The biennial Only Watch charity auction will be held on November 5, 2023, by Christie’s Geneva at Palexpo. Created in 2005, founder Luc Pettavino built the platform for the fundraising for and research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and other genetic diseases; today, the auction enjoys the patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.
The 2023 Only Watch auction features watches with all colours of the previous editions along with the colour green, as an emblem of hope. A total of 73 watchmakers/brands are taking part and presenting their creative pieces in this auction of 62 lots, which includes 16 collaborations between watchmakers or with artists and legendary brands. Across iconic brands and young independents, here are the few watches that we find most striking –
Armin Strom – Gravity Equal Force Only Watch 2023
The 41mm timepiece, by Armin Strom has an off-centred green sapphire dial and a signature tri-bridge design. This watch is an iteration of the Gravity Equal Force ‘Ultimate Sapphire’. The Ref. ST23-GEF.SA.M.TX.N4 is powered by an in-house Calibre ASB19 and comes with a Black fabric strap with blue stitching and stainless-steel double folding clasp.
Audemars Piguet – Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked Only Watch Edition
The timepiece was first unveiled in 2022, on the occasion of Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary, the 41mm watch has a white ceramic case and bracelet with a blue-toned openworked movement. The Ref. 26735CB.OO.1225CB.99 is powered by Calibre 2972, and boasts about 65 hours of power reserve.
Baltic – Baltic Experiments – Premier Quantieme Perpetual
The 37mm steel and titanium piece is developed in collaboration with the watchmakers at the independent hub Maclef. The gradient purple dial of the watch features three sub-registers displaying, days, month, leap year, and a moonphase, along with a prominent pointer date. In-house Calibre Vaucher 5401 drives the timepiece.
Bell and Ross – BR03 Cyber Rainbow
The 42mm x 43.7mm colourful Bell and Ross model has a Black DLC titanium grade 5 case. The Ref. BR03-CYOW-TC/SRB has a 3D skeleton movement and an oscillating weight. The timepiece is powered by Cal.383 specially developed for this watch, and boasts about 48 hours of power reserve.
Biver – Catharsis
A 41mm titanium piece doesn’t have a time display function on the dial; instead, there is a gem-studded ocean and sunset representing a starry sky. Ref. JCB 002-A has a hand for hours located on the back of the watch. The timepiece is powered by the automatic minute repeater carillon with a tourbillon and micro-rotor.
Bovet – Orbis Mundi
The 42mm has an 18K rose gold case with a magenta guilloché dial featuring a Worldtimer with the word ‘Monaco and X’ in magenta colour for indicating the 10th edition of the Only Watch Auction. The Ref. NTHU024-PU is powered by 15BM01HU Caliber, and comes with an alligator strap.
Breguet – Marine Hora Mundi 5555
Breguet presents a 43.9mm gold case timepiece for this edition of the Only Watch Auction. The watch has a ‘2D’ waved hand-guilloché pattern dial featuring gold Roman hour markers, and an instant jump timezone display. The Ref. 5555BR/YS/5WV has Calibre 77F1 beating inside, which offers about 55 hours of power reserve.
Bulgari – Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Marble
This year’s colour-themed Bulgari watch has a 40mm DLC treated titanium case and the bracelet covered with a Verde di Alpi green marble. The dial of the timepiece features its heart at 6 o’clock, which is a 1.95mm thin manual tourbillon. The Ref. 103660 is powered by an in-house Calibre BVLL 268.
Carl F. Bucherer – Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral Only Watch
The 43.1mm watch has a high-tech, forged carbon case, complemented by the all-black line-up of components. The dial displays CFB’s signature ‘floating’ tourbillon at 12 o’clock and its cage arms in green. The Ref: 00.10920.16.33.99 has Caliber CFB T3000 powering it.
Chopard – L.U.C 1860 Only Watch Edition
Chopard presents its 36.5mm one-of-a-kind piece in Lucent Steel™. The ice green-toned 18K white gold dial features chevron-type hour markers and small seconds at 6 o’clock. The Ref. 168860-3004 has Calibre 96.40-L, a self-winding movement powered by a 22K gold micro-rotor. The watch comes with a grey calfskin grain leather strap.
