By Gérald Genta for a Royal Family

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The market for contemporary watches is particularly appreciating the pieces with the more sophisticated mechanisms. There is often Patek Philippe at the top place, but other brands are of interest.

In the sale of Antiquorum in Geneva on 15 and 16 March 2008, I spotted a Swiss watch of Gérald Genta brand, in yellow gold, which was sold 238 KCHF inclusive. This "Grande Sonnerie" model is, according to Wikipedia, the most complicated wristwatch of the world.

The contemporary market is not limited to wristwatches. On June 4 in New York, Patrizzi is selling a pair of desk clocks made around 1985 by Gérald Genta for a royal family of Southeast Asia. It is a remarkable example of a skeleton timepiece, meaning that the transparent dial reveals the mechanism. They are in platinum set with diamonds and decorated with other precious materials, for a very aesthetic effect.

The pair is estimated 400 K $.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Unfortunately, the result confirms that there is a gap in the market for contemporary timepieces between the results obtained by Patek Philippe and those of its competitors, even for high mechanical complexity.

I had already observed it in October in a discussion about Lange. History repeats itself with Genta: unsold.