Christie's May 27 sale of Important Watches features an array of highly collectible horological creations that promises to excite and inspire the most discerning collectors. Masterworks from every major manufacturer will be presented, together with historical and interesting pocket watches and clocks. In addition to top examples from the finest names, this sale will present a selection of watches from independent watch makers - very rare models first in Asia . These makers represent a new chapter in horology with their astounding technical breakthroughs and their high aesthetic appeal.

Grand selections from Blue-Chip names leading today's market:
Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin & more

Since its founding in 1844, PATEK PHILIPPE has been synonymous with the best in horological design and technology. Leading the selection from Patek Philippe in Christie's Hong Kong Spring sale is the Reference 5078P (illustrated left, estimate: HK$2-2.8 million/ US$260,000-360,000). This is only the second example of a reference 5078 to ever appear on the auction market to date, the first example having been sold at Christie's Geneva in November 2007. The successor of the legendary Reference 3979 which was in production from 1989 to 1998, the manufacture of the Ref. 5078 began in 2005 and it is available exclusively in platinum with white enamel dial or the new black lacquered dial.
With its superb acoustic quality, this connoisseur's timepiece stands out among the sale's carefully curated selection of strikeworks, a complication deemed to be the most lyrical in haute horlogerie.

An additional top example from Patek Philippe is the Reference 5350R, Spiromax (estimate: HK$350,000-450,000/US$46,000-58,000). Launched in 2006, the Reference 5350 is the second limited edition of the "Advanced Research" series from Patek Philippe and features a totally new type of balance spring made of Silinvar, a revolutionary material based on monocrystalline silicon that allows for the spring to be three times thinner than those crafted with conventional materials.

A further Patek highlight is the Reference 5004P (estimate:HK$1,600,000 - 2,000,000 / US$200,000 - 260,000). Launched in 1994, the reference 5004 split seconds chronograph remains to this day the most complicated model in Patek Philippe's stable of stopwatches. Its movement consists of no fewer than 407 hand-finished parts.

ROLEX connoisseurs will not be disappointed with the fine collection of sports models offered in this sale. Among the offerings is the Cosmograph Daytona "Paul Newman" reference 6263 and 6241 (estimate: HK$320,000-400,000/US$40,000-52,000 and HK$350,000 - 470,000 / US$45,000 - 61,000, respectively). The much soughtafter Submariner reference 5513 with military configurations (estimate: HK$300,000-500,000/US$39,000-65,000), as well as an extremely wellpreserved Explorer reference 6350 with original box, papers and sales bill from 1953 (estimate: HK$80,000-120,000/US$11,000-15,000) will also be among the most sought-after examples from Rolex this season.

From VACHERON CONSTANTIN comes the exquisite Malte Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater, a timeless classic with deep roots in traditional watchmaking in its design and mechanism (illustrated left, estimate: HK$1.1 - 1.6 million / US$142,000 - 200,000).

ULYSSE NARDIN is represented with the Circus Minute Repeater, a timepiece combining technology inspired by the automaton mechanism commonly found in pocket watches with unexpected theatrical creativity - a circus act 'performs' on the black onyx dial when the repeating slide is activated (illustrated left, estimate: HK$1 - 1.5 million / US$130,000 - 190,000).

Gifted Independent Watch Makers
Introduce a New Chapter in Haute Horology

This sale will also introduce ground-breaking works from today's most gifted independent watch makers - very rare models, a first for Asia . Representing a new chapter in horology, these timepieces express high visual velocity with astoundingly impressive technical breakthroughs.

URWERK 201 "Black Shark"
The superb and very innovative URWERK 201 is the result of three long years of research, experimentation, prototyping and testing by a five man team in Geneva (illustrated left, estimate: HK$1,000,000-1,800,000 / US$130,000 -230,000). Launched in 2007 with a mission to create "their own path in pushing the boundaries of haute horlogerie ever further," URWERK has developed a cult following of collectors devoted to the brand's extremely limited runs of one-of-a-kind complications that are ingenious and original.

Time on the UR-201 is displayed using telescopic minute hands operating through the middle of three orbiting and revolving hour satellites. The hands precisely adjust their length to follow the three vector minute scale. This precision micro-engineering is achieved by means of three "transporters," one end of which follows a cam plotting the path of the minute indication, the other controlling the precise length of the minute hand.

Additional features include a variety of gauges including the "Oil Change" gauge, indicates when the watch is due for a service, the "100 Year Plus" gauge which keeps track of the movement's operation and acts like a 'life timer,' and a fine tuning screw that allows the owner to easily and precisely regulate the timing of the watch by +/- 30 seconds per day. Production of the UR-201 ceased in 2008 and was replaced by the UR-202 featuring an innovative new winding system regulated by compressing air utilizing miniature turbines. The UR-201 was available in white gold, pink gold and platinum; ten examples, including the present watch, were made in PE-CVD platinum as a limited edition with the codename "Black Shark."

GREUBEL FORSEY Double Tourbillon 30º Vision
Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have been working together for nearly 20 years in a relationship founded on their shared technical creativity and quest for perfection. In 1999 they began working on a new generation of tourbillon specifically designed to improve the timekeeping of the mechanical watch. Four years later they unveiled Greubel Forsey and stunned horological aficionados with their innovative Double Tourbillon 30º, a timepiece clearly demonstrating their twin goals of innovation and excellence (estimate: HK$1,500,000 - 2,000,000 / US$200,000 - 260,000).

The Double Tourbillon 30º is a creation that undertook more than four years of research and development. It features a tourbillon within a tourbillon (dubbed the 'tourbillon of the third millennium' by its creators), in such a way that this new complication permanently compensates the rate of gravity-related errors in all positions, and as such, results in more precise time than a classic tourbillon regardless of position.