Weekly Wind Down | Sales Highlights including watches from F.P. Journe, Rolex and Patek Philippe   

After recently selling a Chronometre Bleu on the platform, (check out the sale here) we spoke about how this inimitable watch put F.P. Journe, and independent watchmaking, on the map. While this model is a bit of a hero reference for Journe’s eponymous brand, it’s just the tip of the iceberg from one of the true geniuses of the craft. 

The Octa Divine line turned 20 last year having served as a demonstration of F.P. Journe’s technical expertise. This asymmetrical design manages to balance the hands, date aperture, the power reserve and a seconds disk, all while looking clean, simple and well proportioned. This reference is part of the redesigned Octa series and sports a larger 42mm platinum case for some increased heft and wrist presence. 

We need to take a moment to talk about the movement which, apart from its impeccable finishing and elaborate decoration, is an important piece of architecture for the brand. In addition to being the cornerstone of the entire Octa family, it’s also Journe’s first automatic calibre and has become the base for every automatic movement made by the brand since. A true masterpiece of design and mechanics. Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £50,750

What springs to mind when you think about the Rolex Daytona? Motorsport, racetracks and revving engines? They all seem pretty logical. Well, how about pink lizard skin straps and matching pink mother-of-pearl dials? You almost have to see it to believe but Rolex launched this exotic version of the Daytona in 2000 alongside three others in bright colours. 

Known as the ‘Daytona Beach’, this eccentric watch trades the grandstand for the sand with its bright aesthetic and colourful personality. The white gold case keeps the Daytona’s signature tachymeter bezel, leaving behind hints of its motorsport heritage. If you thought the watch was intriguing, take a look at what Rolex did with the accessories! Pink lizard skin has been used generously to craft what could be the coolest watch box we’ve ever seen from The Crown. 

We’ve highlighted a lot of fun Rolexes in our recent Weekly Wind Downs and this has to be one of the best. What’s your favourite colour of the series? Let us know in the comments below. Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £51,500

The ref. 3800 is an important watch in the history of the illustrious Patek Philippe Nautilus, being the first ‘mid-sized’ version. Despite its scaled-down dimensions, this smaller member of the Nautilus family retained all of the iconic Gérald Genta-penned design language of its larger sibling: the integrated bracelet, rounded octagonal ‘porthole’ bezel, and ear-like hinges either side of the case.

This is also the first Nautilus to be offered in two-tone and the first to be driven by an in-house Patek Philippe-developed movement. The 335 SC tied into Patek Philippe’s endeavour to bring the movement of the Nautilus line in-house, and away from the Jaeger LeCoultre base movements used by a number of other manufacturers. With watch trends moving back towards more modest dimensions, this 37.5mm version of Patek’s sports watch icon has become increasingly appealing to collectors.  Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £24,656