24th Sep 2024
Photo Review: Watch Collecting X The Horology Club's Mid-Autumn Event in Hong Kong
by Nick Bennett
The Mid-Autumn Festival takes place every year on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, (that’s mid-September to early October in Gregorian terms) It's a time for family gatherings, admiring the moon’s beauty and consuming excessive amounts of mooncakes. It’s also the perfect excuse for a watch meet-up!
In partnership with the Horology Club Hong Kong, we held an event to tie in with Watch Collecting’s dedicated Mid-Autumn auction. All watches being sold were on display to be viewed by the Horology Club’s die-hard aficionados, and of course there were plenty of great watches on wrists.
You may be wondering what’s making headlines in the Hong Kong market right now, so let’s break this down in the best possible way - with a lot of photos!
Patek Philippe's ref. 5330G World Time 'Tokyo Edition'
First up is the star of the show, Patek Philippe's ref. 5330G World Time 'Tokyo Edition'. This plum-dialled beauty is one of just 300 pieces released in conjunction with the Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo last year. It was the hero watch from our Mid-Autumn Auction, and after some fierce bidding, sold for HK$820,000. Check out the auction details here
Some of the watches offered in Watch Collecting's Mid-Autumn auction
The action didn't stop there, with bidders jumping on a range of pieces covering different styles, eras and complications. Another lot that attracted plenty of attention was this white gold Odysseus from German powerhouse A. Lange & Söhne. Originally launched in steel in 2019 as the brand's first-ever dedicated sports watch, this precious metal iteration hit the market a year later and looks the part on a strap. This 2022 example sold for HK$295,388 and you can see the watch in more detail here
The A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in 18K white gold
Of course, the perennial favourite Rolex Daytona was a highlight in the auctions, too with a couple of precious metal examples on Oysterflex straps going to new homes. There was one in yellow gold with a champagne dial, and the other in white gold with an anthracite dial, known by collectors as 'The Ghost'.
Also from the Crown was a mid-90s cult-classic Explorer II 'Polar', which reminded us how appealing white-dialled Rolex sports watches are compared to the ubiquitous black-dialled alternatives. Thanks to its tritium dial, this example also has plenty of characterful patina.
Now for everyone's favourite part - wrist shots and close-ups!
A very nice vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional sporting some serious patina.
The Patek Philippe ref. 5236P (the world's first in-line perpetual calendar wristwatch) and the Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time (an underrated and rarely-seen reference)
A guaranteed inclusion at any watch event - the inimitable and timeless GMT-Master II 'Pepsi'
Classic meets unconventional - The very handsome A. Lange and Sohne Datograph alongside the futuristic Urwerk UR-103 which features a unique wandering hour display
It was great to see some smaller independent brands making an appearance. This has been a burgeoning part of the watch industry in recent years and 'indies' make up a good proportion of watches at most meet-ups these days.
Ming's 37.05 Series 2 is the brand's second generation moonphase featuring a detailed interpretation of the night sky on a sunburst anthracite dial.
Christopher Ward doing what it does best - delivering high-horology complications at an approachable price point. The Bel Canto incorporates a striking mechanism known as a 'Sonnerie Au Passage' which chimes to mark the hour every 60 minutes
This event highlighted that it's an exciting time to be a collector, with an unmatched variety of watches appearing both at auction and on wrists, offering more versatility than ever before. A big thanks to The Horology Club and to all the members for a fantastic event.
We'll be back with more events and collections in the near future so be sure to sign up to our newsletter if you haven't already and keep an eye on the site for details.
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