Four-hundred-and-fifty lots from Arno Haslinger's collection of TAG Heuer watches formed the base for an impressive sale of 450 fine timepieces in London yesterday (December 15). The sale also included the Dr George Fisher collection.
In the event, only one of the top three watches was taken from the brand, that being the 1974 Monaco.
In 1974 new models of the Monaco were introduced, marked by the reference 74033. The dial design and configuration were identical to the 1133 automatic, with two registers for hours and minutes and a date window at 6 o'clock.
 The 1974 Monaco with its avant-garde looks |
The watch was powered by the new Valjoux 7740 manual wind movement and the winding crown is on the right side between the fluted chronograph pushers. Heuer began to phase out the Monaco only five years after the launch in 1969 and this model can be seen as a final and heroic attempt to attract customers seeking the most avant-garde chronograph on the market.
The classic from Haslinger's collection sold for £48,000 ($75,300).
Unsurpringly, a Patek Philippe also featured amongst the key lots. This was a fine and rare rose gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with retrograde date and phases of moon together with fitted Patek Philippe wooden box.
The Ref:5050 was Patek Philippe's first perpetual calendar wristwatch featuring a retrograde date made in series and was introduced at the Basel Fair in 1993, cased in yellow gold only. From 1995 onwards it was also available in pink gold, white gold and platinum but still exclusively with the silvered dial.
Sporting three windows for leap year indicator, day and month, aperture for moon phases in its circular water-resistant-type case, it too sold for £48,000.
 Rare version of the Rolex Submariner |
The top lot however was a Rolex: A very rare stainless steel automatic centre seconds watch presenting a rare 3-6-9 Explorer type dial with small minute markers and pointed crown guards.
Made in January 1962, this Submariner is a particularly rare version of the reference 5512 model. The Explorer dial Submariners were believed to be produced in very small numbers during the late 1950's and early 1960's.
Rolex literature from this period shows this dial variation but exact production numbers are not known. The rarity is further enhanced by the very small minute markers; and it is believed to be one of only two currently known to collectors with this dial printing.
Excited timepiece fans and investors pushed the value all the way up to £78,000 ($122,400).
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