Update: Patek Philippe’s Henry Graves Watch Sells for $24 Million at Sotheby’s
The world’s most expensive watch ever sold at auction retained that lofty title at a Sotheby's auction on November 11, which coincided with the 175th anniversary celebration of its maker, Patek Philippe. The so-called Henry Graves Supercomplication, a pocketwatch made by Patek Philippe in 1933, is the most famous watch in the world and has the distinction of being the most complicated watch ever made completely by human hands. Its reappearance on the auction block, 15 years after it became the most expensive watch ever sold at auction, came in the same year that Patek Philippe commemorates 175 years of making watches. Estimated at more than 15 million Swiss francs (about $15.5 million), the watch sold for $23,983,140 to an anonymous buyer at Sotheby’s Geneva sale of Important Watches.?Discussing the sale of the Henry Graves Supercomplication prior to the auction, Tim Bourne, Sotheby's worldwide head of watches, and Daryn Schnipper, chairman of Sotheby's watch division,

Richemont Results for Year Ending March 31, 2009
Swiss luxury goods group Richemont has announced its audited results for the year ending March 31, 2009. Overall group sales increased 2 percent, however good growth in the first six months was largely offset by lower sales in the second half of the year. For the group as a whole, operating profit declined 12%. Richemont’s specialist watchmakers saw sales increase 4% over the prior year, from �1,378,000,000 to �1,437,000,000. Sales of IWC, Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre were particularly strong. All of Richemont’s long-held Maisons were profitable. However, the group incurred charges relating to the purchase of Roger Dubuis and the cost of a second SIHH in the same fiscal year. Operating results for the specialist watchmakers were �287 million versus �374 million for the prior year, reflecting a decline of 23%. The new joint venture with Polo Ralph Lauren had no impact on sales.Richemont’s specialist watchmakers include IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCou

My First Grail Watch: Fiona Kr��ger
Welcome back to an original watches-dealer feature, "My First Grail Watch." In this series, we ask prominent people in the watch industry about the first timepiece that they lusted after. Today, we're speaking with Fiona?Kr��ger, one of the newer independent watch designers to have caught our eye with her creations. ?She tells us about her First Grail Watch, which is the oldest Grail Watch we've featured.watches-dealer (ABTW): ?Who are you, and what is your relationship to the watch industry?Fiona Kr��ger (FK): ?My name is Fiona Kr��ger, and I am a young independent Scottish watch designer and producer working in Switzerland. I design and produce my own "Swiss Made" timepieces as well as collaborating with brands looking for a more emotional and unique take on watch design. I'm best known for my skull watches, which are produced in limited series.ABTW: ?When did your fascination with watches start?FK: ?When I came to Switzerland to do my Masters. One of the sponsors of the course at that

Nice catch - such a clean look!!
Finally, I am now the proud owner of one the masterpieces of horological masturbation, an (almost) impossible-to-find white dial 15300.I have owned and reviewed many watches over the years but the Genta-designed references I really love so ending my search on such a high note with an almost like new piece makes it all the sweeter.Not much else to say about this classic, a few dirty mobile snaps below.

So I was at Sam��s Club the other day...
I was in the jewelry section, just looking around. I happened to be standing close to the watch section when I heard, Mom, is that a Rolex? It sounded like a young voice, so I turned around to find a boy who looked to be about 4 years old, pointing towards the group of Invicta watches. The mother replied what? and continued walking as did the young boy.I was kind of blown away by this experience. How does such a young little boy know about Rolex? Maybe someone in his family owns one? Maybe he sees the advertisements on the road? Mom sure didn't seem to care about his question or about the watches.What do you all think?Has anyone experienced something similar before?