New Generation of Independent Watch Brands Shine at Auction

Today’s contemporary independent watchmakers offer a truly extensive range of options for watch collectors across designs, movements, materials, and of course price points. Everything from haute horology to entry level is covered. This feature takes a look at recent auction highlights for just some of the watches made by a new generation of talented independents demonstrating their creativity and dedication to the craft of watchmaking.

Further insight into both auctions and independents is provided by Alexandre Ghotbi, Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Europe, and Middle East at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo. I also profile the F.P.Journe ‘Young Talent Competition’ for watchmakers. New talent doesn’t occur overnight and is often years in the making. Prizes such as the F.P.Journe award help to build this talent.

Alexandre Ghotbi at Phillips

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is one of the world’s leading auction houses for rare and collectable watches. The auction house has helped showcase independent watchmakers. For example this March in London Phillips held an exhibition titled, ‘Independent Spirit’, featuring five independent watchmakers. In response to my questions Alexandre Ghotbi from Phillips shares his thoughts on the collector market for independents and bringing watches by newer independents to auction.

Why do you think independent makers have become such an important collector category?

“Independent watchmaking regroups many different kinds of watches from the very futuristic designs such as MB&F or Urwerk to the ultra-classical pieces of Philippe Dufour or Kari Voutilainen, and from the most simple to the most complicated these brands speak to a growing audience as they bring something utterly new to the market… the makers DNA and soul, a design and complications reflecting the maker’s vision and not a response to market trends. They are rare as the maker’s production capacity is low and not due to marketing requests”.

All of your watch auctions are carefully curated to present superb timepieces. How do you decide when to include the work of newer and perhaps less well-known independent watchmakers in your sales?

“We decide to take watches that we ourselves would like to own. The watch needs to be relevant and honest. However, we also make sure that a watch does not arrive at auction too soon but needs to have a bit of history and presence. We very often get requests by very small brands to launch at our auctions and we systematically suggest that they wait a bit as it would be dramatic for them that they come to auction, with no existing clients/market and the first watch sells below market price”.

Do you have some personal favourite examples of watches by newer independent watchmakers that have sold recently or are coming up for sale at Phillips?

“I have a soft spot for Sylvain Pinaud, Rexhep Rexhepi/Akrivia and Krayon that will make its auction debut in our Geneva May auction”.

Rexhep Rexhepi AKRIVIA Tourbillon

We have almost become used to the record auction prices for watches by some of the leading independents who launched their brands in the 80s through to the beginning of the 2000s. Watches by Philippe Dufour, F.P.Journe, Richard Mille, and Roger W. Smith have all created auction headlines. But now one of the newer post 2000 generation of independent watchmakers, Rexhep Rexhepi, has joined this illustrious group.

Rexhep Rexhepi almost needs no introduction to passionate watch followers and collectors alike. Formally trained he has worked with some of the best in the business including Patek Philippe and F.P. Journe. He launched his independent Atelier AKRIVIA in 2012 based in Geneva’s Old Town. Timepieces from the atelier are designed and made in-house. The founder’s own collection is signed ‘Rexhep Rexhepi’. At last years’ 10th edition of the charity auction Only Watch his contribution of a Chronomètre Antimagnétique, Ref. RRCA achieved a stunning CHF2,100,000, (£1,840,590).

The AKRIVIA watch pictured in the banner photo for this feature is an AK01, titanium single button chronograph tourbillon wristwatch from 2021. The magnificent blue dial displays not only the tourbillon workings but also that of the chronograph. Phillips noted in their cataloguing that the watch is one of less than 20 ever made and is the first AKRIVIA model created. As a special extra for the winning bidder AKRIVIA offered a complementary watch service for this piece.

With an estimate of CHF300,000 – 600,000 the watch achieved an outstanding CHF1,079,500, (£946,150), including buyer’s premium at the Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo Geneva watch auction held on 10 November 2024.

Masahiro Kikuno Tourbillon

Japanese contemporary independent watchmaking is starting to receive due recognition with makers such as Hajime Asaoka, and Jiro Katayama founder of the independent brand Otsuka Lotec. In February Oracle Time ran an excellent article about Hajime Asaoka written by Thor Svaboe. Shown above is a tourbillon wristwatch by Hajime Asaoka.

Another Japanese independent is Masahiro Kikuno who, like Hajime Asaoka, is a member of the prestigious Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). The Swiss based organisation works to help support the traditions of watchmaking and the art of the independent watchmaker. Last November at their ‘TOKI’ watch auction Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo sold a highly distinctive piece by Masahiro Kikuno. This being a unique 18k pink gold 43mm cased tourbillon wristwatch with guilloché dial from 2011 pictured above. One of just two pieces, the other is in silver, both were exhibited at Baselworld in 2012. The in-house manual movement is hand finished with a Herringbone pattern. At the auction the watch comprehensively outdid the estimate of HK $200,000 – 400,000 to achieve HK $2,286,000, (£227,120), including buyer’s premium.