Czapek – Place Vendôme Complicite – Courage Every Second
The latest model in the Czapek Vendôme collection is the 41.8mm steel piece has a dial featuring a Champlevé enamel ring, in the colours of Only Watch Auction. Also, the dial, entirely open-worked, has Grainé finish, and partially skeletonised sword hands. The Czapek Calibre 8 powers the watch.
De Bethune – DW Seeking Perfect for Only Watch
The DW5 SP is a unique piece, whose case is made with Damascus iron and steel from the Auberson iron ores. The watch has a polished, blued meteorite dial featuring a transferred hour and minute disc. The watch has a Calibre DB2149 powering it, and comes with extra-supple alligator leather bracelet
F.P. Journe – Chronomètre Bleu Furtif
The 42mm watch has a translucent blue Grand Feu enamel dial featuring laser-engraved matte Arabic numerals, track, and hands, along with an orange hued seconds hand. The Ref. CFB has a moonphase and power reserve indications on the back. A new, exclusive, hand-wound Calibre 1522 in 18K rose gold with a direct central seconds, powers the timepiece.
Ferdinand Berthoud – Chronomètre FB 3 “Only Watch”
The 42.3mm anniversary timepiece in patinated bronze has a semi-skeleton dial, with a sub-dial at 6 o’clock and a power reserve indication at 2 o’clock. The Ref. FB 3SPC.5 is powered by an in-house mechanical hand-wound movement that is officially chronometer-certified by COSC.
Frederique Constant X Christiaan Van Der Klaauw – Tourbillon Planetarium Only Watch 2023
Coming together under the aegis of Pim Koeslag, who now heads CVDK but was with Frederique Constant for the longest time, the two brand have come together to create an astrological timepiece to commemorate 20 years of their horological friendship. The 42mm platinum case watch has a blue aventurine dial featuring a planetarium at 12 o’clock, date and month at 9 o’clock, and a 60 seconds tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The FC-988 in-house automatic Calibre powers the watch.
GÉRALD GENTA – GÉRALD GENTA ONLY WATCH 2023
For its first-time presence at Only Watch Auction, the brand has revealed an octagon-shaped minute repeater watch with Disney’s Mickey Mouse playfully indicating the time, and holding a birthday cake with one hand to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary. The new Caliber GG-001 is powering the watch and offering about 80 hours of power reserve.
GIRARD-PERREGAUX – GIRARD-PERREGAUX NEO CONSTANT ESCAPEMENT ONLY WATCH EDITION
The pink-gold 45mm piece is inspired by its famous Bridges collection. Its openworked dial features a ring displaying suspended indexes with blue-glowing luminescent material. Powering it is a GP 09200-2196, a hand-wound mechanical movement with constant escapement.
HERMÈS – ARCEAU LE TEMPS VOYAGEUR ONLY WATCH
The 41mm timepiece has a DLC-coated titanium case and bezel, and platinum lugs. Its black dial is inspired by the Planisphere d’un monde équestre motif designed by Jérôme Colliard. The Ref. AR10.741.331.MM7Q has a Calibre Hermès H1837 beating inside.
HUBLOT – MP-15 TAKASHI MURAKAMI TOURBILLON ONLY WATCH
Taking inspiration from Takashi Murakami’s iconic smiling flower, the 42mm watch has Hublot’s first-ever central tourbillon, surrounded by twelve petals set with 444 gemstones. The timepiece is powered by the Calibre HUB9015 manual-winding central flying tourbillon.
JACOB & CO. x CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY – ASTRONOMIA REVOLUTION 4TH DIMENSION
Only Watch Auction will witness the world’s first four-axis tourbillon timepiece, Astronomia Revolution 4th Dimension. The 47mm rose gold piece has a gem-studded dial, featuring hour and minute dials with a patented differential system. The watch is powered by a CAL.08059 four-axis tourbillon with frequencies of 60, 18, 15, and 60 seconds.
