The one-off hammered down at auction for a record 470,000 Swiss francs

It may sound like some sort of horological joke, but a quartz timepiece was just snapped up for more than half a million dollars at auction.

A one-of-a-kind F.P. Journe Élégante Titalyt hammered down for a record 470,000 Swiss francs during a recent charity sale at Phillips in Geneva, with all proceeds going to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Geneva (MAMCO).

The unique piece sparked a fierce, 25-minute battle between three phone bidders from across the globe before it was eventually won by an “international collector and philanthropist.” The wrist candy now ranks the most expensive quartz watch ever sold at auction, eclipsing a diamond-encrusted Graff timepiece that hammered down for US$531,000 at Christie’s in 2019 and another bespoke F.P.Journe Élégante Titalyt that sold for US$420,000 at another Phillips charity auction this past March.

This specific Élégante was designed by François-Paul Journe to mark the 30th anniversary of MAMCO. Aptly christened the Élégante MAMCO, the one-off is reminiscent of the original Élégante from 2014 but is distinguished by a few arty features. For starters, the luminous dial is adorned with the letters A, R, and T in bold red, blue, and yellow. The word is a tribute to Maurizio Nannucci’s 1994 work Art, which is part of MAMCO’s collection. The letter “R” even glows in the dark in homage to the original light-centric artwork. The bezel has also been engraved with “30 MAMCO,” signifying the museum’s role in fostering and promoting contemporary art for the past three decades.

As with the standard Élégante, the MAMCO edition features an elegant tortue-shaped case. The 48 mm design is crafted from a contemporary material called Titalyt, which is essentially a grade-five titanium that has been subjected to electro-plasma oxidation to increase hardness and durability.

The watch is also powered by the same quartz movement as the original. Developed in-house, the caliber 1210 is equipped with a mechanical motion detector that helps preserve the battery by switching the watch into “hibernation mode” after 35 motionless minutes have passed. The hands stop ticking around the dial, but the movement continues to track time internally and then resets the hands to the correct time once the watch is reactivated. The sophisticated system results in an impressive power reserve of eight to 10 years in daily use and up to 18 years in sleep mode. A cut above the average quartz movement, the caliber 1210 also has gold-plated components that add a touch of luxury.

“As always, the generosity and professionalism of Aurel Bacs and his team at Phillips have allowed us to set a new world record,” Journe said in a statement. “I would like to express my gratitude to the bidding collectors, without whom none of this would be possible, and above all to the buyer, whose generosity contributes to the renovation of the MAMCO.”

The Élégante wasn’t the only money maker on Friday. The auction, which included several pieces of art and other lots, achieved a combined total of 850,000 Swiss francs. All proceeds will go toward the MAMCO’s ongoing restoration. The work, which is being overseen by architects Kuehn Malvezzi and CCHE, will see the reorganisation and modernisation of the museum’s spaces.

This story was first published on Robb Report USA