Watch Journalist Yasuhito Shibuya's Useful Watch Industry Chat
The Only Watch auction is famous for offering extremely rare, one-of-a-kind watches. Because unique pieces unveiled here sometimes become regular models by the brand, the auction serves as a sort of "futures check," attracting increasing attention from watch enthusiasts each year. The ninth auction will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at the Palexpo event venue in Geneva, Switzerland. With each brand's offerings now complete, it's FP Journe's pieces that are sure to catch the attention of discerning watch lovers worldwide for their unexpectedness and overwhelming originality.
(Article published on October 9, 2021)
"Only Watch" Auction to Support Research and Development of Treatments for Incurable Diseases
This year marks the ninth time the auction has been held since its inception in 2005. Monaco's Only Watch auction, held every odd-numbered year, has become an exciting event that watch enthusiasts cannot miss.
The auction aims to support research and development into treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a serious disease, organized by the Monaco Muscular Dystrophy Association, which was founded at the initiative of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
DMD is a type of muscular dystrophy caused by a mutation in a gene on the X chromosome, which prevents the production of a protein called "dystrophin," which plays an important role in maintaining muscle strength. It is a serious disease that causes muscle weakness. Although there are no accurate statistics, several thousand people in Japan are battling this incurable disease.
Each watch brand that supports this purpose will develop and produce a one-of-a-kind, one-of-a-kind piece (Only Watch) specially for this auction and provide it to the association. This piece will be exhibited in nine cities around the world before being auctioned at Christie's in Geneva. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to research and development efforts for the treatment of DMD.
Unique and extraordinary models appear one after another
The unique pieces offered in this "Only Watch" auction become more unique, rare, and of technical and artistic value with each passing year, resulting in higher and higher winning bids with each auction.
前回2019年には、20もの複雑機構を備えたパテック フィリップの超絶コンプリケーションモデルのユニークピース「グランドマスター・チャイム Ref.6300A」が、2017年10月にニューヨークで行われたフィリップスのオークションでポール・ニューマン本人愛用のロレックス「コスモグラフ デイトナ Ref.6239」が記録した1775万2500USドル（約20億2609万円）の記録を大きく上回り、3100万スイスフラン（約34億円）という、腕時計としては時計オークション史上最高価格で落札されたことは、今も記憶に新しい。
This year, in 2021, the number of participating brands has increased by four, bringing the total to 54, led by Bulgari. In other words, 54 "Only Watches" are being offered. All of the models on offer this time are wonderful and attractive. There is a wide range of expected winning prices, and some even make you think, "Maybe I can afford it." However, as is the norm at auctions, the more expensive a watch is, the more likely it is to receive a flood of bids and the higher the winning price...
What stands out among the models on display this time is the use of new and rare materials that have never been used before. Specific examples include Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak "Jumbo," which uses bulk metallic glass for the bezel, Tudor's Black Bay GMT One, which uses aged stainless steel, and the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar Tantalum, which uses the rare metal tantalum, known for its excellent corrosion resistance, for the case, crown, and buckle. This is also a major trend in new watches for 2021.
