One-Off Wonders

Harry Winston
Midnight GMT Tourbillon

Harry Winston’s piece features a movement from its Ocean collection, fitted into its Midnight case. Coming exclusively in platinum, the 45mm watch has an automatic GMT tourbillon movement, with a power reserve of 110 hours. A ruthenium dial that plays with circles and textures features a secondary time shown in the smaller dial at 9 o’clock, while Monaco, the auction’s location, takes a place of honour as one of the cities on the time zone display. The watch’s bezel, that subtly presents the three distinct arches of the Harry Winston’s New York Salon, borders the dial. The watch fetched €160,000 at auction.

Hermès
Arceau Time Suspended

Hermès made a special edition of its much talked about Arceau Time Suspended for the Only Watch auction. If you haven’t heard about this timepiece yet, then you must brush up on the highlights of Basel 2011! It’s an innovation that allows one to conceal or “stop” time on the dial with a mere push of a button. One more push brings you back to the actual time. Though simply explained, the mechanism that allows this feat is truly quite complicated, requiring the watchmakers at Hermes to rethink traditional ways of their craft.. In fact, the construction and gear teeth are patented. The watch features a dial that seems quite simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection you’ll see that it has a triple retrograde movement – a world’s first – that allows time to disappear without interrupting the movement and the date counter. The Only Watch piece comes in a blue dial with a herringbone guilloche motif, and an engraved caseback. The winning bid for this watch was €27,000.