These Are The Incredibly Rare Timepieces At The Only Watch Auction 2023

The highly anticipated Only Watch Auction is back in 2023, bringing together renowned watchmakers, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world. This prestigious biennial event, dedicated to raising funds for the research of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, presents an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one-of-a-kind timepieces while supporting a noble cause. With each edition, the Only Watch Auction showcases the creativity, innovation, and philanthropic spirit of the watchmaking industry.

The highlight of the Only Watch Auction is undoubtedly the rare and exclusive nature of the timepieces on offer. Each watch is a singular creation, not to be replicated or found elsewhere. These unique pieces bear special engravings or unique design elements, making them highly sought-after collector’s items. Acquiring a watch from the Only Watch Auction not only reflects one’s appreciation for horological excellence but also grants them ownership of an irreplaceable work of art.

Beyond their horological significance, the timepieces presented at the Only Watch Auction serve a greater purpose. The auction is dedicated to raising funds for the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies (Monaco Association against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) to support scientific research aimed at finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. By participating in the auction, collectors and philanthropists contribute to a cause that aims to improve the lives of those affected by this debilitating disease.

From Audemars Piguet to Louis Vuitton, these are some of the rare and incredibly special timepieces at the 2023 Only Watch Auction.

AUDEMARS PIGUET

The dedicated Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked is a timepiece that combines a white ceramic case and bracelet with a blue-toned openworked movement. It was first introduced in 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak. This unique watch features a 41mm white ceramic case and a matching bracelet, both adorned with a vibrant blue hue on the mainplate and bridges, creating a striking contemporary contrast. The openworked design of the movement showcases the flying tourbillon cage and rhodium-toned gear train, adding depth and visual appeal.

The Only Watch Edition of this timepiece features a blue inner bezel and white gold hour-markers and hands, all filled with luminescent coating for enhanced visibility in the dark. Additionally, a special oscillating weight in 22K gold has been colored with the same blue and rhodium tones, giving it a sleek and modern appearance.

BIVER

“Catharsis” is a unique titanium watch that combines intricate handcrafts with invisible gem-setting, stone marquetry, and guilloché. It offers a different perspective on time, with no visible display of hours or minutes, allowing the wearer to have time at their disposal. The watch features a minute repeater carillon tourbillon and an hour hand located on the back, while being waterproof up to 50 meters for practicality.

BOUCHERON

The Joy de Lumière jewelry watch, crafted in white gold and adorned with diamonds and black spinels, draws inspiration from Art Deco with its sparkling cascading spinels and diamond-paved patterns, featuring over 260 round diamonds set on the watch and bracelet, and a flexible part of the bracelet composed of 5 rows of black spinels that can be twisted by hand.

BULGARI

Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo watch showcases exceptional craftsmanship with its marble-adorned 40mm DLC-treated titanium case and bracelet, featuring Verde di Alpi marble. The thin manual tourbillon caliber BVL 268 is visible through the marble dial at 6 o’clock, solidifying Bvlgari’s achievement in creating the slimmest flying tourbillon on the market. Inspired by Roman architecture and the historical significance of marble, this one-of-a-kind timepiece pays homage to the brand’s heritage and incorporates the symbolism of abundance and energy represented by the dominant green color and white veins of the marble.

BREGUET

The Hora Mundi watch features an exclusive mechanical complication that allows for instant-jump time-zone display, achieved through a combination of pushers and the crown, enabling seamless time adjustment while maintaining accuracy. Its “2D” dial showcases a captivating interpretation of the world with layered plates, including hand-guilloché waves, luminescent gold hour-markers, engraved continents, and rose gold dots representing active locations, all enclosed by an external flange.

CHANEL

Chanel presents a unique duo of black and white ceramic Mademoiselle J12 LA PAUSA watches, featuring the silhouette of Mademoiselle Chanel and the self-winding Caliber 12.1 movement, with the iconic design inspired by a photograph of Mademoiselle Chanel herself. These exceptional timepieces showcase the perfect combination of craftsmanship and originality, with the silhouette printed on a sapphire glass plate affixed to the dial and powered by the Caliber 12.1 movement developed by Swiss Manufacture Kenissi, co-owned by Chanel.

CHOPARD 

Chopard presents a unique timepiece for the Only Watch sale, featuring a one-of-a-kind Lucent Steel™ creation with an Ice Green-toned gold dial, certified by the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, and supporting the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy. This special model draws inspiration from a historical watch icon, combining a refined design, the exclusivity of Lucent Steel™, and a chronometer-certified movement, highlighting Chopard’s commitment to sustainable luxury and environmental awareness with its symbolic Ice Green color evoking Antarctic icebergs and environmental challenges.

