F.P.Journe, Vacheron Constantin, and Cartier Star in the Upcoming Rose Gold-Themed Auction by Ineichen

When it comes to watch auctions, thematic sales are by no means a new thing. Putting on an auction that features timepieces from a specific brand – like Rolex or Omega – or a certain style or epoch – such as military watches or pocket watches – has proved to be a neat way for auction houses to present their sales and incite interest from potential bidders.

Ineichen Auctioneers, however, has hit upon an intriguing formula that takes the themed watch auction in a relatively novel direction: Grouping together its lots according to the material in which each watch is made.
 

Last November, the Zurich-based auction house made waves when it put on two special material-themed auctions: “Shades of Grey” featuring 17 sought-after timepieces in steel, platinum, white gold, and tantalum, and “Alchemy of Gold,” which saw 12 coveted wristwatches in yellow gold go under the hammer. Impressively, the two sales made a combined total of CHF 4.5 million, breaking five world records along the way and many pieces hammering well above their upper estimate.
 

Following up those successful sales, Ineichen will hold its first auction of 2022 on Saturday, March 12th, when it hosts “La Vie en Rose” special watch auction online and at its headquarters on the Limmat river, starting at 1 pm CET. This time no fewer than 40 wallet-burning lots will be up for grabs, all of them featuring cases made out of copper-blended, pink-tinted, rose gold.

The nice thing about themed auctions where the case material is the common denominator unifying the lots is that it brings together a number of different brands, styles, and complications.

Ineichen’s “Shades of Grey” and “Alchemy of Gold” auctions both featured classic timepieces from big names like Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Breguet, but also rare creations by independent watchmakers including F.P.Journe, Vianney Halter, Andersen Genève, Daniel Roth, Konstantin Chaykin, and Urwerk.
 

In fact, the world records achieved at November’s special auctions were for Frenchmen Journe and Halter: A white gold version of Halter’s avant-garde icon Antiqua sold for CHF 190,000, while its yellow-gold counterpart hammered for CHF 170,000. Meanwhile, Journe’s Souverain Tourbillon Ruthenium and platinum-cased Vagabondage I and Vagabondage II went for CHF 390,000, CHF 240,000, and CHF 225,000 respectively.

Hoping to continue its record-breaking streak, Ineichen has again assembled an eclectic line-up for “La Vie en Rose,” with all 40 watches featuring cases made in rose gold. This durable alloy gets its reddish hue from mixing yellow gold with copper, with the ratio of gold to copper determining the depth of its color.

Up for sale will be rose gold grails by A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Cartier, Girard-Perregaux, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Roger Dubuis, and Vacheron Constantin, with as many as seven timepieces made by the latter brand.
 

They will be joined by a few more F.P.Journes, five Daniel Roth creations, and two offerings from De Bethune. And for good measure, collectibles by Andersen Genève, Franck Muller, Hautlence, Jacquet Droz, Konstantin Chaykin, and Speake-Marin will also be added to the mix. A rose gold Harry Winston Opus V created in 2005 with Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk is also on offer.

However, in our humble opinions, the F.P.Journe, Vacheron Constantin, Girard-Perregaux, and Cartier lots featured below are among the most eye-catching lots.
 

Lot No. 25, Estimate: CHF 200,000-300,000
 

Originally purchased in 2006, this was one of ten Resonance Chronometers made especially for Sincere Fine Watches in Singapore. Interestingly, it features a dial made out of black mother-of-pearl (rather than the usual frosted gold) and is equipped with the second-generation, manual-wound calibre 1499.2. This now-discontinued movement has a rose gold mainplate and rose gold bridges; and, of course, twin oscillators coupled by Journe’s pioneering resonance system.
 

Ref. 30067/000R-8954
Lot No. 30, Estimate: CHF 50,000-100,000
 

At the turn of the millennium, Vacheron Constantin launched the Malte collection as an homage to the Maltese cross, which has been the prestigious brand’s emblem since the 19th century. Dating from the early 2000s, this Malte Tourbillon comes from that collection, and its 60-second tourbillon cage duly takes the shape of a Maltese cross. The skeletonized and engraved bridges of the hand-wound calibre 1790SQ form the spectacular dial, framed by a rose gold tonneau case.
 

Ref. 2781
Lot No. 32, Estimate: CHF 20,000-30,000
 

The Tortue Monopoussoir was one of the first creations in the Collection Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) launched in 1998, comprising watches based on historic Cartier designs. More specifically, the Tortue Monopoussoir design is based on the first wristwatch created by Louis Cartier in 1912 using this shape. Plus, it takes inspiration from the vintage tortue-shaped single-button chronographs made by the brand in the 1920s and ‘30s. The technically and visually stunning Calibre 045MC was developed by THA Ébauche, a joint venture between renowned independent watchmakers Vianney Halter, François-Paul Journe, and Denis Flageollet of De Bethune.
 

Ineichen Auctioneer’s “La Vie en Rose” special auction of rose gold watches will take place this Saturday, March 12 at 1pm CET in Zurich and online. To see full details of all 40 lots and to register to bid, please visit the Ineichen Auctioneers website.

(Images © Ineichen Auctioneer)