Auction News Archives | The 1916 Company

Auction News

Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIV Sets New Records For F.P. Journe

Expectations are being reset in real time, and not just for collectors of watches by F.P. Journe. This weekend was a remarkable one for watch enthusiasts, thanks to the results realized by Phillips at the New York Watch Auction: XIV. It was not a surprise to anyone who has been watching the auction market that,...

Jack Forster6 Min ReadJune 15 2026

At Phillips This Weekend: Journe Before The Empire

The F.P. Journe T30 celebrates the pocket watch that launched a legend—and perhaps defines it. At this point, François-Paul Journe hardly needs an introduction. If you’re reading this, you likely already know the model names that dominate the conversation: the Élégante, the Chronomètre Bleu, the Resonance. Those are the watches that command headlines and waitlists....

Greg Gentile9 Min ReadJune 12 2026

A Journe ‘Souscription’ Resonance May Set A Record At Phillips – Here’s The Science Behind The Dollar Signs

It’s been 26 years since F.P. Journe launched the Chronomètre à Résonance – and the watches are more fascinating than ever. Everyone has their favorites, but if there is a single F.P. Journe watch which that really represents more than any other, what makes his approach to watchmaking unique, it is probably the Chronomètre à...

Jack Forster6 Min ReadJune 9 2026

Exceptionally Unusual And Unusually Exceptional Lots Coming Up During Spring Geneva Auction Week 2025

Antiquorum, Philips, Christies and Sotheby’s have a lot of the usual suspects, but some very cool dare to be different lots as well. The brands that constitute the bulk of the offerings during any given watch auction week, are there for a reason, or rather, for several reasons. Interest in them is widespread and consistent;...

Jack Forster13 Min ReadMay 8 2025

When History Hammers: Inside The Standout Watches At Phillips’ Spring Auction

A Universal Genève revival, a Fifty Fathoms with a story to tell, and a parade of horological icons—this season’s Phillips auction is a collector’s dream realized. Just to avoid burying the lede: This spring’s Phillips Auction is absolutely elite. It’s an electric offering of horological mastery, museum-worthy pieces at nearly every turn, and it demands...

Greg Gentile16 Min ReadApr 29 2025

Sotheby’s And Breguet Announce A 250th Anniversary Mega-Auction For November

Sotheby’s is calling it the largest thematic auction of Breguet timepieces in over 30 years. This is a big year for a number of watch brand anniversaries and one of the biggest is Breguet, which is celebrating 250 years in business. In 1775 Abraham Louis Breguet established his workshop on the Quai de l’Horloge, on...

Jack Forster3 Min ReadFeb 9 2025

The Grand Finale: Phillips New York Watch Auction IX Closes The Year With A Record-Breaking Auction

A $30.3M spectacle, historic watch sales, and a celebration of horology’s finest reminds us why we love watches. This past weekend, Phillips concluded the year with their final auction, and for lack of a better term, it ended with an absolute showstopper. All 179 lots sold, representing buyers from 70 countries, with 69% of the...

Greg Gentile12 Min ReadDec 12 2024

Remarkable Watches, Remarkable Results: Thoughts On Geneva Auction Week 2024

What the Derek Pratt Oval pocket watch, first Journe wristwatch ever sold, and an obscure Breguet from the 1930s might mean for the auction market. Over the course of my life as a collector I have mostly concentrated on two things: watches (of course) and fountain pens. I started collecting both when you could have...

Jack Forster10 Min ReadNov 12 2024