Christie's Rare Watches Auction Features Sculptural Rolex, Patek, and Cartier Timepieces

In May, Christie's Rare Watches auction in Geneva will showcase a carefully selected array of sculptural timepieces from the 1960s and '70s, an era marked by significant advancements in watchmaking. Among the standout items is a 1990 Cartier Crash featuring the desirable 'Cartier London' inscription, anticipated to sell for between $630,000 and $1,300,000. This asymmetrical design, created by Jean-Jacques Cartier and Rupert Emmerson, first appeared in 1967 to attract fashionable Londoners. Another highlight is a 1961 Patek Philippe Pépites avec perles bracelet watch (Ref. 3295) by Gilbert Albert, with an estimate of $26,000–$50,000; only two exist, with one in the Patek Philippe Museum. The auction also includes a 1970 Rolex King Midas Ref. 9630, designed by Gerald Genta, valued at $26,000–$50,000. The event will occur on May 11–12 at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, with a preview from May 8–10.