DE BETHUNE

The DW5 SP is a one-of-a-kind watch with a case made from iron ore found near the De Bethune manufacture, featuring a dial and spherical moon made of ferrous meteorite, showcasing the craftsmanship of Denis Flageollet who utilized ancient iron and steel-making techniques to create a compact material for the case, and a tourbillon movement can be seen on the back.

F.P. JOURNE

The unique Chronomètre Furtif watch features a complete Tantalum case and bracelet, an 18K rose gold movement, and a blue enamel dial with frosted numerals visible in the reflection of light, while the moon phase and power reserve indications are only visible on the back, making it a timepiece that can be fully appreciated by its owner.

GÉRALD GENTA

Gérald Genta presents a unique minute repeater watch for Only Watch, featuring Disney’s Mickey Mouse playfully indicating the time, celebrating the character’s 100th anniversary and Genta’s 50th anniversary of his first watch. The watch combines Mickey’s swiveling arm with retrograde minutes, a jumping hour complication, and a minute repeater, all housed in the iconic octagonal case. The design features a white gold case and a champlevé enamel dial with an enameled Mickey Mouse holding a birthday cake, symbolizing the Disney anniversary and the Only Watch edition.

GIRARD-PERREGAUX

The Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement Only Watch Edition showcases the brand’s innovative constant force technology, combining aesthetic and technical advancements to demonstrate their technical expertise and craftsmanship in a modern and unique design.

HERMÈS

The Hermès Arceau le temps voyageur Only Watch 2023 watch embodies a dreamy and vibrant spirit, featuring a platinum and titanium case with bright colors. Its unique “travelling time” mechanism displays 24 time zones through a gravitational counter, while the flagship colors of Only Watch adorn the cities disk and the watch’s design elements, creating a one-of-a-kind timepiece.

HUBLOT

The MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Only Watch is a fusion of art and horological design, featuring a sapphire watch with a central tourbillon and adorned with gemstone-set petals. This masterpiece showcases Hublot’s exceptional craftsmanship and represents a symbol of support for research against Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with the tourbillon symbolizing the hearts of those affected by the disease.

JACOB & CO. x CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY

The Astronomia Revolution 4th Dimension is a groundbreaking timepiece featuring the world’s first four-axis tourbillon, with a two-arm movement that includes a triple-axis tourbillon carriage and a high-frequency constant force device.

LOUIS VUITTON

Louis Vuitton presents the Tambour Einstein Automata Only Watch 2023, a timepiece commemorating the 10th anniversary of Only Watch and showcasing remarkable craftsmanship through a dial depicting Albert Einstein in a playful portrait. Powered by the LV 525 calibre, this watch features four animations and is housed in an iconic Tambour case, presented alongside a hand-painted Louis Vuitton trunk.

MONTBLANC

The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Carbo2, a one-of-a-kind timepiece created for Only Watch, introduces an exclusive material, 0 oxygen, in its case, and offers an extraordinary experience alongside Montblanc Mark Maker Nimsdai Purja.

PIAGET

Piaget donates a unique Piaget Polo Skeleton Arty watch to the Only Watch charity auction, featuring a colored Manufacture calibre 1200S1 and paying homage to the artwork of Victor Vasarely, with a rose-gold case and a blue interchangeable strap, showcasing a combination of technical artistry and chic design. This one-of-a-kind timepiece will be auctioned off in November to raise funds for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

RICHARD MILLE

A millennia-old pendant, discovered in the Swiss mountains and named “Talisman Origine,” reveals the remarkable fusion of mechanics, craftsmanship, and spirituality from a lost society, representing the ancient know-how of a Swiss tribe.

TAG HEUER 

TAG Heuer introduces their inaugural mechanical split seconds chronograph wristwatch, featuring a groundbreaking movement and showcasing a pioneering design approach that sets a new direction for the iconic Monaco collection, incorporating the finest craftsmanship from the watchmaking industry.

TIFFANY & CO.

Honoring Tiffany’s rich horological legacy, this exceptional and historic pendant watch reimagines the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch, paying homage to one of the House’s most emblematic creations.

ULYSSE NARDIN

The Ulysse Nardin manufacture presents the Freak S Only Watch, a vibrant and exclusive iteration of the Freak S timepiece, featuring a colorful interpretation of the UN-251 caliber and incorporating innovative elements such as a double oscillator in silicon and a double escapement in DiamonSil. This unique edition showcases the iconic Freak collection’s distinct characteristics, with no hands, dial, or crown, and is adorned with Only Watch’s signature 2023 colors, creating an impressive and captivating timepiece.

TUDOR

Tudor pays homage to a timeless ’70s chronograph with a contemporary twist, introducing a brand-new prototype Manufacture Chronograph Calibre crafted entirely by Tudor and showcased in a distinctive 18K solid yellow gold rendition of the iconic “Big Block” Chronograph for the first time.