Variety Watches

Auctions seem to be the one slice of the luxury watch market where watches are still selling for high prices. These are select watches, which are usually rare collectibles and that helps set the high price tag, but it’s another thing when they are actually purchased.

At recent auction in Las Vegas hosted by a rare 18K gold Ulysse Nardin minute repeater watch sold for a whopping $45,750, selling for over $10,000 than was expected and for more than any other men’s watch or women’s watch went for.  This UN watch comes from the Clavius collection and is a special minute repeater that also features an automaton complication, which works like this: once the minute repeater lever is released, the small figurine’s arm with hammer strikes the bell as the watch gives off sound from the internal hammer that read out the time.

The dial of this 18K gold Ulysse Nardin watch is a beautiful blue lapis color watch and includes Arabic numeral hour indicators which are made from gold. This watch also features rare automatic winding minute repeater movements made by UN which alone can sell for around $100,000. There is also a power reserve indicator located on the dial.

At other recent auctions in New York City three rare Patek Philippe men’s watches sold for double what the Ulysse Nardin did. One of the Patek Philippe watches was a yellow gold model that went for $204,000, while two other gold watches sold for $162,000 and $156,000 respectively.

Stay tuned for an auction set to take place in October of this year where a very, very rare Patek Philippe watch, known as the 18K gold Sky Moon, is expected to go for between $1.1 million and $1.3 million dollars.

Watch Tags: Luxury Watches, men's watches, patek philippe watches, Ulysse Nardin, Ulysse Nardin minute repeater, Ulysse Nardin watches

Ulysse Nardin founded his watch company in 1846 and became well known for manufacturing marine chronometers which merchant and military ships relied upon for accuracy when navigating the seas. Over time the company also began to produce complicated mechanical watches and set a world record in 1986 for making the world’s most complicated wristwatch. Called the Astrolabium, this watch was named after the device used by astronomer Galileo. The watch displays both local and solar time, the orbits and eclipses of the sun and the moon as well as the positions of certain stars.

Since then Ulysse Nardin has produced many watches that feature astrology, hence its new Moonstruck model. This limited edition Moonstruck watch imitates the rotation of the moon around the earth by using two discs to revolve around the map of the earth that is located in the center of the watch. The moon itself also makes revolutions that present the different phases of the moon.

Following suit with large watches being all the rage, the Moonstruck model weighs in at 46mm and 16.3mm thick, allowing ample space for the complexity of the movement. This watch also features a GMT hand, which allows the wearer to track a second time zone. Even though it’s made from either gold or platinum, it’s not fragile and is water resistant up to 100 meters.  The 18k red gold edition comes in 500 pieces as does the platinum version.

Other outrageous Ulysse Nardin watch designs include the Genghis Khan Haute Joaillerie model and the San Marco Cloisonné watch. While most Ulysse Nardin watches are men’s watches, there is a substantial collection of women’s watches as well which include the Lady Diver Starry Night, the Golden Dream, the Michelangelo Lady and the Dual Time Ladies among many other gorgeous and unique selections.

Watch Tags: Luxury Watches, men's watches, mens luxury watches, moonstruck watch, Ulysse Nardin, Ulysse Nardin watches, women's watches, womens luxury watches