We’re on the Lookout for Collectible Pocket Watches for Our Themed Auction
Pocket watches exude historical elegance, and we’re currently on the lookout for ticking wonders, iconic brands and exquisite watch design from names such as Urban Jürgensen, Patek Philippe, Breguet, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. All of them pure perfection – inside and out.
With a large, international clientèle, Bruun Rasmussen holds Online Auctions, Live Auctions and Themed Auctions where particularly exclusive items come under the hammer. Iconic wristwatches from Rolex and Omega often fetch high hammer prices and are highly sought after by buyers. However, pocket watches have a fascinating history and represent a quantum leap in human technological development. They are exceptionally crafted, top quality works of art and beautiful to look at. Learn more about the history behind a number of the special and exclusive watch brands that we are looking for here.
”A great story and exquisite craftsmanship are what sell. Rarities, provenance, wealth of detail and mechanics from international luxury brands with beautiful watch cases and a meticulously finished movement testify to the highest cultural development. There is probably no finer, more specialised craftsmanship in the world, and this pursuit of perfection throughout history is what makes pocket watches so highly sought after.”
Frederik PlumSpecialist, Wristwatches & Pocket Watches at Bruun Rasmussen
Urban Jürgensen was born in Copenhagen in 1776, the eldest son of court watchmaker Jürgen Jürgensen. He furthered his education in Switzerland, Paris and London and published the work “Rules for the Accurate Measurement of Time by Way of Clocks and Watches” (1804). Urban Jürgensen’s impressive technical prowess and his principled approach to using only the very best materials are the two cornerstones that make the watches such sought-after collectors’ items to this day.
Patek Philippe produces some of the world’s most coveted watches, and the family-run company has roots dating back to 1839. The famous watch brand was founded by Antoine Norbert de Patek and Jean-Adrien Philippe. As early as 1844, the company made a name for itself at the Paris Exposition with its keyless winding, and in 1899 they developed a patent for the perpetual calendar. Their famous pocket watches include “Packard”, No. 198 023, created for the well-known car manufacturer James Ward Packard in 1927, and “Graves” No. 198 385, the world’s most complicated pocket watch, created for the American banker Henry Graves Jr. in 1933.
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Breguet. If Swiss watchmaker Breguet has a special place in our cultural heritage, it is because its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823) set the standard to which all fine watchmaking has since been held. His heirs still produce superb watch design to this day. Abraham-Louis’ design for pocket watch No. 160 called “Marie-Antoinette” is still considered the fifth most complicated pocket watch in the world, despite having originally been commissioned in 1783. But then again, it was not finished until 1827. Breguet supplied pocket watches to the Russian imperial court in the 19th century and merged with the jewellery company Chaumet in the 20th century.
A.Lange & Sohne watches have been made by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in the town of Glashütte near Dresden in Germany since 1845, particularly under the patronage of the royal court, which at the time used special editions of the company’s pocket watches as gifts for foreign heads of state. In the aftermath of World War II, the workshop closed, but following the collapse of the GDR in 1990, Adolph Lange’s great-grandson, Walter Lange, resumed the manufacture of A. Lange & Sohne watches. The company has developed more than 27 technical patents and achieved worldwide fame after exhibiting at the Paris Exposition in 1900.
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Vacheron Constantin was founded by Swiss watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755, making the company the world’s oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation. In 1819, Vacheron entered into a partnership with businessman François Constantin. Vacheron Constantin has developed impressively detailed movements, from the pocket chronometer to exceptionally beautiful cloisonné enamel decoration. In 1932, the company developed the first pocket watch with 24 time zones, displaying the time in 31 of the world’s capitals. Famous clients include King Farouk of Egypt and the actor Marlon Brando.
Audemars Piguet was founded in Switzerland by Jules Louis Audemars (1851–1918) and Edward Auguste Piguet (1853–1919) in 1875 and remains family owned to this day. The company is, among other things, known for having manufactured the wristwatch with the perpetual calendar – complete with leap years – as well as the pocket watch 1899 Universelle, which consists of 1,168 parts with a total of 21 functions. Rooted in history, the company continues to develop and grow through new initiatives. In 2014, for example, the Danish Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) won the competition to expand the company’s premises to include a combined workshop and museum building.
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Our Themed Auction featuring pocket watches takes place online from 6– 26 June.
The consignment deadline is 17 May
For further information, please contact
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Frederik PlumFrederik PlumSpecialist / Wristwatches / København |