Not only wristwatches, the most traditional watchmaking item, but also grandfather, mantel, nocturnal and all timing mechanisms, from the most complex and refined to the everyday.

This section attracts Italian and international collectors, as well as numerous amateurs. Antique clocks, today, are extremely valuable items, especially from the point of view of antique collectors and enthusiasts: the invention of a mechanism which would allow humans to measure time has captured the interest of many artists, craftsmen and scientists, who over the centuries have been searching for improvements as regards measurement systems and aesthetic appearance.

Watches, the Mechanics of Time

The invention of a mechanism that allowed humans to measure time was the subject of study and interest for many artists, craftsmen, and scientists who, over the centuries, sought to refine the measurement mechanism and the aesthetic appeal of watches. Antique watches carry stories of great fascination. They are valuable, interesting objects that acquire significant worth as a reflection of love for history, research, antiquity, and also as collectibles, offering an intriguing investment opportunity.

Gregory’s Watch Auctions

Watches are highly sought after by collectors worldwide and are increasingly desired by refined and passionate connoisseurs of the field. The presence of these objects in Gregory’s auctions has become well-established over time, increasing customer interest and the success of the auction results. The department consistently impresses connoisseurs with its wide variety of offerings: from large tower clocks to small lantern clocks, from masterpieces of art and technique to the most refined and curious machines. A notable example is the sale of a late 18th-century “Marescialla” table clock, featuring a gilt bronze case with applied friezes and festoons, claw feet, and signed by Cugnier Leschot, which sold for €3,224.

Among the best results at Gregory’s recent watch auctions is the sale of an 18th-century Sicilian table clock with a tortoiseshell front and fine wood veneered sides, with gilt bronze profiles, a partially gilded bronze dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, and signed ‘Piero Cutrera Palmo,’ which sold for €4,216.

Another highlighted lot in the antique watch department includes an impressive gilt bronze triptych, consisting of a clock and two candelabras, with a mechanism signed ‘Popon à Paris,’ France, and a large, elegant table clock with female figures in gilt bronze.

Selling Watches at Auction

Gregory’s is constantly seeking decorative and wristwatches to include in upcoming auctions, with the goal of continually enriching its catalogs with rare pieces, particularly those from renowned makers, for an international market.

Auction Catalogues

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