Petermann Bedat Ref. 1967

Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat met at watchmaking school in Geneva in 2007 then worked together at A. Lange & Söhne before launching their eponymous independent brand in Switzerland. As Phillips noted in their cataloguing about the watchmakers they are ‘one of the most creative, young and inventive duo in contemporary watchmaking’.

Featured here is a Petermann Bedat, Ref.1967, 1/1 semi-skeletonized stainless steel wristwatch with central deadbeat seconds from 2021. The watch is powered by an in-house manual calibre. 171 movement and sized 39mm in diameter. As Phillips added the Ref.1967 was the brand’s first model originally launched in 2018. Hours of work have been applied to the movement finishing including ‘coats de Geneva’ to the bridges, hand-polished chamfers, plus perlage to the mainplate.

The watch certainly found favour making more than double the high estimate of CHF40,000 – 80,000 to achieve an excellent CHF215,900, (£189,230), including buyer’s premium. The piece was sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at their Geneva watch auction held on 10 November 2024.

Sylvain Pinaud Origine

In 2019 watchmaker Sylvain Pinaud won the notable Meilleur Ouvrier de France craft award for his watchmaking. By 2022 he has established himself as an independent. His first wristwatch model was the Origine. The example featured here is in stainless steel with a visible balance at the 6 o’clock position. The watch is from 2024 with an in-house manual movement placed in a 40mm diameter case. Pinaud was awarded the 2022 ‘Horological Revelation’ prize at the esteemed Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) [LINK TO: https://www.gphg.org/en] awards. He also contributed a watch to the 2024, 10th Edition of the Only Watch charity auction.

The Origine was sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo during their Geneva watch auction on 10 November 2024 making CHF165,100, (£144,700), including buyer’s premium exceeding the auction estimate of CHF60,000 – 120,000.

Romain Gauthier Logical One

Mention a fusée-and-chain mechanism and most will think you are talking about some old antique pocket watch but modern wristwatches can have them as well. Take for example independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier who has incorporated the mechanism into his Logical One wristwatch. Originally a micro-mechanical engineer Gauthier set up as an independent in 2005. In 2013 he launched the Logical One wristwatch incorporating a modern fusée-and-chain mechanism to provide constant force to the movement. The watchmaker was recognised for this achievement by taking the 2013 ‘Men’s Complication Watch Prize’ at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards. The Logical One example seen in this feature is from c.2015 with its case is fashioned from 18k pink gold and sized at 43mm diameter. The fusée-and-chain system can be seen on the left side of the dial.

Auctioned by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo’s at their Geneva watch sale on 10 November 2024 the watch took CHF120,650, (£105,740), including buyer’s premium. The guide estimate was set at CHF60,000 – 120,000.

Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire

From a watchmaking family based in Oldenzaal, the Dutch Grönefeld brothers Bart and Tim founded their own independent brand, Grönefeld, in 2008. Both brothers are formally trained in watchmaking and now combine their technical knowledge and skills to design their own timepieces. The 1941 Remontoire limited edition wristwatch from 2016 displayed in this article was named after the year their watchmaker father Johannes ‘Sjef’ was born. Inspiration was also drawn from the old church turret clock in Oldenzaal. Powered by an in-house calibre. G-05 mechanical movement in an 18k pink gold case the wristwatch is sized 39.5 mm in diameter. The piece features an eight seconds constant force mechanism seen at the 9 o’clock position. This Remontoire function seeks to even out fluctuations in power delivery across the range of the mainspring. In 2016 the model won the ‘Men’s Watch Prize’ at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards.

Estimated at US$50,000 – 100,000 this watch achieved $US66,000, (£51,000), including buyer’s premium at Sotheby’s Important Watches sale on 6 December 2024 in New York.

J.N Shapiro Infinity

With its classically refined dial featuring guilloche, a chapter ring and blued Breguet style hands this watch projects style and craftsmanship. The work of American independent Joshua Shapiro whose studies included the exacting craft of learning how to use an engine-turning machine to create guilloche patterns on dials. Launching his independent brand in 2018 he released the Infinity wristwatch. Displayed here is a J.N. Shapiro, Infinity, 18k white gold wristwatch with a hand guilloché dial, manual movement, and case sized 40mm diameter dated to 2021. Auctioned at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo Geneva watch sale on 12 May 2024 it sold for CHF 33,020, (£28,940), including buyer’s premium with a guide estimate of CHF20,000 – 40,000.

​Oracle Time 

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