ANTIQUORUM AUCTIONEERS
Michelle Halpern
Tel +1 212 750 11 03
pressusa@antiquorum.com.
(For Immediate Release. High definition images can be downloaded at www.antiquorum.com)
Steve McQueen’s Vintage Rolex Sells for $ 234,000 at Antiquorum Auction
New York, June 11, 2009 - Antiquorum’s
extremely successful summer auction in New York which included watches and
memorabilia from the late legendary actor, Steve McQueen totaled an
impressive $ 5,706,324. Bids came in from across the globe including from
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Italy, Germany, France and Romania.
An impressive 81% of the 416 timepieces were sold by lot and 122% sold by
value. In addition to the scores of telephone, room, and commission
bidders, there were 478 bidders on the internet competing for the highly
collectible timepieces offered in the sale.
Steve McQueen’s timepieces and motorcycle
inspired frantic bidding in the Antiquorum auction room today. After
several minutes of heated competition, the winning bid for the “King of
Cool’s” Rolex Ref. 5512 was an impressive $ 234,000; twenty times its
estimate and a world record for that reference. In addition, McQueen’s
Scott Super Squirrel motorcycle, painted by Von Dutch, fetched an
astounding $ 276,000—double its estimate. Furthermore, The Heuer Monaco
that he wore in the 1971 racing film “ Le Mans” sold for a world
record $87,600.
“Today’s auction is clear confirmation
that in the current market, collectors are looking for horological
rarities with noteworthy provenance, such as Steve McQueen’s Rolex and
Heuer. The excitement that we saw in the auction room was reflective
of the desire collectors have for exceptional watches that truly stand the
test of time and offer sound investment opportunities,” said Evan
Zimmermann, President & CEO, Antiquorum.
Patek Philippe also attained excellent results: lot 120, the rose gold
Ref. 5004 sold for $252,000 and lot 299, the pink gold Ref. 5970 obtained
a noteworthy price of $132,000. Also achieving significant results was the
Patek “Limited Edition Annual Calendar with Silicon Escape Wheel”,
Ref. 5250G, lot 298, bringing a record $138,000. Other remarkable prices
attained by Patek Philippe were lot 410, the Platinum Ref.3970 selling for
$ 144,000; while lot 184, the “Yellow Gold Ref. 2526” sold for an
incredible $ 60,000.
“The extraordinary outcome for our June auction once again confirms that
Antiquorum is indisputably the world’s leading auction house for
timepieces as evidenced by the exceptional participation in today’s
sale. As other markets rebound from the past year’s economic decline,
the demand for exceptional timepieces continues to steadily increase,”
said Robert Maron, Chairman Antiquorum.
In addition, Rolex watches faired extremely well in the June sale. The
“Double Red Sea Dweller, Retailed by Cartier,” lot 382, sold for an
amazing $91,200. In addition, Daytona’s once again dominate the
collectors market with the Ref. 6239 Stainless Steel Paul Newman attaining
$84,000 and the Pro-Hunter Black-Carbon Daytona selling for $42,000.
“We are very encouraged by by the result we see here today for our June
auction, said Julien Schaerer,” Watch Director & Auctioneer,
Antiquorum USA.” We are particularly delighted to see the resurgence of
prices for rare Rolex sports models as well as for limited edition Patek
Philippe timepieces .”
Moreover, other high-grade luxury watches also obtained terrific results
as evidenced by the Lange & Sohne “Pour Le Merite” which attained
$156,000 today, as well as the Jaeger Le Coultre “Platinum Master Minute
Repeater” which sold for an incredible $126,000.
Antiquorum looks forward, with great anticipation, to our final auction of
the season on June 27th in Hong Kong, featuring an impressive collection
of modern and vintage collectible timepieces.
The “Top Lots” for Antiquorum’s June 11th auction are as
follows:
LOT SOLD PRICE(incl. Premium) ITEM DESCRIPTION
Lot 414
Steve McQueen's Motorcycle restored and painted by Von Dutch 1929
Scott 596cc Super Squirrel [Engine no. Y2373A]
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 276,000
Lot 120
Pink Gold Ref. 5004 Patek Philippe, Genève, Ref. 5004R. Sold March 2nd,
2004. Extremely fine, rare and important, astronomic, water-resistant, 18K
pink gold wristwatch with coaxial round button split-seconds chronograph,
registers, perpetual calendar and moon phases
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 252,000
Lot 416
Steve Mc Queen's Rolex Ref. 5512, Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, 660
ft = 200 m, Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified, Ref. 5512/5513.
