Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is thrilled to welcome you to The Hong Kong Sessions, Fall 2023, online auction, running from 12:00 PM CET, Friday, September 8, to 2:00 PM CET, Friday, September 15. Featuring more than 130 different high-end luxury wristwatches, the sale covers everything from A. Lange & Söhne and F.P. Journe to Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. It even includes a few of the watches listed in this story (lot 8068, lot 8080, lot 8112, and lot 8119).
– Logan Baker
Unlike many other specialized fields of interest, the concept of a "watch media" is a fairly young one. Sure, there have always been publications like National Jeweler and Europa Star to report on the watch trade as a whole, but the idea of voice-driven editorial and other content surrounding the specific hobby of watch enthusiasm is still in its adolescence.
The building blocks of today's most popular watch websites can be traced back to the early days of the internet in the mid- and late-1990s, when forums like TimeZone and ThePurists were the most prominent arena for one to share scholarship and watch-collecting war stories. Writers like Walt Odets and Carlos Perez were busy on those sites pioneering the discipline of the long-form technical watch review. A small number of the most prolific posters on those forums ended up becoming the founders of many of the blogs we know today, helping shape internet watch culture for the next generation.
The reason for that short history lesson is a simple reminder that as young as the watch media is, the idea of a prestigous European luxury watch brand being open to the idea of collaborating with writers and enthusiasts on limited-production wristwatches is even younger. Outside of special-order and custom pieces for top clients and/or retailers, I believe the earliest examples of brands working directly with enthusiasts in this way would be when ThePurists were able to convince a few assorted brands to create custom watches for the forum's 10-year anniversary.
I'm sure there is an earlier history of watch companies working with specific collector groups, but for all intents and purposes, the "collaboration" concept between watch media and watch brands didn't start to take shape until the mid-2010s, when the popular New York-based watch website and retailer (and my former employer) Hodinkee introduced the first few watches in its now-famous "Limited Edition" series.
As each Hodinkee releases sold out quicker and quicker, the rest of the small world of the international watch media began to take notice. It didn't take too long, then, for more websites and brands to take part in the trend, and today, there has easily been hundreds of different projects between countless brands and all the main players in the watch media landscape.
We happen to have a few of what I consider to be the very best examples of the synergistic trend in our current Hong Kong Sessions, Fall 2023, online auction, which inspired me to put together this brief list of five of my favorite collaborations to come from five different companies outlets and brands.
The Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes De Vache 1955 Limited Edition For HODINKEE
Year: 2017
Limited: 36 pieces
Original Price: $55,000
The Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes De Vache 1955 Limited Edition wasn't Hodinkee's first partnership. The company had already found success working with MB&F, Zenith, and Nomos Glashütte before the Vacheron team-up was announced in 2017, but I believe it was the success of the latter watch that ended up really envigorating the whole "limited edition" concept outside the normal online-focused circles.
The fact that a member of The Holy Trinity of Swiss watchmaking – plus, the only one of the three owned by a major conglomerate – agreed to work with an U.S.-based website dedicated to watch collectors and enthusiasts sent clear shock waves throughout our conservative industry. Oh, and the fact that all 36 watches – priced at more than USD $50,000 – sold out in minutes?
I'm sure a lot of Swiss executives went to bed that night questioning their entire product strategy.
Sure enough, Hodinkee's stainless-steel Cornes de Vache was perhaps the first blockbuster in Hodinkee's now long-running series of limited-edition hits. It's led to them working with brands all over the watchmaking spectrum and beyond, including everything from special-edition Swatch and Flik-Flak watches to Leica cameras as well as a series of three different, highly exclusive releases with independent watchmaker Laurent Ferrier.
You can learn more about the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 Limited Edition for Hodinkee here.
Hodinkee Honorable Mentions: TAG Heuer Limited Edition Carrera Skipper for HODINKEE (2017), Hublot Classic Fusion Titanium Limited Edition for HODINKEE (2023), Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Limited Edition for HODINKEE (2019), Laurent Ferrier Military Limited Edition for HODINKEE (check the seventh image), Oris Divers Sixty-Five Caliber 400 Limited Edition for HODINKEE (2021), Hermès Slim d'Hermès GMT for HODINKEE
The Zenith × SJX Chronomaster Revival 'Poker Chip' Limited Edition
Year: 2021
Limited: 200 pieces
Original Price: USD $10,000
Singapore-based SJX Watches has arguably become the watch world's leading website for in-depth industry analysis and technical watch reviews, typically covering a very specific slice of the industry focused on high-end luxury watchmaking and the realm of independent watchmakers. SJX has never been hesitant to call out inadequacies in product or brand strategy, either. It's a refreshing fact-based perspective, with a greyscale web design that almost appears to mimic the simplicity of the '90s internet watch forums.
SJX has only experimented with watch collaborations on a few occasions, with the majority taking place during the website's 2021 decennial. Alongside working with independents like Habring² and Kudoke, he also partnered with Zenith on a watch that I haven't been able to get out of my head since its release.
