Blues Clues: What to Expect from Marteau & Co’s First Themed Auction, The Blueprint

Hot on the heels of The Encore auction earlier in October, Marteau & Co. is holding another event in November, this time built entirely around the theme of blue watches.

The auction, called The Blueprint, will run from Friday, October 30th, to Friday, November 6th, and is Marteau’s first thematic auction. According to the auction house, going blue was “an opportunity for us to explore that idea through the work of independent watchmakers we admire.”

It’s also about the collectors. The online auction will conclude in Geneva with a live gathering where aficionados can come together to track the results live.

It’s also about the collectors. The online auction will conclude in Geneva with a live gathering where aficionados can come together to track the results live.

The color blue holds a special place in watchmaking. This hue can come from heat, as in blued hands, from pigments used in lacquer or ceramic, or from dials made from aventurine glass or semi-precious stones. And looking through the catalog, we are impressed not only by the diversity of design but also by the indie Maisons represented.

So, without further ado, let’s look at our favorite lots.

Pièce Unique Philippe Dufour Simplicity

The majority of The Blueprint’s catalog consists of relatively contemporary timepieces just hitting the secondary market for the first time. Thus, fittingly, The Blueprint’s main draw is a remarkable Simplicity Pièce Unique from Philippe Dufour.

Originally created for the 2023 Philippe Dufour Foundation auction, this one-of-a-kind edition has a 38mm platinum case – larger than most Simplicity examples – and is the only take on the Simplicity to feature an aventurine dial and no small seconds.

It’s interesting to see it under the gavel again, as independent watchmakers like Dufour are in extremely high demand, pushing auction results to all-time highs. It pains us to talk about watches as commodities, so we like to think that Dufour is desirable not just because of its low production numbers, but also its originality.

Baltic Stepgraph Tantalum Prototype Polar Mother of Pearl

Marteau also invited several watchmakers to make one-off pieces specifically for the auction. This includes Lot 7, a unique 37mm Tantalum-cased version of Baltic’s Stepgraph with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl accented by lab-grown diamonds.

The effect of light hitting this dial is not unlike witnessing the Northern Lights (hence the name Polar). Plus, the mix of ethically sourced stones on the indices forms a ring of Northern Lights. It also comes with a presentation box and a Certificate of Authenticity.

Lang & Heyne, Georg

While Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne, the founders of German watchmakers Lang & Heyne, have gone their separate ways, the Maison that bears their name still has a devoted cult following.

This is because the foundation they built their house on is strong, and the Georg model (like the one featured in Lot 21) is an elegant creature that explores the Dresden-based brand’s roots in Saxon horology, especially in hand-finishing and movement architecture.

More specifically, Lot 21, which is from 2021 and numbered 26, is a rare bird because it departs from the brand’s predominantly round cases. Moreover, this edition watch is being offered as a complete set, with its original Lang & Heyne presentation box and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Marco Lang.

H. Moser & Cie x seconde/seconde/

Some of the most intriguing lots in The Blueprint auction are limited editions that got away. Case in point: Lot 18, which features the limited-to-20-piece collaboration between Moser and French artist seconde/seconde/ that got plenty of buzz when it was released in 2021.

Moser is known for the pure depth of its dials, and this shade of blue is particularly captivating. Moser is also known for its cheekiness. Thus, by replacing the traditional hour hand with a pixelated eraser that has seemingly rubbed out the branding and indices, Moser and seconde/seconde/ have made the fume finish even more beautiful.

Toledano & Chan B/1.2

Marteau touts itself as “The Auction Platform for Makers & Collectors,” and Lot 29 proves it by promoting up-and-coming international independents; few brands have established themselves as quickly and as distinctively as Toledano & Chan.

Founded by collector Phil Toledano and designer Alfred Chan, the brand draws inspiration from Brutalist architecture. The B/1.2 builds on the success of its original, angular B/1, while transforming its rough character with the shifting palette of its Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial, which displays a spectrum of darker, iridescent tones, shifting between grey, green, blue and purple tones.

Finally, with a starting bid of just CHF 2,000, this lot offers an opportunity for collectors who are just wading into the market.

For more information about The Blueprint auction, check out the Marteau & Co website.