This November, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will celebrate a decade of watch auctions with the Decade One (2015-2025) thematic sale at the Hôtel Président in Geneva. This landmark sale marks the successful first 10 years of the Phillips Watches department, reflecting on the remarkable watches, record-breaking results, and new scholarship that have shaped Phillips Watches since its inaugural auction in 2015.
The successful first 10 years of Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo represents a decade of shared effort, built on the contributions of many people and organizations. While we cannot list every individual, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who made these first ten years possible.
To begin, we would like to thank the individuals who have shaped Phillips Watches from within. Past and present employees alike have given their time, expertise, and passion to every stage of our work. Some have been with us since the department's earliest days, while others joined more recently; all have contributed to the department's growth and spirit. Their collective efforts in cataloguing, research, scholarship, client service, marketing, logistics, photography, accounting, and countless other areas form the foundation on which this department rests.
We also extend our appreciation to the countless watch brands and manufacturers – large and small – who have supported us in ways both visible and unseen. Whether by opening archives, assisting with scholarship, lending expertise in technical matters, or participating in events and promotional efforts, their willingness to share knowledge and history has been essential to presenting watches with the care and accuracy they deserve. Their willingness to collaborate has strengthened our work and broadened our understanding of watchmaking.
The press, too, has played a vital role. From specialist publications that track every nuance of watchmaking to mainstream outlets that have brought our world to a broader audience, the engagement and coverage we’ve received have been indispensable. Their reporting has amplified our efforts and introduced new audiences to the beauty of watches and the stories they carry.
We also wish to thank Phillips’ management and shareholders for their trust in creating a new department, their unwavering support, and their belief in our vision. Across the company, colleagues in Modern & Contemporary Art, Design, and Jewels have generously shared their experience, while internal teams in Bids, Legal, HR, Operations, Security, and Finance have provided the essential structure that allows our work to flourish. We are equally grateful to our Advisory Board members, whose knowledge, counsel, and commitment to scholarship have guided and enriched our efforts from the very start.
Above all, we are grateful to the clients and collectors who have trusted us from the very beginning. Their confidence, curiosity, and passion form the foundation of everything we do. From those who placed bids in our earliest sales to those who discovered us more recently, this community has given meaning to our efforts.
No single group carried this journey alone. It required the steady work of colleagues, the openness of brands, the attention of the press, and the engagement of collectors. Each watch that passed through our hands reflects not just our work, but the combined knowledge, commitment, and enthusiasm of many across the global watch world.
To everyone who has contributed – whether in ways that were visible to all or known only to a few – we extend our sincere and enduring thanks. Our achievements are a reflection of the trust, generosity, and passion of those who have accompanied us along the way.
To all of you, we offer our deepest thanks.
You can view the complete Phillips Decade One (2015-2025) auction catalogue here.