The Zenith × SJX Chronomaster Revival "Poker Chip" is a revival and reinterpretation of a wonderful deep cut from Zenith's historic catalog: the El Primero ref. G383. However, it was no paint-by-numbers project. SJX worked closely with the Zenith design team to develop a new take on the G383 that was fit for modern life, featuring ample use of lume (even on the strap!) and a 38mm micro-blasted titanium case.
It's a watch I genuinely wish I had pounced on when it was released
You can learn more about the Zenith × SJX Chronomaster Revival "Poker Chip" here, and you can bid on one of the original 200 watches in our ongoing Hong Kong online auction right here.
Honorable SJX Mentions: Habring² × SJX Erwin "Star" Limited Edition (2021), Kudoke 2 × SJX “Zodiac” Limited Edition (2021)
The Monochrome Montre de Souscription 1 (Featuring Habring²)
Year: 2021
Limited: 33 pieces
Original Price: EUR 5,950
Based out of The Netherlands, Monochrome Watches is another excellent resource for watch news whose coverage also tends to lean toward the high-end spectrum. That was one of the reasons it was so exciting to see their team work with Habring² on their first collaborative watch in 2021.
Limited to just 33 pieces, this salmon-hued monopusher chronograph had an impressively accessible price tag of EUR 5,950 when it was released, a testament to the passion put into the project by the Monochrome and Habring² teams.
Arguably my favorite development from this release, however, happened earlier this year.
Monochrome and Habring² reunited to create a piece unique split-seconds version of the original watch that was auctioned off during The Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XVII, for CHF 31,750, with all proceeds going toward the Save the Children charity.
You can learn more about the Monochrome Montre de Souscription 1 Habring² Monopusher Chronograph here, and you can bid on one of the original 33 watches in our ongoing Hong Kong online auction right here.
Honorable Monochrome Mentions: The Monochrome Montre de Souscription 2 × Czapek Antarctique "Monochrome White" (2021), The Monochrome Montre de Souscription 3 × Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force "Maillechort" (2023)
The Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Revolution & The Rake Limited Edition
Year: 2021
Limited: 12 pieces
Original Price: USD $36,000
Out of all the watch media outlets in the world, I'm quite confident that Revolution is the most prolific when it comes to collaborations. It feels like hardly a week goes by without news of a new, often-very-cool watch being released by the international title.
Founder Wei Koh even developed a separate personal platform last year called Grail Watch that contains even more of his collaborative work with watch brands.
While I'm a fan of many of Revolution's projects (check the Honorable Mentions section below), one watch I keep going back to is this Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin that was released in 2021. It features a beautiful gilt sector dial with a sunburst finish that absolutely sings when it's exposed to daylight. The Breguet-style numerals and 40mm rounded case are the cherry on top.
Interestingly, Laurent Ferrier is a watchmaker that has also been rather prolific when it comes to collaborating with unconventional enthusiast groups. The Swiss independent has teamed up with both Hodinkee and Revolution on multiple projects, not to mention Phillips' own numerous collaborations with him.
You can learn more about the Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Revolution & The Rake Limited Edition here.
Honorable Revolution Mentions: Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying T, Special Revolution (2021), Zenith Chronomaster Revival A3818 “Cover Girl” x Revolution & The Rake (2020), Moritz Grossmann Benu 37 Steel with Grand Feu Enamel Dial for Revolution & The Rake (2020), Sinn × The Rake & Revolution 155 Bundeswehr “Dark Star” (2019), Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor “Serenissima” x Revolution & The Rake (2022), Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(s) (2023), Rado Captain Cook “Ghost Captain” × The Rake & Revolution (2018)
The Worn & Wound × Baltic HMS
Year: 2020
Limited: 100 pieces
Original Price: $399
The final watch on this list comes from our friends at Worn & Wound, the Brooklyn-based website and retailer dedicated to spotlighting the best in value-driven watchmaking and beyond. In addition to its leading editorial platform, Worn & Wound also operates an e-commerce platform called the WindUp Watch Shop, where it serves as an Authoritzed Dealer for more than 25 brands, and a traveling series of exhibitions, called the WindUp Watch Fair.
Of course, they also develop and release a number of limited-edition collaboration watches throughout each year. My favorite is a watch that was introduced shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the entire world into quarantining and working at home.
It's a time-only, three-handed Baltic with a fantastic textured salmon dial.
Worn & Wound released a chronograph alongside the three-hander, but the choice to opt for simplicity in that chaotic period was an easy one for me. It's the only watch on this list that I'm fortunate enough to own myself; I was able to secure one of the 100 examples when it was first released in spring 2020. I'm happy to confirm that: Despite a price tag less than USD $400, it's a watch that punches far, far above its expected weight class
You can learn more about the Baltic × Worn & Wound HMS here.
Honorable Worn & Wound Mentions: Zodiac × Worn & Wound Super Sea Wolf Limited Edition (2021), Seiko 5 Sports × Worn & Wound 10th Anniversary Limited Edition (2022), Brew × Worn & Wound Chrono Regulators (2023), anOrdain Model 1 Precious Metal Red Gold (2021), Nivada Grenchen × Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 (2022), Boldr × Windup Watch Shop Venture (2021)
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Hong Kong Sessions, Fall 2023, catalog here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.
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