NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s reports a successful finale to the 2015 Watches auction season in New York with both Omega Speedmaster 50 and Rare Watches & Important Discoveries, which both realized a combined total of $10,064,250.

Strong prices were achieved, realizing well over their estimate for both limited edition watches from the exceptionally curated Omega Speedmaster 50: From A Spacewalk To Today evening sale, the first evening sale for Christie’s Watch Department in New York, along with the preeminent manufacturers from the Rare Watches & Important Discoveries auction the following day, including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Universal Genève, Heuer, and more.

There was exceptional participation experienced both online and in the saleroom. The showroom was bustling with eager bidders competing to own the unique timepieces, especially from Patek Philippe which garnered the greatest demand and top bids from the auction.

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER 50:
THE AUCTION, DECEMBER 15, 2015
SALE TOTAL: $1,304,125 (USD)
SELLING 100% BY LOT AND 100% BY VALUE.

WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR AN OMEGA SPEEDMASTER
The top lot for the sale was an exceptional and historically important Apollo 17 privately flown stainless steel chronograph, from the personal collection of Astronaut Ron Evans. Manufactured in 1970 and including a flown Velcro strap and Fisher Space Pen, which realized $245,000. Christie’s is proud to announce that the OMEGA Museum was the winning bidder and it will soon be on public display.

Additional top lots achieved:

• LOT 3: STAINLESS STEEL CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH MANUFACTURED IN 1957 ($137,000)

• LOT 4: STAINLESS STEEL CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH BRACELET MANUFACTURED IN 1958 ($118,750)

• LOT 16: UNIQUE 18K GOLD CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH BRACELET CERTIFICATION LETTER AND BOX, MADE FOR ASTRONAUT RONALD E. EVANS. MANUFACTURED IN 1970 ($50,000)

RARE WATCHES & IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES:
THE AUCTION, DECEMBER 16, 2015
SALE TOTAL: $8,760,125 (USD)
SELLING 92% BY LOT AND BY VALUE.

WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR A VINTAGE AUDEMARS PIGUET CALENDAR WATCH
The top lot for the sale was an extremely fine, rare and important Audemars Piguet Reference 5516 18K gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with leap year, moon phases and two-tone dial. It was manufactured in 1957 and realized $545,000.

Additional top lots achieved (see attached):

• LOT 186: PATEK PHILIPPE REFERENCE 130. A VERY FINE, RARE AND ATTRACTIVE 18K GOLD SINGLE BUTTON CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH BREGUET NUMERALS MANUFACTURED IN 1937 ($509,000)

• LOT 62: PATEK PHILIPPE REFERENCE 2573 “PEARL OF BAHRAIN”. AN 18K PINK GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH NATURAL SEED PEARL MARKERS, MANUFACTURED IN 1958, MANUFACTURED IN 1958 ($437,000) - WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE PATEK PHILIPPE REFERENCE 2573

• LOT 161: AUDEMARS PIGUET. AN EXTREMELY RARE STAINLESS STEEL CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH CENTRAL SPIRALED TACHYMETER SCALE, MANUFACTURED IN 1937 ($341,000)