LONDON.- John Pye has a unique watch collection coming to auction with a combined value of around £500,000.

The UK market for watches over £1,000 has seen double digit growth in the fourth quarter of 2018 and more than 14.9% in January 2019 according to the market research giant, GFK data, which will have a positive effect on the secondary market pricing architecture.

Not since the Renaissance has the fascination with watches been as great as now says John Pye Luxury. Currently the watch market is booming, according to John Pye figures.

In short, unique and rare watches have gone crazy in investment terms. There has never been a better time to buy. These watches are the male equivalent of women’s shoes and handbags. Men of a certain bankability don’t seem to tire of buying ever more watches.

Leigh Jones, Business Development Manager at John Pye Luxury, says: "The leading watch brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Breitling and Rolex are dependent on a prosperous secondary auction market. The auction market serves as a quality stamp, raising awareness and underpinning the history and marketing of the brands. Spending thousands of pounds on a wristwatch in a store feels undoubtedly more justified as a good investment if the secondary market is full of collectors who are prepared to put big sums on the perfect watch. "

The selection of watches at John Pye Luxury ranges in value from £5,000 - £125,000 per piece. The most rare and valuable piece and the oldest in the collection is the Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet Tourbillion (RRP £125,000) from 2001, which is a watch very hard to find.

SOME OF THE TOP WATCHES IN THE AUCTION
Audemars Piquet Edward Piguet Tourbillion, Auto Perpetual Calendar, Royal Oak, Frank Muller Black Steel King Conquistador Auto, VALBRAY Oculus V.01 Titanium & Full Black Limited Edition, DeLaCOUR Saqra Classic Steel Pvd Diamond Bezel Black, U-Boat Chimera 46mm Bronze Sapphire, Omega 18ct Gold Deville, Constellation, Ladymatic, Seamaster , Breitling for Bentley, 18ct Gold Navitimer, Chopard Gradn Prix de Monaco, Imperiale Happy Diamonds Chrono, Millie Miglia, Rolex Watch and Jewellery, Breguet Classique Regulator, Rolex Air King, Cosmograph Daytona, Datejust Ladies Auto, Explorer II, Yachtmaster Gents Auto, Jaeger Lecoultre Ladies Reverso, Patek Phillipe Twenty-4, Perrelet First Class.

Jewellery – Faberge 18ct Rose Gold Trillage Diamond Open-Set Bangle, Rose Gold Multi Coloured Drop Earrings Treillage, Yellow Gold Ladybird Turquoise Egg Pendant Palais Tsarskoye, 18ct Rose Gold Simple Crossover Ring, Roberto Coin Snake Bangle, JACOB & CO Cufflinks Stainless Steel Black & Spinel Rotor Cufflinks White Diamonds.

Swiss branding still counts. High end watches that are Swiss made will always command a higher value due to complication of movement, materials used in the case, strap or embellishment such as previous gems and provenance/history of the brand. (Swiss made is a label or marker used to indicate that a product was made or assembled in Switzerland or the geographic Swiss region. Most often associated with watches or timepieces made in Switzerland, a watch is considered Swiss if its movement is Swiss, if the movement has been assembled in the Swiss region, its final inspection occurred in Switzerland, and at least 60% of manufacturing costs are domestic.). For lovers of Italian design there are watches from Graham & Meccaniche Veloci, while Jacob and Co is a US based Jewellery brand.

It's the watchmaking of exclusive watch brands that is the hottest ticket on the market which continue to make records at auction. This classic status symbol worn on one’s wrist has become a popular collector's item and is now one of the most collectable of categories that include wine, cars, art and antiques.

The most searched for watch brand on the internet is Rolex, followed by Omega and Patek Philippe. Unlike most other collecting areas, wrist watches attract a younger audience. Over 90% of the searches online are made by men aged between 18-34. But more and more women are also looking for exclusive wristwatches. Today, the watch market is one of the hottest in the auction world.

Last autumn, several new records were achieved in the auction market for watches. In October, Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona sold for $17.8 million and thus became the new world record for watches. That same week, Bukowskis sold an Omega Speedmaster 2915-1 from 1958, for unbelievable 2.5 million kronor ($300,000), making it a new world record at auction for the brand.