London – The rare and highly sought-after Roger W. Smith 18K gold manual wind wristwatch, circa 2011, stole the show at Bonhams' Fine Watches sale on 14 December 2022. The exceptional commission timepiece No.20-C with power reserve indication and co-axial escapement by one of the most well-respected living watchmakers, Roger W. Smith OBE, surpassed its top estimate to achieve £516,900.
The 108-lot sale made a total of £2,323,155 with 80% sold by lot and 89% sold by value.
Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams Global Head of Watches, said: "We are thrilled to see the results of the sale, not only the appetite for the Roger W. Smith and Cartier Pebble, both of which were sought-after and rare watches to come to auction, but also for sports steel Vacherons such as the Overseas Collection. The sale delivered strong results across the multi-faceted selection of lots, bringing a conclusion to an extraordinary year for both our New Bond Street Fine Watches auctions and our 2022 Watches auction calendar. We have seen a strong sell through rate, averaging at 78% sold by lot for the year, confirming our position as market leaders for watch auctions in the UK. We look forward to what 2023 holds."
Another top lot was the rare and collectable 18K gold Cartier 'Pebble' wristwatch offered from the original owner, and designed in the Cartier London workshop circa 1972, making it an early model. The 'Pebble' has recently seen a resurgence among horologists with a limited-edition 50th anniversary reissue, it is therefore no surprise the original timepiece surpassed its pre-sale estimate to achieve £239,700.
Other notable sale lots included:
• A Vacheron Constantin 18K white gold automatic 'Overseas Collection' bracelet watch, reference 2000V/120G-B122, circa 2016. Considered by many to be the successor to the 222, the watch features a tonneau shaped case and Maltese cross inspired bezels with a sunburst grey dial. The timepiece achieved £75,900, double its pre-sale estimate.
• A rare, Octa Calendrier limited edition F.P Journe, stainless steel automatic calendar wristwatch, circa 2015. The timepiece, with the asymmetrical dial placing the calendar elements of the watch to the left and time on the right, was one of just 38 pieces crafted and achieved £120,000.