The 8 Best Watches From the Upcoming TimeForArt Auction in N.Y.C.
The fate of the once-popular and record-breaking Only Watch charity auction is unclear after controversy about tracking its use of funds led to a postponement earlier this year. A solid 15 brands chose to withdraw their watches entirely, leaving a somewhat negative feeling about the event. We spoke with Only Watch’s founder about the debacle, if you’d like to learn more about what happened. In the end the event produced a record-breaking result for a Patek Philippe.
That misfiring has created space for a different charity auction to take center stage, one that is not entirely dissimilar as regards the watches to be auctioned. TimeForArt will sell mostly one-off models that will become prized members of any watch collection. The auction is put on by the Swiss Institute in conjunction with Phillips, and proceeds will go to benefit the arts by way of the S.I.’s exhibitions, residencies and educational programs. TimeForArt held its first auction in 2022, and this year they’re back with 25 participating brands, eight of which we chose to feature below.
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Our favorite watch photographer, Atom Moore, shot the watches for us in Manhattan with this trusty Leica, and the results below will show you exactly why he’s considered the best in the business.
The auction will take place within the Phillips New York Watch Auction this weekend, so if you’re interested in bidding you can do so by going here.
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Armin Strom and Franz Gertsch Reference ST24-RF.GERTSCH
This stainless-steel watch from famed independent maker Armin Strom features a lapis lazuli dial and the brand’s Mirrored Force Resonance movement. The dual escapements align their oscillations through acoustic energy passed through the shared balance bridge.
Chopard Reference 298635-3001
With a striking straw dial rendered though traditional marquetry, this Chopard Alpine Eagle is unlike anything we’ve seen from the brand before. As far as we’re concerned, this is one of the best watches of the year.
Bulgari Reference 104217 in Pink Gold
A totally unique dial makes this grand complication with chronograph and GMT functions one of the most striking watches in the entire New York Watch Auction from Phillips. The TimeForArt stamp on the rear crystal confirms its unique origins.
Czapek & Cie Reference 1626
What makes this stainless-steel Czapek unique is the engraved dial. We are big fans of the brand that was once married to Patek long before Phillipe came along.
Ressence Reference Type 1.3
If you thought Ressence watches were unique in the way they tell time with embedded rotating discs all on the same surface, this unique piece should convince you that the brand has no bounds on innovation. Artist Shantell Martin, a British polymath, brings her typically large-scale line drawings down to the miniscule.
Zenith Reference Ref. 49.9302.3630/48.I001
If you think that reference number is a mouthful, consider this watch’s name: The Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone One-Off. Valencia-based artist Felipe Pantone created the dial, while the watch is rendered wholly in black ceramic.
Massena LAB x Raúl Pagès
A unique, quiet colorway for a watch that was originally offered with a bright green fumé dial, the Absinthe, this watch carries the first in-house movement that Massena LAB and Pagès created together.
Toldano & Chan B/1M
This watch has been making waves in various forms since its release earlier this year. Made from meteorite, this prototype brings the natural textures of the universe’s creations into micro-brutalist architecture.
Anoma Reference A1 TFA24
This shaped stainless steel watch from Anoma has an engraved lacquer dial featuring concentric circles that make it one of the more interesting offerings among the lots for TimeForArt.
