The 1981 Antiquorum Watch

This watch was produced in 1981 in a limited edition of only eight examples. It was conceived by the founders and directors of Antiquorum, Osvaldo Patrizzi, Watch Expert and Technical Director, and Gabriel Tortella (1940–2011), Administrative Director, as a personal gift for a select number of their close friends and clients.

In the autumn of 1980, the Galerie d’Horlogerie Ancienne officially became Antiquorum, with its headquarters moving from 9, rue de la Corraterie to 29–31, Grand-Rue in Geneva. By then, the firm had already established an international reputation through its Geneva auctions, inaugurated on 8 October 1974, and its Hong Kong auctions, inaugurated on 28 May 1979. Seven years after its foundation, Antiquorum was thus in a position to create a special watch of this nature.

The watch features an 18K yellow gold, water-resistant case housing a Valjoux movement. The casing, finishing and adjustment were entrusted to the young independent master watchmaker Roger Dubuis (1938–2017), who had recently established his own workshop.

At the time of production, the watch was valued at CHF 12,000.