This is the most exciting watch auction announcement in a long time. Christie’s has recently revealed that they will host Part 1 of the truly one-of-a-kind The OAK Collection auction starting 26 November 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The OAK is a legendary watch collection consisting of more than 500 jaw dropping timepieces curated and owned by French businessman Patrick Getreide that Oracle Time readers are likely familiar with.
Last year it became the first ever private collection to be displayed at a major art museum at London’s Design Museum. We also interviewed Mr Patrick Getreide on how he curated this impressive collection. In some ways it will be sad to see the collection split up and sold since we’re so familiar with it. On the other hand, this is the best opportunity to procure some of the rarest and most exciting watches since the pandemic and likely well before then too. Here’s a taste of some of the lots being sold (all estimates converted to GBP at time of writing).
Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5516, Est. £675,000 – £1,350,000
It’s somewhat redundant to say that the Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5516 is something special because every watch here could be described that way. It’s one of only nine that were ever produced and of those, only six have popped up on the market. Then, of those six, it’s the one in best condition. It’s features a gold case and the dial sports hours, minutes, leap year, moonphase, days, date and months. In fact, of those complications the most significant is the leap year indicator because the Ref. 5516 is the first wristwatch perpetual calendar to ever feature one, adding to the historic importance of the model. A gorgeous piece of classical watchmaking.
Akrivia AK-06 Unique Piece, Est. £340,000 – £670,000
This Akrivia AK-06 with custom blue dial commissioned specifically for Mr Getreide is one of the most recent additions to the OAK Collection, being produced circa 2022. The AK-06 is a landmark watch in and of itself, as it was the brand’s first non-tourbillon, time-only piece with an extremely beautiful skeletonised dial. The rich blue colour really brings out a depth to the piece contrasting to the warm tone of the golden elements.
Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Chronograph Ref. 1436, Est. £415,000 – £835,000
Patek Philippes are a signature of the OAK Collection, which is no surprise because the owner of the collection is personal friends with Thierry Stern, the president of Patek Phillipe. As such, watches as incredible as this Ref. 1436 with this rare dial configuration are not uncommon within the collection. Specifically, it’s one of the only known references of its type with the yellow gold case and black dial marking it out as special. If you want the maths on that, only around 140 Ref. 1436s were produced from 1938-1971, 59 examples of which were yellow gold. How many of those 59 had black dials? Less than 6.
Breguet Type XX, Est. £250,000 – £500,000
This Breguet Type XX dates back to at least 1959, as indicated by the inscription on the back, which reads “Esso J.B. Champion Du Monde 1959”. It’s a dedication to Jack Brabham, the former F1 champion who owned the watch before it became part of the OAK collection. That providence makes it special in its own right but also the ability to accurately date it shows that it’s one of the earliest Type XX watches Breguet produced. The Type XX is a miliary style pilot’s watch chronograph with a dual time bezel making it the ultimate pilot’s companion.
Voutilainen Only Watch GMT-6, Est. £165,000 – £335,000
When it comes to one-of-a-kind watches, some of the best known are those connected to Only Watch, the charity watch auction that sees global watchmakers create unique pieces every few years. That’s what this Voutilainen GMT-6 dual time was originally created for in 2015. It has a gorgeous guilloché dial with several different patterns present across the dial including waves, hobnail and day/night stripes. On the inside, it features a rare balance spring with a Breguet overcoil and Grossmann inner terminal.
More details at Christie’s.
