6 Lots from Indie Watchmakers That Breathe Non-Traditional Life into the Upcoming Geneva Watch Auctions

The 2024 fall auction season in Geneva is a lot of, well, lots. As we pored through the catalog, we found our attention being drawn to non-traditional timepieces by independent watchmakers. Not only has time been kind to the more outré offerings of the 1980s and ‘90s, but indie lots also offer a refreshing alternative to the over-hyped models from the big brands.

Here’s a brief roundup of the cool and creative lots going under the hammer in November.

The Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999 auction, hosted by Phillips, is dedicated to neo-vintage timepieces from the 1980s and ’90s, which is the era that saw the rise of such influential outsiders as Philippe Dufour, F.P.Journe, Andersen Genève, Parmigiani Fleurier, and Franck Muller.

Mainstream maisons played a crucial role in the resurgence of mechanical watchmaking after the Quartz Crisis. However, these watchmakers stoked the interest in haute horology by exploring new avenues in design and technology.
 

One of our favorites from this catalog is the Daniel Roth Reference C187. Daniel Roth is currently experiencing a renaissance, thanks to the brand’s distinctive ellipsocurvex case shape, pointed-tipped hands, and guilloché dials. This design language dates to this 1999 model.

The front features a large tourbillon escapement with an original triple arm seconds hand featuring three hands of different lengths that indicate the seconds on three different seconds registers calibrated to track only 20 seconds each. Meanwhile, the caseback features a retrograde power reserve and date indications.
 

Powered by a highly modified Lemania 387 ébauche, the C187 example from the Reloaded auction is from a limited edition of 20 pieces. The present example is number 12.

Estimate: CHF 60,000 to CHF 120,000
Auction Date: November 8th, 2024

After working with François-Paul Journe, Ludovic Ballouard established his workshop and introduced the time-only Upside Down in 2009. A seemingly simple design at first glance, the Upside Down in Phillips’ The Geneva Watch Auction: XX is so enticing because these models are anything but simple.

You see, on the Upside Down, the traditional way of reading time has been subverted by a dial composed of 12 highly finished rotating discs connected by tiny pinions.
 

All the discs are upside down except for the current hour, marked by a small dot that appears only when the disc is right side up. Then, at the top of each hour, the previous hour’s disc returns to the upside down position, while the new hour’s disc rotates 180 degrees. Fortunately, this innovative mechanism, controlled by Maltese crosses and a snail cam, can be viewed from the see-through caseback.

This 2012 model is one of only two platinum Ludovic Ballouard watches featuring a heat-blued titanium dial with applied Breguet numerals. It was made for Independence, a Hong Kong-based boutique specializing in independent artisans. The shop’s name is engraved on the caseback, making it the perfect encapsulation of the indie spirit.
 

Estimate: CHF 20,000 to CHF 40,000 
Auction Date: November 9th & 10th, 2024

Part of the appeal of non-traditional timepieces is their rarity. And few watchmakers are more exclusive than Roger Smith. Since Smith started his company in 2001, he has made roughly 128 R.W. Smith watches, with 68 of them being a Series 2.

Up for grabs during Christie’s Rare Watches Including Watches for ELA auction, this Series 2, Edition 3 from 2010 was handmade in the Isle of Man and one of only five pieces made in white gold, making it one of the most elusive models for pieces for collectors.
 

However, the case isn’t the only reason this lot is special. For starters, the silver dial is hand engine-turned. It also has Roman numeral indices, a large, brushed chapter ring for the seconds, and a power reserve sector. Meanwhile, the finishing of this completely handcrafted manual wound movement is also nonpareil and features a gilded half-plate, frosted raised barrel bridge.

For machine heads, the free-sprung co-axial escapement is most captivating. During impulse, the co-axial escapement is designed without sliding friction so that it can run without dependence on lubrication.
 

Estimate: CHF 220,000 to CHF 450,000
Auction Date: November 11th, 2024

While Sotheby’s catalog for its Important Watches: Part I auction is packed with the usual suspects – Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex – there is still plenty of non-traditional treasure to be found. Our pick is this MB&F Legacy Machine No. 1 (Reference 01.WL.W) from 2012.

Its presence among traditional Swiss brands illustrates the importance of independents in watchmaking. Yes, the futuristic design can be polarizing, but the craftsmanship of its Geneva waves, highly polished gold chatons, and intricately beveled bridges (to name a few) is undeniably excellent.
 

The LM1’s movement is also an impressive testament to the collaborative nature of independent watchmaking and its creators, Jean-François Mojon and Kari Voutilainen. In fact, at the 2012 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, this reference won the “Public Prize” and the “Men’s Watch” category.

Now that these avant-garde pieces are showing up at auction, it also allows us the opportunity to reflect on the function of a mechanical watch. In the case of this MB&F Legacy Machine, it’s as much about owning an example of mechanical art for the wrist as it is about telling time. It’s also an investment in mechanical art and human creativity.
 

Estimate: CHF 45,000 to CHF 60,000
Auction Date: November 10th, 2024

The youngest watch in the Sotheby’s Important Watches: Part II catalog is this PVD-coated Joker by Russian horologist Konstantin Chaykin. While this is a recent example made in 2021, it’s important in the way it stands out from most traditional watchmaking.
 

I am always happy when I spot a Joker in the wild because they transcend function and bring it into the fun zone. Not something the luxury watch brands are always known for, it’s Konstantin Chaykin’s mix of technical mastery (the brand owns over 80 patents, so it is justly celebrated for its proprietary calibres) and irreverent expression that makes this timepiece a favorite of enthusiasts.

The “Joker” is powered by a two-disc module displaying the hours and minutes in the Joker’s eyes, while his grin indicates the moon phase. Other modern touches include a face made of carbon with red and grey accents and a black PVD-coated stainless steel case.
 

Finally, this timepiece was also a collaboration with German customizers Designa Individual, with their “DI” logo engraved on the caseback.

Estimate: CHF 18,000 to CHF 25,000
Current Bid: CHF 15,000
Closing Date: November 12th, 2024

The Geneva auctions serve as a bellwether for the community’s interest in brands that fly under the radar for most enthusiasts. That’s why we will be tracking the final hammer price for this 2002 De Bethune Ref. REF. DB3 WT from Antiquorum’s Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces.
 

Not only is this a fine, early example from the young brand (founded in 2002 by Italian collector David Zanetta and fourth-generation French watchmaker Denis Flageollet), but the elegant and formal aesthetic of this 43mm 18k white gold, manual-wind, dual-time wristwatch was quite ahead of its time.

This lot also gives fans of the more esoteric manufactures a chance to get in on the ground floor of collecting a historically important timepiece. The DB3 was one of the first five watches in De Bethune’s initial collection. This dual-time highlights the brand’s initial emphasis on design with signatures that are still recognizable in its pieces today.
 

Estimate: CHF 25,000 to CHF 45,000
Auction Date: November 9th & 10th, 2024