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Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is Proud to Announce the Guido Mondani Collection
Over 40 Watches from the Italian Scholar’s Personal Collection will be Offered During the Upcoming Geneva Watch Auction: XIX on 11 & 12 May 2024
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6269 in 18k yellow gold, 1985 Estimate: CHF 600,000 - 1,200,000
GENEVA – 5 FEBRUARY 2024 – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is delighted to share that the esteemed Italian watch collector and publisher, Guido Mondani, has consigned over 40 wristwatches from his private collection as part of The Geneva Watch Auction: XIX Featuring The Guido Mondani Collection, set to take place on 11 and 12 May 2024.
Guido Mondani, a pioneering collector and prominent industry voice for nearly four decades, established a publishing house dedicated to sharing his horological scholarship in 1992. His commitment to showcasing expertise has solidified his position as a key tastemaker in the realm of vintage Rolex.
Having previously auctioned a portion of his vintage Rolex collection in 2006, which resulted in memorable results including the two most expensive Rolex wristwatches ever sold at the time, Mondani now returns to the Geneva auction stage at Phillips this May. This event marks the culmination of a collecting career spanning almost four decades, highlighting his enduring passion and contribution to the world of timepieces.
The 2024 Mondani Collection Guido Mondani is a watch collector with few peers. His comprehensive books and guides have captured the attention and nurtured the enthusiasm of generations of watch lovers. Mondani is an elder stateman of the international collecting circuit, especially within his home country of Italy, where he’s well-known for providing advice and sharing his knowledge with anyone who asks.
Mondani will open the doors of his private collection once more during The Geneva Watch Auction: XIX Featuring The Guido Mondani Collection. The collection consists of over 40 wristwatches acquired by the Italian luminary throughout his life, including the very first watch he ever bought for himself, a Cartier, as well as a broad range of timepieces from Eberhard, Longines, Patek Philippe, and Rolex. Some of these watches are pieces that he or his family couldn’t bear to part with during the 2006 auction, while others joined his collection in more recent years as the result of his insatiable horological interest.
Highlights include the 1985 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6269 in 18k yellow gold (estimate: CHF 600,000 - 1,200,000) that he bought as a birthday gift for his wife while on vacation, and the pair of contemporary Rolex sport watches he acquired to commemorate the birth of his grandchildren. Mondani bought his 1955 18k pink gold Rolex Chronograph Ref. 6036 ‘Jean-Claude Killy’ (estimate: CHF 400,000 - 800,000) after a friend shared it with him seeking advice. Meanwhile, his 1938 Eberhard Rattrapante Chronograph in 18k yellow gold arrived in 1988, after Mondani purchased it off the wrist of an elderly Eberhard & Co. salesperson on their last day of work.
Now 79 years old, Mondani has decided to part with these wristwatches as a way of celebrating his past and to encourage the next generation to build their own personal collections.
Guido Mondani, collector and founder, Guido Mondani Editore, said, “I have chosen to sell the remaining part of my collection to relive the emotions of the first Mondani auction in 2006, which undoubtedly left a mark in the history of thematic watch auctions. I now feel prepared to part with the watches that I felt were too special to sell 18 years ago. This occasion is further confirmation that my continuous search for, and acquisition of, quality timepieces has brought me great satisfaction. I am excited at the prospect of seeing the watches that have marked important moments in my life go into the hands of significant collectors from around the world.”
The entire collection will go on display at Phillips’ gallery in Milan on 20 March 2024, in the presence of Guido Mondani and his entire family, who will be delighted to greet friends and collectors.
About Guido Mondani Guido Mondani was born October 29, 1945, in Genoa, Italy. He never wore watches while growing up, eventually purchasing a Cartier for daily wear in the 1970s. His watch collection began in earnest in 1986, after he received a Rolex with a moon-phase as a birthday gift from his wife, Franca.
From the start, Mondani has epitomized a thoughtful approach to collecting. He dedicated himself to acquiring as much knowledge as he could before making any purchases, and then taking as long as needed to find the best example of a watch possible. He never bought a watch for his collection that he wasn’t 100 percent sure was the best example he could find; he never compromised on his interest in quality over volume.
Mondani published his first book on watches, "Collecting Rolex Wristwatches," in 1992. He’s since sold more than 100,000 copies of books published under his family’s label, “Guido Mondani Editore.” His publishing library consists primarily of dedicated works under a specific theme, such as on various Rolex and Patek Philippe timepieces, or on a topic like steel chronographs.
The first auction of Mondani’s collection, in 2006, is considered a game-changing moment in the world of both vintage Rolex and of watch collecting as a whole. The white-glove sale consisted of exactly 309 Rolex wristwatches, totaling CHF 11,037,278, including numerous world records. The results of the top two lots, a Rolex ref. 4113 split-seconds chronograph and a black-dial Rolex ref. 6062 “Stelline,” were the two most expensive Rolex wristwatches ever sold at the time.
Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo, Senior Consultants at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, jointly said, “Who in the field of vintage watches, and particularly Rolex, can sincerely say that they have never heard of Guido Mondani? Guido has been at the forefront of watch collecting for nearly four decades, and the historic Guido Mondani single-owner auction in 2006, as well as the many books he and his family have published, are known to the worldwide community of watch collectors. His name is associated with knowledge, experience, and a great sense of family – not only his own family but also his role in the global family of watch collecting. After having known Guido for nearly 30 years and calling him a friend, we are honored to have been chosen to write this second chapter together and to bring some over 40 highly collectable watches from his personal collection to the market this coming spring season at Phillips in Geneva.”
Exhibition Details
Doha Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2024 Select highlights from the Mondani Collection on display. 5 – 11 February 2024
Milan Complete Mondani Collection on display. 20 March 2024
New York Select highlights from the Mondani Collection on display. 3 – 5 April 2024
London Select highlights from the Mondani Collection on display. 19 – 21 April 2024
Geneva Complete Mondani Collection on display, during The Geneva Watch Auction: XIX preview. 8 – 12 May 2024
Additional tour dates in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai to be confirmed.
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.
Record-breaking prices include:
1. Paul Newman’s Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona reference 6239 (CHF 17,709,894 / US$17,752,500) – New York Auction: Winning Icons – 26 October 2017 – Highest result ever achieved for any vintage wristwatch at auction.
2. Patek Philippe reference 1518 in stainless steel (CHF 11,020,000 / US$11,112,020) – Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR – 12 November 2016 – Highest result ever achieved for a vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch at auction.
ABOUT PHILLIPS Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning. Visit phillips.com for further information.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.
PRESS CONTACTS: GENEVA – Asta Ponzo, PR Consultant aponzo@phillips.com LONDON – Katie Carder, Head of Press and Corporate Communications, Europe kcarder@phillips.com NEW YORK – Jaime Israni, Head of PR and Corporate Communications, Americas jisrani@phillips.com NEW YORK – Paul Lerner, Consultant plerner@optimistconsulting.com HONG KONG – Ingrid Hsu, Public Relations & Communications Director, Asia ingridhsu@phillips.com
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