relating to the development of drugs for neuromuscular diseases. In particular, this sum helped finance research into exon skipping, a method used in gene therapy.
Despite the death of his son in 2016, aged 21 at the time, Luc Pettavino never gave up his fight, and the success of Only Watch has continued to grow, bringing together ever more prestigious watchmaking houses and now orchestrated by the famous British auction house. Christie'sunder the patronage of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. This year's 8th edition saw record sales of 38.5 million Swiss francs (or 35 million euros), 80% of which was generated by the sale of a Patek Philippe alone. GrandMaster Chime reference 6300A-010, sold for 31.1 MFS (28.2 M€).
While Geneva, the cradle of Swiss haute horlogerie, has been the venue for the Only Watch sale since 2015, the timepieces are also presented to the public during a two-month promotional tour around the globe.
For its tenth edition, the charity project began its world tour in the United States, in the Californian town of Los Angeles from September 6 to 9, then continued at New York from September 14 to 17, before landing on the Asian continent at Hong-Kongfrom October 5 to 6. The presentation operation will continue at Bangkok from October 11 to 12, before concluding its tour on the shores of Lake Geneva on November 3, installed at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues until November 5, when the sale will take place at 2pm at the Geneva exhibition complex, Palexpo. A return to our roots for most of the pieces created in Switzerland.
This year, no fewer than 73 brands who responded to the call from the founder of Only Watch, bringing the number of lots offered for sale to a record 62.
The international charity event has enjoyed the support of prestigious watchmaking groups since its inception, including the multinational Swatch whose president Nick Hayek was immediately attracted to the project, and involved his Blancpain, Breguet and Jacquet Droz brands in the very first edition; the world's number one in the luxury goods industry LVMH and its brands Louis Vuitton, Zenith and the Italian house Bulgari present since 2021 or the colossal Richemont (Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Montblanc participating since 2017).
A number of major independent houses have also joined the project since its launch in 2005, including Audemars Piguet, Frédérique Constant (since acquired by Japanese watchmaking group Citizen in 2016), Patek Philippe (holding the sales record for the last 8 editions) and de Bethune, to name but a few.
Gradually, new brands, less well known to the general public, have joined the ranks occupied by these famous watchmaking names and in turn donated a unique timepiece to the association. These include the French company Trilobe, founded in 2018 and taking part in the sale for the third time this year, the more recent Furlan Marri, launched in April 2021, and the latest Biver, born in March 2023 from the collaboration between Jean-Claude Biver, an iconic figure in the watchmaking world, and his son Pierre.
Below, discover the complete list of houses participating in the Only Watch 2023 edition:
ANDERSEN GENÈVE – ANGELUS x CHÂTEAU ANGELUS – ARMIN STROM — ARTYA – ATELIER DE CHRONOMÉTRIE – AUDEMARS PIGUET – BALTIC – BARBIER-MUELLER – BELL & ROSS – BIVER – BLANCPAIN – BOUCHERON – BOVET 1822 – BREGUET – BULGARI – CARL F. BUCHERER – CHANEL – CHOPARD – CZAPEK GENÈVE – DE BETHUNE – F.P.JOURNE – FERDINAND BERTHOUD – FREDERIQUE CONSTANT x CHRISTIAAN VAN DER KLAAUW – FURLAN MARRI – GÉRALD GENTA – GIRARD-PERREGAUX – GRÖNEFELD – H. MOSER x MB&F – HERMÈS – HUBLOT – JACOB & CO x CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY – JAQUET DROZ – KONSTANTIN CHAYKIN – KRAYON – L. LEROY – LAURENT FERRIER – LEDERER – LOUIS MOINET – LOUIS VUITTON – LUDOVIC BALLOUARD x BRITTANY NICOLE COX – MAURICE LACROIX – MONTBLANC – MORITZ GROSSMANN – PATEK PHILIPPE – PERRELET – PETERMANN BÉDAT x AUFFRET PARIS – PIAGET – RESERVOIR x TELOS WATCH – RESSENCE – REXHEP REXHEPI – RICHARD MILLE — SINGER REIMAGINED x GENUS – SPEAKE MARIN – SYLVAIN PINAUD – TAG HEUER – TIFFANY & CO. — TRILOBE – TUDOR – ULYSSE NARDIN – URWERK — VOUTILAINEN – ZENITH.
Each year, unique models created specifically for the sale, or based on an existing movement and distinguished by a new look, are generously donated to the AMM as part of the Only Watch project. Each edition of the charity sale is assigned a new graphic identity and color palette, guiding the designers in their creations without being restrictive. While the theme of the previous event revolved around shades evoking the sun, i.e. a gradation from yellow to red, this year's theme was inspired by the rainbow.
While some houses have opted for creations that at first glance seem rather distant from this graphic line, others have followed it quite scrupulously, as is the case of Jaquet Droz with its model Rolling Stones Automatonthe 32nd lot in the sale, estimated at between 250,000 and 300,000 Swiss francs. Inspired by the colorful world of childhood, the watch features a first disc presenting the instruments of the legendary rock band, fashioned in gold blocks then painted and laid on a vinyl-colored disc, all made by hand. The power reserve is indicated by a cam reproducing the articulated arm and diamond of a vinyl player. The second disc features the Stones logo, a red tongue in motion, and the rotation of the spiral creates an optical illusion reminiscent of children's spinning tops.
