CREATION OF STRATEGIC AND EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH BACS & RUSSO
INAUGURAL SALE OF WATCHES TO TAKE PLACE IN MAY 2015 IN GENEVA
SPRING 2015 AUCTIONS IN GENEVA: SATURDAY 9 MAY 7PM AND SUNDAY 10 MAY 7PM
LONDON – 6 NOVEMBER 2014 – Phillips is pleased to announce the creation of a Watch Department dedicated exclusively to the vast world of Fine Collectors Watches. The department, based in Geneva, will partner with the firm of Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo. Bacs & Russo, specialising in Fine Collectors Watches, has been established in response to the ever-increasing need for collectors around the world to easily access scholarship, guidance and quality across the board.
The Phillips Watch Department is pleased to bring together many prominent figures from the watch industry, including Nathalie Monbaron in Geneva, who will be supported by Virginie Liatard. Further, Phillips is proud to announce the appointment of Paul Boutros as its strategy consultant and its main representative in Phillips New York office.
In Spring 2015, Phillips will roll out its international Watch auction calendar with two inaugural evening sales taking place in Geneva in May. The first of the two auctions will be a high profile various owners evening sale dedicated to the finest collectors’ pieces, spanning two centuries of watchmaking of unique quality, rarity and condition. The accompanying sale will be dedicated to one of the world’s most famous wristwatches: the Rolex Day-Date, also known as the President’s Watch. Phillips is honoured to partner with one of the most eminent scholars in the world of Rolex collector’s watches, Pucci Papaleo, who will publish in spring 2015 a tome dedicated exclusively to the Rolex Day-Date. The inaugural watch auctions will take place in Geneva on Saturday, 9 May at 7PM and Sunday, 10 May at 7PM.
In the following seasons, the department plans to expand its sales calendar around the world, organising sales in flagship premises in London, New York and soon in Hong Kong. The newly created team of specialists will respond to the ever-increasing demand for the highest quality pieces and the rarest models in the most scholarly and passionate way.
Integral to the department will be a brokerage specialising in the highest level of private sales, assisting collectors around the globe outside of the auction season when looking to find Fine Collectors Watches or when seeking valuations of unique pieces or larger collections. This brokerage will be having its headquarters in Geneva.
Under the guidance of Aurel Bacs, the Phillips Watch Department aims to lead the market thanks to its team of specialists’ second-to-none outreach within the collecting community and its uncompromising approach to quality.
On behalf of Bacs & Russo, Aurel Bacs says: “We are immensely excited to be asked to partner with Phillips as their consultants and to work with a department built from scratch. It is a privilege and a dream come true to realize a concept that Livia and I believe should be the answer to today’s ever increasing market, composed of savvy and passionate collectors. It is a pleasure to be united with many distinguished specialists from the industry that Phillips has brought together for this new department.”
Edward Dolman, Chairman and CEO of Phillips says: “I am delighted to be working once again with Aurel Bacs who has established himself as the market leading expert in this field over the last decade”.
THE WATCH DEPARTMENT
Aurel Bacs
Senior Consultant
With 20 years of professional experience in the field of Collectors' Watches, Aurel Bacs is an internationally recognized leading specialist in the watch market. As an auctioneer and watch specialist, Mr. Bacs has worked at various auction houses since 1995, most recently as the Head of the International Watch department at Christie’s. During his tenure, he oversaw an unprecedented growth for the firm, raising the department's annual turnover from US $8 million to over US $130 million. Today, Mr. Bacs is an independent advisor to private collectors, manufacturers and museums in the field of high-end collectors’ watches and co-founder of Bacs & Russo SA. In this capacity, he is partnering with Phillips as exclusive consultant for their newly created watch department.
Livia Russo
Senior Consultant
Italian-born Livia Russo started her career in the art world in 1994 when she joined Christie’s in their Milano branch. Over the course of the next seven years, Livia gained a strong knowledge and passion for vintage watches and consequently moved to Geneva in 2001, holding various key positions at different international auction houses. In 2003 she joined the Christie's watch team where she was instrumental in the development of the department's strategies and acted as one of the key business getters until the end of 2013. Livia Russo is co-founder of Bacs & Russo SA, a Geneva based company specialising in brokering high-end Collectors’ Watches and offering various consultancy services to collectors and manufacturers.
Paul Boutros
International Strategy Advisor
pboutros@phillips.com
TEL +1 212 940 1293
MOB +1 732 666 3077
A passionate collector of vintage and modern wristwatches for nearly three decades, Paul previously held Design Engineering, Product Development, Program Management, and Strategic Marketing and Business Development leadership positions in advanced technology firms. Paul has hosted talks for luxury brands on the art of watch collecting and the link between the history of timekeeping to today’s modern watches. In 2005, he founded the Watch Enthusiasts of New York, or WENY Club. Paul Boutros is a timepiece strategy consultant to luxury brands through his firm, Boutros Group.
Nathalie Monbaron
Business Development Director
nmonbaron@phillips.com
MOB +41 79 959 73 69
Nathalie Monbaron has worked for 20 years in the Art and Luxury Industries and for the last decade at Christie's Watch Department. Most recently Nathalie was Business Development Director, a position she held for four years. Her invaluable involvement and contribution to the growth of the department has enabled Nathalie to acquire a particularly deep knowledge of the auction world and specifically the high-end collector's watch market. She is Historienne de l'Art and holds a Doctorat es Lettres from the University of Geneva.
Virginie Liatard-Roessli
Department Manager
vliatard@phillips.com
MOB +41 76 338 9103
Virginie Liatard-Roessli joins Phillips as Department Manager based in Geneva. Virginie worked in Human Resources for 15 years following her studies in visual arts. After seven years working at a Swiss Watch Manufacturer and subsequently at Christie’s for two years, Virginie has developed a passion for watches and complicated mechanisms.
The Phillips Watches Department is furthermore pleased to announce our dedicated social media accounts. We invite members of the press, collectors, and enthusiasts to follow us on our @PhillipsWatches accounts on the following platforms:
Twitter: Twitter.com/phillipswatches
Instagram: Instagram.com/phillipswatches
Facebook: Facebook.com/phillipswatches
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/phillipswatches
PHILLIPS:
As the only international auction house to concentrate exclusively on contemporary culture, Phillips has established a commanding position in the sale of Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions and Jewelry. Through the passionate dedication of its team of global specialists, the company has garnered an unparalleled wealth of knowledge of emerging market trends. Founded in London in 1796, Phillips conducts auctions in New York and London and has representative offices throughout Europe and in the United States. For more information, please visit: phillips.com.
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Contacts:
LONDON
Alex Godwin-Brown
Communications and Marketing Manager
agodwin-brown@phillips.com
+ 44 20 7318 4036
NEW YORK
Trish Walsh
Marketing Manager, New York
twalsh@phillips.com
+1 212 940 1224
HEADQUARTERS
30 Berkeley Square
London W1J 6EX
+44 20 7318 4010
450 Park Avenue
New York NY 10022
+1 212 940 1200
LONDON
Alex Godwin-Brown
Communications and Marketing Manager
agodwin-brown@phillips.com
+ 44 20 7318 4036
NEW YORK
Trish Walsh
Marketing Manager, New York
twalsh@phillips.com
+1 212 940 1224
HEADQUARTERS
30 Berkeley Square
London W1J 6EX
+44 20 7318 4010
450 Park Avenue
New York NY 10022
+1 212 940 1200