LONDON.- Bonhams announced the appointment of Jonathan Darracott as its Head of Watches. He assumed his role on Wednesday 8 April.

Jonathan has over 25 years’ experience working with watches both as an auctioneer and as a watch manufacturer. During his 12 years as European Head of the Watch Department for a major British auction house he was involved in the sale of many classic pieces including the most expensive watch ever sold at auction – the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication watch.

From 2006–2011 Jonathan was the managing director of Juvenia Montres, a boutique company making luxury watches in La Chaux de Fonds, the centre of the watch-making region of Switzerland. Most recently he has been acting as a watch consultant.

Jonathan’s life-long passion for watches started in childhood. He has a BA Honours degree in Three Dimensional Design and also studied watch-making in London and Switzerland. He is a member of the British Horological Institute and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers.

Jonathan said of his appointment, “Bonhams watch department has a strong reputation for interesting and high quality sales. My aim is to build on the achievements of the past and take the watch department to new heights.”

Welcoming Jonathan Darracott to his new role, Bonhams Chief Executive Matthew Girling said, “We have taken great care over this appointment to head up one of our key departments. I am confident that in Jonathan we have found the best person for the job.”

Bonhams watch department sells fine watches and wristwatches from every major watch maker as well as rare historical and unusual pieces. In 2014, for example, it sold a magnificent and very rare gold and enamel musical watch attributed to John Rich, Circa 1795 for £146,500. The department regularly sets world record prices and in 2012 established a record at auction for a George Daniel’s Millennium wristwatch of £157,250.