Unique watch auction in New York in aid of the Swiss Institute

There have been various one-off charity auctions of watches benefiting causes ranging from medical research to art, but few on the regular calendar. “Only Watch” for Duchene muscular dystrophy, which has been on the program since 2005, comes to mind. Now another charity auction with unique watches has been created. TimeForArt held its first donated watch sale last year, raising $1.2 million for the Swiss Institute, which supports artists and education in contemporary art, including a year-round platform for exchange between watchmaking and fine art. The second auction, conducted by Phillips in collaboration with Bacs & Russo, is scheduled for December 7 in New York.

Every watch donated to the TimeForArt auction is unique and all proceeds go to the Swiss institute. “Once again, 100% of the sale proceeds, including Phillips’ buyer’s premium, will benefit the Swiss Institute’s educational initiatives,” said Paul Boutros, vice chairman and head of watchmaking at Phillips Americas. “TimeForArt celebrates the intersection between art and watchmaking and plays an important role in the Swiss Institute’s important goals of supporting artists and promoting art education.” The importance of this philanthropic initiative is further reinforced by the wonderful generosity of this year’s even larger group of renowned brands Participating brands include some of the industry’s top brands – including Breitling, Biver, Bulgari, Chanel, Chopard, Speake Marin and Zenith – but there are also many smaller, accessible brands, some independent. Here are three highlights of this year’s offering.

Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary TimeForArt Limited Edition. The classic 18K gold Navitimer n offers three additional benefits: It is one of the first series to feature the brand’s new perpetual calendar chronograph movement. The rotor is engraved with the image of Montbrillant, Breitling’s manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds for over 80 years. A copy of the book “Breitling: 140 Years in 140 Stories” is also included. Estimate: $60,000 to $120,000.

Speake Marin Promenade à New York (A Walk in New York City). This piece is unique, but it is by no means the independent brand’s first artistic venture. It is part of a series of Metiers pieces in Speake Marin’s Art Series that include miniature painting, engraving, painting or enameling. It features Speake Marin’s signature highlight: a small seconds display in the form of a topping tool positioned at 1:30. The words “TIME FOR ART 1/1” are hand-engraved on the caseback. Estimate: $40,000 to $80,000.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Sketch, TimeForArt Edition. Bulgari is also celebrating its 140th anniversary this year and is marking the occasion by introducing a series of watches with an illustrated dial that shows the movement as if it were viewed from the case back. This is engraved with the TimeForArt logo and the marking “esemplare unico 1/1”. The design is characterized by its record-breaking thinness and includes a 30-minute chronograph, central seconds and a second time zone. Estimate: $70,000 to $140,000.