Watches as iconic as their American possessors !

The next Christie’s sale will take place in New York on June 21^st, for a true American experience. The sale will offer many beautiful vintage watches; the best known signed by the most prestigious brands, such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, Heuer, but there is also an astonishingly and refreshingly diverse range for the informed eye of the expert, endorsed by historical figures and famous owners.

The auction features in particular a collection of vintage ladies’ watches, a selection of desk clocks, and a variety of watches that have belonged to veritable American icons, such as Jackie Kennedy’s Cartier Tank, which is featured as the title item for this sale. The Tank features on the cover of the catalogue, in an unusual way with a black and white photograph of Jackie wearing the watch. A truly fresh breath of fresh air is blowing on the legendary auctions of Christie’s New York.

Look first, for example, at Lot 250, the superb Cartier Tank that belonged to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The iconic model from Cartier is made of yellow gold with a band of the black lizard leather that Jackie Kennedy preferred for this model. The most unusual aspect of the piece is the inscription on the back, which reads, « Stas to Jackie, 23 Feb. 63 2:05 AM to 9:35 PM. » The watch was a gift from Jackie’s brother-in-law, Prince Stanislaw “Stas” Radziwill. The inscription refers to a 50-mile run (80.46 km) organized by President John Kennedy, initially conceived to prepare soldiers for the possibility of war. The times mentioned in the inscription document the time that “Stas” took to finish the race, 19 hours and 30 minutes. The watch is also accompanied by a painting Jackie Kennedy painted for Stas in exchange; the painting features him and Chuck Spalding mid-run, including the following note: “February 23, 1963 2:05 AM to 9:35 PM, Jackie to Stas with love and admiration ». The watch has been appraised between 60,000 and 120,000$, and would not be surprised if it would overtake the current world record for a Tank wristwatch from Cartier.

 

Within the lineage of great Americans, Lot 236 has always attracted the eye of the expert. Passed down from hand to hand for several generations, this watch signed by Ed Koehn first belonged to a prominent American businessman named Dudley Williston. He bequeathed the watch to his daughter, who then gave it to her husband, Joseph W. Barr, Treasury Secretary under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He later bequeathed it to his grandson. This typically American saga of a family crowned with success gives this timepiece a unique history and status. Observe, for instance, the shape, and the numbers visible diagonally; it has a minute repeater that can be activated by the crown placed at 12. This model was manufactured in 1930, and is still incredibly well preserved. It is appraised between 35,000 and 55,000$. In its own right, this watch represents the particular title of this sale: “Rare Watches and American Icons”.

 

 

In this collection, you will also find a watch worn by President Lyndon B. Johnson, who succeeded JFK after the tragic assassination in Dallas in 1963. The watch is an asymmetric saphed Hamilton offered to Johnson by the McDowell County Democratic Party in 1958, while he was still a Senator.

 

 

 

Lot 239 is a lovely Autavia from Heuer. This model has features that would make any collector quiver! This timepiece has the logo of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, It would have been offered by Tony Hulman, one time owner of the racing track. Few other Autavia model watches have a logo on their dials, and this one is even rarer for its albino dial. Only three examples exist! The other two are kept in the TAG Heuer Musuem and in a private collection of a significant American collector of Heuer timepieces. The watch is appraised between 100,000 and 150,000$, providing an opportunity to test the market for vintage Heuers, and the prospect of another broken record.

 

 

Lot 243 is a little more sporty! The legendary George Herman “Babe” Ruth was probably one of the best-known figures in the history of professional American baseball; he played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Braves. He bequeathed this Cartier watch to this friend “Bumpy” Johnson in 1937. An inscription on the back of the box reads, “For Bumpy, from Babe, December 25^th, 1937.” This watch in the shape of a coin was rare in the history of production at Cartier; note in particular the beautiful movement inscribed with European Watch Clock, the manufacturer that the Cartier jeweler’s shop used for all special orders.

 

 

But beyond the history of the 20^th century and the iconic watches with American iconic provenance, we also retain this historic piece signed Abraham-Louis Breguet, a “Petite souscription à tact ,” created for Lucien Bonaparte on the 17^th of Brumaire in the 9^th year of Revolutionary Calendar (November 8^th, 1800) and later offered to king Charles IV of Spain. The piece is a true treasure of European history. It’s estimate between 100,000 and 150,000$ seems completely justified, and promises a lively bidding war for this historical entry.

 

 

Far from watches of usual lineage, Rolex or Patek Philippe for the most expensive ones, this sale offers a large panel with a selection of historical watches of all sorts. The work of experts, particularly the international director, John Reardon, who manages the New York branch, has curated an excellent collection.The “American Icons” section makes the sale even more interesting, and Christie’s deserves all our consideration for unearthing such historical treasures, going far beyond the mere watchmaking brands and complications. This choice intensifies the phenomenon of historical watches, which will soon appear in a special section of the website expected in September 2017. We are waiting impatiently for the results of the sale, set to take place next June 21^st in New York !