One would almost think, that with the ubiquity of smart phones and other devices with prominent digital displays of time, wristwatches would have become a thing of the past. Not so, it seems.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in demand for high-end watches – almost ironically give that with lockdowns, there was a sense of time standing still.
Noting that many people had more disposable income during Covid, โsome people saw it as a good time to make an investment in a watch,โ says Sophie Duff, jewellery valuer with Adams Blackrock, the Irish auction house that recently relocated to 17 Kildare Street, Dublin.
The auctioneerโs current jewellery timed online auction โ which ends on Thursday, July 17th from 7pm – has a few stand-out watches among the lots.
Perhaps the most prominent of the watches in Adams Blackrockโs forthcoming auction is the Patek Philippe โGolden Ellipseโ 18 carat yellow gold manโs watch, dated 1988 (โฌ7,500-โฌ8,500). โThis model allows Patek to flaunt its expertise in the field of watchmaking, particularly in the beautifully textured Milanese bracelet strap,โ explains Duff.
Patek Philippe is one of the worldโs most luxurious watchmakers. The Geneva-based company has an on-site museum which chronicles the 500-year history of watchmaking. It includes exhibits of 2,500 watches including a range of its own pocket and wristwatches since it began making watches in 1839. Incidentally, the Irish Museum of Time in Waterford city also has displays of Irish-made wristwatches and the best collection in the world of Irish-made pocket watches, from the 18th to 20th century.
Another interesting watch at the Adams Blackrock auction is the Chopard โHappy Sportโ stainless steel diamond-set ladyโs wristwatch (โฌ1,800-โฌ2,000).
โChopard are known for their iconic โHappy Diamondsโ, a design feature where loose diamonds appear to float within the piece,โ explains Duff. Adams Blackrock, which was recently acquired by Belfast-based Rossโs auctioneers and valuers, offers dual-currency bidding, with buyers able to submit bids in euro or sterling. Items are also on view in both auction houses in advance of their monthly auctions.
Ken Israel, head of watches at Adamโs Fine Art Auctioneers, 26 St Stephenโs Green, Dublin, says there is a strong and consistent demand for vintage Patek Philippe watches.
โIn our latest sale [May, 2025], a beautiful Patek Philippe model no 3940 J achieved โฌ40,000, demonstrating the ongoing appetite for refined dress watches,โ says Israel.
He adds that Cartier watches are also in demand, particularly those designed from the 1930s to the 1970s. โThese early watches represent a golden age of design and craftsmanship, that is now being rediscovered and reappreciated,โ says Israel.
More specifically, he suggests that pre-1973 models, especially those cased by Edmond Jaeger and featuring Jaeger or early European Watch and Clock (EWC) company movements, are particularly sought after by collectors.
According to Israel, collectors are more educated now and digging deeper in the history of each brand. โThis is reviving interest in forgotten references that combine mechanical excellence with striking aesthetics,โ he explains. There will be watches in Adamโs next jewellery auction on September 9th.
Duff from Adams Blackrock agrees that customers โ male, female, old and young – know what model they are looking for. โWe get a lot of interest in Cartier watches too โ particularly models from the 1990s and 2000s that are no longer in production,โ she explains. Generally speaking, Duff says, customers are more interested in bracelet-style watches, rather than those with a leather strap.
Omega watches are also in demand. And although neither Ross nor Adams Blackrock have sold an Omega Seamaster โ famously worn by the James Bond characters since 1995 – she says customers do make reference to it quite a bit. Fans of 007 will no doubt be familiar with the product-placement of these luxurious watches, which superseded other high-end brands Rolex and Seiko, worn by previous James Bond characters in the decades before 1995.
OโReillyโs Fine Art Auctioneers on Francis Street, Dublin, notes two other strands of interest in watches outside the vintage and designer watch market. These are outdoor watches, such as the Tag Heuer models, which range from classic watches and racing-themed chronographs [watches which incorporate a stop watch function] to water-resistant sports models from brand such as Raymond Weil and Longines.
โPocket watches โ often offered with their accompanying gold chain made from 9 or 18 carat gold โ are de rigueur for gentlemen who wear three-piece suits,โ says Natasha Bernon from OโReillys. Its next auction, on July 23rd, features an early 20th century 18 carat (ct) gold pocket watch (โฌ1,200-โฌ1,800). The auction also includes a ladyโs Rolex Cellini cream face wristwatch with Roman numerals. It has an 18ct gold case, clasp and buckle on its black leather strap. (โฌ3,000-โฌ4,000).
โWith no VAT on pre-owned items, you can find iconic brands at a fraction of the retail cost and all our watches are carefully inspected by our specialists to ensure authenticity and quality,โ says Bernon.
adamsblackrock.com; ross.com; patek.com; adams.ie; oreillysfineart.com
What did it sell for?
Table of Contents
September Morning, Castle Archdale, Colin Middleton
Estimate โฌ1,200-โฌ1,500
Hammer price โฌ1,700
Auction house Whyteโs
St Peterโs Church in Drogheda, Thomas Ryan
Estimate โฌ300-โฌ500
Hammer price โฌ440
Auction house Whyteโs
Baked Beans Boy, Bono
Estimate โฌ300-โฌ500
Hammer price โฌ1,050
Auction house Whyteโs
Grevyโs Zebra, Andy Warhol
Estimate ยฃ70,000-ยฃ100,000
Hammer price ยฃ115,000 (โฌ135,000)
Auction house Bonhams