Another rainbow piece in this 10th edition is the Bell & Ross BR03 Cyber Rainbow is a bold, unique and innovative model with its multicolored look and original, futuristic design. With its 3D skeleton movement and oscillating weight, it offers an intimate look at its technicality. Its black DLC titanium case is adorned with colored varnished parts and harmonizes with its rubber strap, which echoes this mosaic motif. 9th on the lot list, its price is estimated at between 45,000 and 55,000 Swiss francs.
More discreet than the previous two pieces, the Place Vendôme Complicité - "Courage Every SecondLot 19 from Czapek Genève features a rare dynamic double escapement movement. Wrapped in steel, the dial features a champlevé enamel ring created in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans and reflects the undulations of Lake Geneva, in colors that echo the graphic aesthetic of Only Watch 2023. This model is estimated at between 80,000 and 100,000 Swiss francs.
As you'll have gathered, there are plenty of brand-new watches on offer at this charity auction. There's something for every taste, but we wanted to highlight a few that particularly caught our eye:
Lot 7 - Baltic - BALTIC Experiments
With this auction, Baltic announces its new Haute Horlogerie entity, named Baltic Experiments. On this occasion, the brand presented a magnificent Quantième Perpetuel with a violet dial, completely new in the industry, which augurs well for future nuggets. The 37mm-diameter, 9.8mm-thick case is a fine, perfectly sized watch with a very modern look.
Lot 15 - Bulgari - Octo Finissimo (in marble)
Another wonderful surprise was the all-marble Bulgari Octo Finissimo, with its technically challenging 110-facet case.
Bulgari, renowned for its expertise in miniaturization, meticulously coated the Octo's case with a thin layer of marble, preserving the integrity of the components while creating a harmonious and unique design. The dial also features a fine 0.6 mm layer of stone. The bracelet, a complex task, required many hours of craftsmanship to meticulously inlay each marble link. The green marble used, called Verde Alpi, comes from the Valle d'Aosta Alps, symbolizing a link between Switzerland and Italy. Its dominant hue recalls the growth and energy of nature.
Lot 46 - Petermann Bédat x Auffret Paris - Observatory Chronometer
You know our attraction to fine watchmaking. This timepiece is the perfect reflection of what we love and look for in high-end watchmaking: a very sober, chic design, with a finely crafted movement to be admired endlessly.
The movement reflects the distinctive style of Petermann Bédat with its swan-neck regulator, while the aesthetic influences of Auffret Paris can be seen in the click system and the subtle carving of the bridges.
The dial is crafted in flame-bleached solid silver, embellished with rose gold hour-markers and hands, and flame-blued steel for the seconds. The chronometer movement, based on the iconic Zenith 135, has been reworked to incorporate a new aesthetic for the bridges, thanks to a collaboration with Manufacture Fleury. The overall effect is a showcase for haute horlogerie know-how, design and expertise.
Much more than a simple watchmaking event, Only Watch is a true symbol of global solidarity, where the prestige of luxury watches is given the opportunity to serve a humanitarian cause. A blend of watchmaking and philanthropy, the charity auction is marked each year by the commitment of numerous houses to medical research and development.
Over the years, Only Watch has become a key communication tool in the watchmaking calendar, and an indisputable barometer of the market, thanks to strong media and public interest. It offers a showcase for original works and timepieces not seen elsewhere (and never to be seen again), and reflects the richness and inventiveness of its many creators, all united in the same struggle.
Only Watch 2023, a new breath of hope and unity in the face of a battle that sometimes seems to overtake us.
What is Only Watch?
Only Watch is a charity watch auction held every two years, with proceeds going to the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, an organization dedicated to research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Who created Only Watch?
Only Watch was created in 2005 on the initiative of Luc Pettavino, then General Manager of the Monaco Yacht Show, following the diagnosis of his son Paul's illness, Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It is orchestrated by Christie's, under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
When will the Only Watch auction take place?
The Only Watch 2023 auction will take place on November 5, 2023 at the Palexpo exhibition complex in Geneva. It can also be attended online or by telephone.
Which houses are taking part in the Only Watch sale?
ANDERSEN GENÈVE – ANGELUS x CHÂTEAU ANGELUS – ARMIN STROM — ARTYA – ATELIER DE CHRONOMÉTRIE – AUDEMARS PIGUET – BALTIC – BARBIER-MUELLER – BELL & ROSS – BIVER – BLANCPAIN – BOUCHERON – BOVET 1822 – BREGUET – BULGARI – CARL F. BUCHERER – CHANEL – CHOPARD – CZAPEK GENÈVE – DE BETHUNE – F.P.JOURNE – FERDINAND BERTHOUD – FREDERIQUE CONSTANT x CHRISTIAAN VAN DER KLAAUW – FURLAN MARRI – GÉRALD GENTA – GIRARD-PERREGAUX – GRÖNEFELD – H. MOSER x MB&F – HERMÈS – HUBLOT – JACOB & CO x CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY – JAQUET DROZ – KONSTANTIN CHAYKIN – KRAYON – L. LEROY – LAURENT FERRIER – LEDERER – LOUIS MOINET – LOUIS VUITTON – LUDOVIC BALLOUARD x BRITTANY NICOLE COX – MAURICE LACROIX – MONTBLANC – MORITZ GROSSMANN – PATEK PHILIPPE – PERRELET – PETERMANN BÉDAT x AUFFRET PARIS – PIAGET – RESERVOIR x TELOS WATCH – RESSENCE – REXHEP REXHEPI – RICHARD MILLE — SINGER REIMAGINED x GENUS – SPEAKE MARIN – SYLVAIN PINAUD – TAG HEUER – TIFFANY & CO. — TRILOBE – TUDOR – ULYSSE NARDIN – URWERK — VOUTILAINEN – ZENITH.
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