JAQUET DROZ – THE ROLLING STONE AUTOMATON – ONLY WATCH 2023
Jaquet Droz has a 43mm timepiece for the 10th edition, with an animated dial with a hand-painted black onyx subdial, and hand-painted fluorescent mouth and logo. The Calibre Jaquet Droz 2653AT2 drives the watch.
KONSTANTIN CHAYKIN – STARGAZER ONLY WATCH 2023 PIÈCE UNIQUE
Konstantin Chaykin has unveiled a Stargazer watch, the brand’s most complicated piece, for the first time in Only Watch 2023. The 42mm timepiece has a double-sided reversible design and a pre-shaped reversible strap, and has a hand-wound Calibre K.22-1 powering it.
Krayon – Krayon Anywhere Only Watch 2023
Krayon enters the auction in the shade of the blue with a 39mm timepiece. The watch has a Métiers d’Art, one-off dial created exclusively for Anywhere Only Watch 2023, strikingly features month and a date at the subdial located at the 6 o’clock, reminiscent of the brand’s celestial focus. Calibre C030, individual number N°3, powers the watch.
Montblanc – MONTBLANC 1858 GÉOSPHÈRE 0 OXYGEN CARBO2 ONLY WATCH UNIQUE PIECE
The 43.5mm is one-of-a-kind timepiece joined the Maison’s series of “Zero Oxygen” in April this year. The watch has an electric blue glacier pattern dial featuring worldtime meridians with a rainbow colour theme. Driving the watch is the Calibre MB 29.25 automatic movement.
Piaget – Piaget Polo Skeleton Arty
The 18K gold build cushion-shaped timepiece has a skeleton dial featuring a blue flange with hours and minute markers. The watch is powered by a 200S1 ultra-thin Manufacture skeleton Calibre, and comes with interchangeable blue calf leather strap with green stitches — there additional blue calf leather strap with blue stitches — 18K Pink gold folding buckle.
Ressence
Ressence comes up with a watch that has an essence of disorder and victory. The 41mm watch has a unique DNA-inspired dial symbolising the pursuit of a cure. The watch has a weekly revelation; every Sunday at midnight, when all the discs align, the dial reveals a well-aligned DNA chain. The watch has a patented Calibre ROCS 1.3 powering it.
Tag Heuer – Tag Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds for Only Watch
For the Only Watch 2023, TAG Heuer presents their very first mechanical split seconds chronograph wristwatch with a new movement, taking the design cues from its Monaco Collection. The watch has a Calibre TAG Heuer Calibre TH81-00 beating inside.
Trilobe – RÉCONCILIATION
The 40.55mm domed bezel watch is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, “Réconciliation”. The timepiece has a dial with three concentric rings; the largest ring for hours, the medium one for minutes, and the smallest one for seconds. The watch has an X-Centric calibre powering it.
Tudor – Tudor Prince Chronograph One
For Only Watch 2023, Tudor brings up an entirely new 18K yellow gold case that heralds the return of the legendary “Big Block” Chronograph. The 42mm piece has a unique black dial with sunken gold registers — “Prince Chronograph” displaying seconds, minutes, and hours. The Calibre MT59X drives this piece.
Ulysse Nardin – Freak S Only Watch
Inspired by the Freak S launched in 2022, the brand has come up with a colourful interpretation of the automatic movement UN-251 Calibre, for the auction. The 45mm watch has an hour disc engraved with a black sunray pattern.
Voutilainen – CSW Only Watch
Voutilainen presents a fully integrated world timer mechanism for Only Watch 2023. The first ever brand’s cushion-shaped watch, it has a silver dial with engine turning decoration, centre “trivague”, and under hours “24 division sunburst”. The watch is equipped with Calibre TMZ217.
Zenith
While all the brands have created one piece, Zenith has come up with a set of four references- yellow (Ref. 03.3111.3600/02.M3100), green (Ref. 03.3113.3600/04.M3100), blue (Ref. 03.3112.3600/03.M3100) and red (Ref. 03.3110.3600/01.M3100 ) ceramic bezels and matching dials. The watches are powered by the Calibre El Primero 3600.
Images: Courtesy Only Watch