Made in 1967. Fine, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant,
stainless steel diver’s wristwatch.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 234,000
Lot 235
Pour le Mérite A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte I/SA., Tourbillon
"Pour le Mérite, Ref. 701.001. Made in a limited edition of 150
pieces in 1996. Extremely fine and very rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch
with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and 36-hour power reserve.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 156,000
Lot 234
Lange 1 Tourbillon A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte i./Sa.,
"Lange 1 Tourbillon. Made in a limited edition of 150 pieces in 2000.
Extremely fine and rare platinum wristwatch with visible one-minute
tourbillon regulator, off-center hour dial, oversized date, power reserve
indication.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 144,000
Lot 410
Platinum Ref. 3970EP Patek Philippe, Genève, Ref. 3970EP. Sold March
17th, 2004. Very fine and important, water-resistant, platinum wristwatch
with round button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases,
leap year and 24-hour indication
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 144,000
Lot 298
Ref. 5250G, Limited Edition Annual Calendar with Silicon Escape Wheel
Patek Philippe, Genève, “Patek Philippe Advanced Research– Silicon
Escape Wheel,” Ref. 5250G. Made in a limited edition of 100 pieces in
2005, sold on October 30th, 2006. Very fine, rare and innovative, center
seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K white gold wristwatch with
annual calendar, power-reserve indication, moon phases and silicon escape
wheel.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 138,000
Lot 299
Pink Gold Ref. 5970 Patek Philippe, Genève, Ref. 5970R. Made in 2006,
sold June 7th, 2007. Very fine, astronomic, water-resistant, 18K pink gold
wristwatch with square button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar,
moon phases and tachometer.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 132,000
Lot 69
Platinum Master Minute Repeater Jaeger-LeCoultre, "Master Minute
Repeater Antoine LeCoultre," Ref. 151.6.67.S. Made in a limited
edition of 200 pieces in 2006, sold December 28th, 2007. Very fine and
rare, oversized, minute-repeating, water-resistant, platinum wristwatch
with 15-day power reserve and spring torque indication.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 126,000
Double-Red Tropical Dial Retailed by Cartier Sea-Dweller Submariner Mark II Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual Date, Sea- Dweller, Submariner 2000, 2000 ft./610 m., Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified," Ref. 1665. Made in 1967. Fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with double red Sea-Dweller logo, helium escape valve and date.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 91,200
Lot 386
Ref. 6239 Stainless Steel “Paul Newman” Rolex,
“Oyster Cosmograph Daytona” Ref. 6239. Made circa 1962. Very fine and
rare, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with round button
chronograph, registers, tachometer and steel bezel.
Sold including buyer's premium: $ 84,000
Next Antiquorum Auction -
2009:
Hong-Kong: Saturday, June 27
An impressive 49 of the 81 watches sold publicly by major auction houses for over SFr. 1,000,000 were sold by Antiquorum. In 2002, Antiquorum set the all-time world record for a wristwatch at auction, selling a unique 1939 platinum Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 1415 for US$ 4,026,524 (SFr. 6,603,500) - more than double the previous world record. Another record price for a modern watch was achieved in 2004, the unique white gold Calibre 89, also by Patek Philippe, was sold for SFr. 6,603,500 (US$ 5,002,652). Among the world records in 2005, the "Tour de l'Ile", at US$ 1,564,000 (SFr. 1,876,250), set a world record for a contemporary wristwatch and the "King Fouad I", at US$ 2,755,000 (SFr. 3,306,250), achieved the highest price ever paid for a Vacheron Constantin. Another record was achieved in 2009, when Gandhi's pocket watch, sandals, glasses, bowl and thali, sold for an astounding $2,096,000.
Online catalogue - Auction catalogues will be posted online at www.antiquorum.com approximately two weeks prior to the sale. New and returning clients may register for online bidding at that time. After receiving a paddle and a pin number, clients have the option of placing absentee bids directly on the site, or bidding interactively on auction day. For those collectors, who are simply interested in following the auction as it progresses, a live internet broadcast will take place on the same site, for which no registration is required. Sale results for the traditional auction will be posted online after the sale.