Hands-On with delights from the December 2023 Auction at the Dorotheum Vienna!

´Collector´s View` on an eclectic selection of watches, including the legendary IWC Il Destriero Scafusia Grand Complication, to be sold at the Dorotheum auction, 01 December 2023

We continue our journey away from the well-traveled paths and return to the traditional Viennese auction house Dorotheum for a second time to scout remarkable timepieces, a few of which that are truly landmark pieces such as (our first encounter with) the legendary IWC Schaffhausen Il Destriero Scafusia, which will be offered at the upcoming ‘Wrist and Pocket Watches’ auction to be held on 01 December 2023*.

That was a remarkable moment for us, and we encountered a few more of the ultimate legend watchmakers along the way!

Thin Dress Watches

Blancpain Villeret Chronograph Ref. 1180 SST

In our past Dorotheum auction preview we already featured a YG 34mm Blancpain Villeret with the quirky Cal. 71 automatic movement. Here, we now have a really rare and easily overlooked bird, the Ref. 1180 manual chronograph. Usually, one comes across its automatic sister, the Ref. 1185 with the famous Frédéric Piguet Cal. 1185, designed by Edmond Capt and back then (and until recently when Bvlgari topped it with the BVL 318 calibre (3.30mm thick)), the thinnest automatic chronograph, with column-wheel control and the then absolutely innovative vertical clutch system. Here, we have the handwound version in our hand, and the movement’s total height of only 3.95mm makes for a fantastically slim watch. Timeless early Villeret design with a stainless steel case, but white gold indices and hands! Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 366 (estimate: EUR 3,000 – EUR 4,000, sold for EUR 4,160)

Breguet Classique Ref. 4640C YG

Feels like the distillation of early Breguets after Daniel Roth re-invented the design-language. This simple time-only manual watch is from 1993, so a few years after Roth’s departure, but still was designed by him and comes with marvelous hand-guilloché dial and heat-blued hands. Despite its tiny 33mm diameter it is still a very wearable, elegant watch even these days, a careful arrangement of slimness and a thin bezel pays off. Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 403 (estimate: EUR 3,000 – EUR 4,000, not sold)

 

Eccentric Time Displays

Chronoswiss Delphis SST

The idiosyncratic combination of a digital 24h jumping hour, retrograde minute and smooth seconds hands – meet the Delphis, one of the iconic pieces that exemplifies the vision of the late Gerd-Rüdiger Lang that fueled the revival of mechanical watchmaking at the end of the 20th century (and which just recently was added back, in modernised shape, to Chronoswiss’ catalogue). Here in stainless steel with a beautifully preserved guilloché dial, heat-blued hands and the reworked historical automatic Enicar movement. Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 408 (estimate: EUR 1,200 – EUR 1,800, sold for EUR 2,600)

Chronoswiss Kairos YG

Second Chronoswiss, for a reason (on its back!): chronographs were a cornerstone of the early œvre of the brand, and here is a much sought after version: the Kairos with a manual, nicely reworked version of the famous Valjoux 72 column-wheel movement sporting 9 fine & beautiful ‘columns’ and a swan-neck regulator. All virtues of classical watchmaking in a single package, with the eccentric time display at 12h for additional spice. Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 410 (estimate: EUR 3,000 – EUR 5,000, sold for EUR 3,900)

Glashütte Original 1845 Regulator YG

This is the watch which made headlines when Glashütte presented it in the 1990s. Unusual (at the time) dial layout, finest execution (with albeit a slightly grandfatherly appearance). Base movement is the GUB Cal. 49 with swan’s neck regulator, screwed chatons with an abundance of heat-blued screws and hand-finishing. Comes with the original pin buckle, and is a practically unused heirloom piece.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 403 (estimate: EUR 5,000 – EUR 8,000, not sold)

Calendar Watches

Blancpain Léman Perpetual Calendar Flyback Chronograph Ref. 2585F SST

We recently noticed an increasing interest in Blancpain’s former ‘Léman’ series of sporty watches, and this wonderful example of their ‘small complication’ Ref, 2585F speaks volume: in a very compact 38mm case the manufacture housed a perpetual calendar and an automatic flyback chronograph based on the same famous Cal. 1185 as the ‘Villeret’ chronograph further up. A bold but still refined design with white gold hands and indices over a finely layered dial, and a steel case with screw-down crown and pushers make for an attractive package. Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 365 (estimate: EUR 12,000 – EUR 18,000, not sold)

Patek Philippe Gondolo Calendario Ref. 5135 YG

The ‘Gondolo’ is a tonneau-shaped wristwatch which offers more daring designs (as far as Patek Philippe is concerned) than the classic ‘Calatrava’ line. The Ref. 5135 came with an annual calendar (recognises 30 and 31 days months, but not the shorter February) and was the first complicated watch in this series. Yellow gold case, and a Cal. 324/206 still with the coveted Poinçon de Genève. Aftermarket strap and buckle, but the original parts are included.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 349 (estimate: EUR 16,000 – EUR 24,000, sold for EUR 18,200)

