10 watch highlights from the S$3 billion money laundering auction - The Business Times
[SINGAPORE] The first luxury watch sale of the seized timepieces from the 2023 money laundering case is set to run online from Nov 9 to 29.
Organised by local auction house Hotlotz, the 53 watch lots include pieces from Patek Philippe, Rolex, Hublot, Van Cleef & Arpels, Hermes and other luxury brands.
One of Patek Philippe’s most coveted sports watches meets one of its most sophisticated complications. Introduced in 2018, this white-gold Nautilus features a blue dial and an ultra-thin perpetual calendar. Its S$125,000 reserve is substantially below the S$185,000 to S$250,000 estimate.
A miniature Parisian love story unfolds on this diamond-set rose-gold watch, where two lovers travel across a bridge to share a kiss at noon and midnight. Part of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetic Complications collection, it combines an animated mechanical movement with intricate decorative craftsmanship.
A striking green dial that darkens to black distinguishes this platinum Patek Philippe. Beneath it lies a manually wound perpetual calendar chronograph, one of the brand’s signature grand complications. A discreet diamond at six o’clock identifies the platinum case.
More high jewellery than conventional timepiece, this unusual Hermes bracelet conceals a quartz watch within an elaborate diamond-set white-gold design. According to Hotlotz watch valuer Ignatius Low, it has over 700 diamonds and is worth much more than its reserve price of S$25,000.
The result of five years in development, this platinum Patek Philippe combines a dual-time-zone display with a mechanical alarm that strikes a gong. Its intricate 574-component movement makes it one of the sale’s more technically remarkable watches. Bidding starts at S$60,000, against an estimate of S$90,000 to S$120,000.
Gothic architecture inspires this elaborate skeleton watch, whose sculpted movement bridges evoke the ribbed vaults of cathedrals. The manually wound movement, with its intricate open-working and hand-finishing, is displayed within an 18 karat white-gold case with a diamond-set bezel.
Numbered 29 of just 50 pieces worldwide, this Hublot features a transparent sapphire case that exposes its manually wound tourbillon movement. The S$50,000 reserve is below its S$75,000 to S$125,000 estimate.
Discontinued in 2020, the all-green “Hulk” is among the more recognisable modern Rolex Submariners. Its distinctive green sunburst dial and matching ceramic bezel help make it a longstanding collector favourite. It carries an accessible reserve price of S$12,000.
A miniature celestial spectacle plays out on this diamond-set white-gold watch, where a rotating disc depicts the passage from day to night through the sun, moon and stars. Part of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetic Complications collection, it brings together decorative artistry and mechanical ingenuity.
A classic Patek Philippe grand complication in yellow gold, this manually wound chronograph incorporates a perpetual calendar that accounts for leap years. Its traditional design contrasts with the more contemporary green-dial platinum example (see Lot 9) offered in the sale. The S$75,000 reserve is well below its pre-sale estimate.
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