The Best of the Only Watch 2023 Charity Auction

Jeremy Freed July 4, 2023

With dozens of spectacular creations from the world’s leading watchmakers hitting the auction block, Only Watch is a charity auction like no other. Launched in 2005 to raise money for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Only Watch has since grown in size and renown, raising nearly 100 million Euros (150 million CAD) for research and becoming one of the biggest events in the watch world. This November, an unprecedented 62 watches will go up for auction by elite brands ranging from indies like F.P. Journe and Artya to major players like Tudor and TAG Heuer. Here are our picks of the most interesting and most outrageous of the bunch.

The prize for material ingenuity goes to this Swiss microbrand, which crafted a 600-facet case from moissanite, a rare mineral that’s almost as hard as diamond. (Est. CHF 40,000 – 50,000)

The runner-up for unexpected use of materials would certainly be Bulgari, which gave its Octo Finissimo a sleek new look for Only Watch watch with a case and bracelet made of DLC-treated titanium and covered with a sultry green layer of Verde di Alpi marble. (Est. CHF 150,000 – 250,000)

You don’t have to go all-out to make a big impact. That seems to have been the guiding philosophy behind this version of Chopard’s recently-announced L.U.C 1860, with a case made from the brand’s proprietary Lucent Steel and a beautiful pistachio dial. (Est. CHF 25,000 – 35,000)

The reigning champ of indie watchmakers did not disappoint with this creation, which features a case made of tantalum, an 18K rose gold movement, and a blue enamel dial that reveals its frosted numerals only in direct light. (Est. CHF 200,000 – 400,000)

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Ever wanted to wear a tiny planetarium on your wrist? This collab has got the goods, with the world’s smallest version of the celestial complication plus an in-house tourbillon movement. (Est. CHF 90,000 – 110,000)

This year’s Only Watch theme was “rainbow” and Hermès made use of the whole box of crayons for this colourful version of its titanium worldtimer – including a strap in Mykonos blue alligator leather with a cactus green lining. (Est. CHF 30,000 – 40,000)

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This may be the most audacious Murakami Hublot yet – and that says something. With 12 petals set with 444 gemstones surrounding a smiling central tourbillon, it marks a new level of creativity for the Japanese artist and the Swiss watch brand’s collaboration. It also comes with a one-of-one calligraphy piece, “Time of Rainbow”, by Takashi Murakami. (Est. CHF 350,000 – 400,000)

The Parisian fashion house continues to push the boundaries of automata with this creation dedicated to the world’s favourite mop-haired mathematician. A push on Einstein’s lock of hair causes the time to appear, and the scientist’s tongue go in and out. (Est. CHF 340,000 – 440,000)

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If this Monaco looks unlike any other you’ve seen before there’s a good reason: it’s the very first mechanical split-seconds chronograph wristwatch from the motorsports-loving brand, with both its movement and case made from titanium. (Est. CHF 150,000 – 300,000)

Tudor has used Only Watch in the past to tease coming attractions in the brand’s main collection. That’s one reason why the hype is already churning around this full-gold novelty based on the 1976 “Big Block” Chronograph, the first automatic chronograph made by Tudor, complete with a brand-new manufacture chronograph movement. We can’t help but balk at the estimate listed on the Only Watch website, mind you, as the last four Tudor watches to sell at this auction have gone for between 350,000 and 650,000 Swiss francs. It would be quite the surprise to see this reference sell for anything less than six figures. (Est. CHF 25,000 – 35,000)

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You’ve got to hand it to Zenith. They could have done a single rainbow Chronomaster, but instead, they did four with colour-matched ceramic bezels and lacquered dials, each fitted with the latest automatic El Primero high-frequency 1/10-second chronograph movement. (Est. CHF 45,000 – 55,000)

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