Iconic (Chronograph or -meter) Watches

Zenith Port Royal El Primero SST Ref. 01/02.0451.400

The ‘Port Royal’ collection is something like an equivalent to Blancpain’s ‘Léman’ watches: sporty, yet with refinement. The Port Royal El Primero comes with a contemporary 40mm steel case and large, dynamic numbers, so it is a very tempting entry piece into one of the most legendary chronograph calibres ever, the El Primero. Comes with the original pin buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 405 (estimate: EUR 1,200 – EUR 1,800, sold for EUR 1,950)

Breguet Type XX Ref. 3800 SST

A legend which does not need much introduction. Descendant from one of the iconic military aviation chronographs with flyback movement. Finely structured dial with an oversized minute counter, and the typical strongly domed sapphire crystal. Slightly patinated tritium indices.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 401 (estimate: EUR 3,000 – EUR 5,000, sold for EUR 4,680)

    
Dubey & Schaldenbrand Gran’ Chrono SST

A historic brand revived in the 1990s by Cinette Robert, Dubey & Schaldenbrand was known for two things: recognisable, modernised, flamboyant Art Deco case shapes and dial designs, and hand-engraved (mostly ETA based but also vintage) movements. Here a tonneau-shaped chronograph watch with only two counters, hence without permanent small seconds. Attractive offer for those who love the design of the ‘roaring twenties’ with a twist – and at a budget. With original folding clasp.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 409 (estimate: EUR 1,200 – EUR 1,800, sold for EUR 1,560)

OMEGA De Ville Co-Axial Chronometer Small Seconds RG

The only non-chronograph watch under this headline, but it is a formidable chronometer of pedigree: The original OMEGA De Ville saw the world’s first serial implementation of George Daniel’s revolutionary co-axial escapement, and this version is an improved one (Cal. 2300A) which already had a conventionally mounted rotor and a display back. Fine ‘pie-pan’ style dial with lovely details such as the frosted surface texture, complemented by the detailed case with its stylised ‘crab claw’ lugs. Comes with all documents and original RG folding buckle.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 393 (estimate: EUR 7,000 – EUR 10,000, sold for EUR 7,800)

Watches with Exotic Cases

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Championship Nick Faldo Ta

Yes, a quartz watch! Yes, with only 33mm diameter! Yes, its an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak! What sets this watch apart is the case material, the extremely difficult to machine Tantalum, here used in a contrasting mix with stainless steel accents. This watch has to be strapped on to really appreciate – thin but heavy, small but with lots of presence. The movement needs an overhaul as per catalog entry, but this is a quartz piece worth collecting.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 346 (estimate: EUR 8,000 – EUR 12,000, sold for EUR 9,750)

IWC Da Vinci Ceramic Ref. IW3755

The IWC Da Vinci needs no introduction to watch collectors, and is a bona fide icon on its own right. Not only contains it the innovative (since easy to set just with the crown) perpetual calendar developed by Kurt Klaus, it also comes with an idiosyncratic case shape. This is is a tad more fascinating even: just a year after the perpetual calendar was presented in 1985, IWC (at the same time as Rado) showed the world the first watch case made in scratch resistant zirconium oxide, colloquially known as ceramic. In terms of aesthetics also splendid with the slightly translucent appearance (actually not translucent, but it looks like) of the main case body with the hooded golden strap hinges.

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 328 (estimate: EUR 5,000 – EUR 8,000, sold for EUR 7,800)

The Masterpiece

IWC Il Destriero Scafusia Ref. IW1868 YG

The whole watchmaking world on your wrist – while this seems to characterise a Grand Complication by definition, this is particularly true for the legendary IWC Il Destriero Scafusia, presented in 1993 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the manufacture in Schaffhausen: perpetual calendar, (flying) tourbillon, minute repeater and a split-second chronograph. And then, just think about who collaborated on this piece:

• perpetual calendar: Kurt Klaus
• tourbillon and split second chronograph: Richard Habring
• minute repeater: Robert Greubel (also prototypes), Giulio Papi and Dominique Renaud
• design: Hanno Burtscher
• production: Lothar Schmidt (who later would take over Sinn)

You simply can’t put more horological excellence into one single piece. And yet, the watch comes along in a restrained (but hence self-confident) package. All based on the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750 movement, with a relief engraved 3/4 plate (at which (later) sister company of IWC have we seen that again?), heat-blued screws and overall finely reworked parts, down to the original Valjoux 7750 ones. Even the original pin buckle was deigned to match the case language and hence was specific to the Il Destriero (and its little sister, the IWC Grand Complication).

• Dorotheum VIE, 01 December 2023, Lot 322 (estimate: EUR 60,000 – EUR 90,000, sold for EUR 91,000)

I was well prepared and brought a favourite of mine with me to enjoy the rare occasion of putting the Il Destriero side-by-side to the Da Vinci Tourbillon – what a moment!

For us, again, a joyful excursion with a successful score of eclectic watches and a few rendezvous with all-time classics.

One caveat at the end: above are our views but we won’t comment on condition and authenticity with authority – should you be interested in a piece do your homework before bidding, as we would always recommend!

Ornatus Mundi

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*) Link: Dorotheum Vienna, 01 December 2023: https://www.dorotheum.com/en/a/101066/