Culture / Auctions

A Rare Wristwatch Omega Tourbillon Auctioned off at Record $1.4 Million

History-changing for Omega Tourbillon as the wristwatch made in 1947 was sold for $1.4 Million at auction

Nov 17, 2017 | By Andrea Sim

Image courtesy of Phillips Watches

Back for their sixth watch auction, leading Watch Auction House, Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo sold a rare Omega Tourbillon at record CHF 1,428,500 (USD 1,433,330).

The recent Geneva Watch Auction is a platform which connects dedicated watch collectors to the most brilliant and iconic timepieces ever made in the last century.

USD 1.4 million was the world-record price paid for an Omega watch to-date after a lengthy bidding war of almost 19 minutes, whilst other buyers continued to bid against each other for the pre-owned watches at auction.

Featuring a Guillaume balance on the 37.5 mm stainless steel watch, Omega is powered by its Manual Calibre “30 I”, has a “signed dial and buckle and is accompanied by an extract from the OMEGA Archives, confirming the model’s production date of 1947”, according to Omega in the press release. “The watch is the only known period-completed Tourbillon “30 I” wristwatch-cased OMEGA in existence.”

Today, this unique Omega model, which has been undiscovered for decades, finally found its way to a new owner. It was directly manufactured in 1947 but was not part of the 12 movements known so far, and Omega mentioned that “a fact that clearly underlines the importance of its discovery for the history of watchmaking and the brand.”


 
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