Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
New York - The Fuller Building, Jun 14, 2007
LOT 109
?Platinum Opus 4? Harry Winston and Christophe Claret, ?Opus 4?, No. 13/18. Made in a limited edition of 18 examples in 2004. Extremely fine, very rare and unusual, oversized, minute-repeating, astronomic, double-dialed and reversible, water-resistant, platinum gentleman`s wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, large moon phases and date. Accompanied by the original box and certificate. To be sold without reserve
USD 150,000 - 200,000
EUR 110,000 - 150,000
Sold: USD 232,400
C. Three-body, solid, polished, lobed and mobile central lugs spring-loaded to swivel the case, transparent case back, antireflective sapphire crystals. D. Front: midnight blue central aperture for the large moon phases, concentric graduation for the date, outermost plain matte silver reserve with painted Arabic numerals. Back: transparent, outermost plain matte silver reserve with painted Arabic numerals. M. Cal. 16???, ?Animé par Christophe Claret? (Created by C.C.), rhodium-plated, ?fausses côtes? decoration, 40 jewels, lateral lever escapement with one-minute tourbillon regulator with A-shaped polished steel carriage, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, repeating on cathedral gongs by activating slide on the band, pushbuttons on the case to adjust moon and date indication. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam 44 mm. Thickness 17 mm. Property of an Canadian Gentleman
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
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Case: 1 |
As new |
Movement: 1 |
As new |
Dial: 1-01 |
As new HANDS Original |
Notes
The Opus line of watches In a bid to enhance appreciation of fine timepieces and promote horological advances, Harry Winston teamed up with some of the most talented independent watchmakers to create the Opus line of watches. These limited series watches are jointly signed. The type, the creative minds behind it and the year of launch are as follows:
- Opus 1 Francois-Paul Journe (2001)
- Opus 2 Antoine Preziuso (2002)
- Opus 3 Vianney Halter (2003)
- Opus 4 Christophe Claret (2004)
- Opus 5 Felix Baumgartner (2005)
- Opus 6 (Robert) Greubel (and Stephen) Forsey (2006)
- Opus 7 Andreas Strehler (2007).
Christophe Claret is one of Switzerland?s best independent watchmakers and specialist for complications, a man who prefers to work behind the scenes. Born in 1962 and growing up in Lyon in France, at the age of 10 he dismantled old alarm clocks, however (many horological experiments later) he didn?t succeed in putting watches back together until the age of 13. At 16, he entered Geneva?s prestigious "Ecole d'horlogerie", and in 1989 opened a workshop in La Chaux-de- Fonds. Located today in Le Locle, the Christophe Claret company, with more than 50 employees, supplies highly complicated movements to many prestigious Swiss brands. Specializing in prototypes, repeater and tourbillon mechanisms, its watchmakers division and independent watchmaker Christophe Claret, a renowned repeater and tourbillon expert, Opus 4 was first unveiled at the 2004 Baselworld. Its extraordinary features begin with the case: The lugs are springloaded to swivel the case, thus allowing wearing either dial as the one of choice. The large central moon phase indication features a hand-engraved and painted moon disc, crafted from 18K gold. 423 individual components comprise the movement, which is assembled in the Claret workshops in Le Locle. Fully wound, the mainspring powers the watch for 53 hours and the 40 jewels were crafted from white sapphire instead of red rubies. Remarkably, Opus 4?s cathedral gongs are made from Swedish ?Sandwik?-tempered steel, which is strong yet flexible and delivers superior sound transmission. This type of gong, unlike the ones used in less sophisticated repeating watches, circles the movement twice to produce a richer sound with deeper resonance, longer lasting reverberation and perfect tone to create a highly pleasurable acoustic treat.