Rating and value of master clocks and watches

If you own a clock or watch by a master watchmaker, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your work, we will guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of works by master watchmakers

Clocks, cartels and watches are highly prized items at auction. They are collected by bidders of all nationalities. Nowadays, prices for these objects can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. Gold clocks and watches are particularly popular, with buyers from all over the world. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €50 to €321,570, for the moment, a consequent gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these objects. A Cartier crash watch in white gold has already fetched €130,000 at auction.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the master watchmakers' objects most present on the market

The clocks and cartels most present on the market date from the 19th century. However, they can be found in all eras. Gusset watches are also relatively common at auction, and wristwatches are naturally successful, especially gold watches, which have a rising value today.

The history of watchmaking over the centuries

The invention of watchmaking is attributed to the German Peter Henlein. This was the first watch, which, according to historians, saw the light of day in 1505. Its mechanism was naturally very different from the watches and clocks known today.

Among all the great master watchmakers who helped shape watchmaking as we know it today, some stand out more than others for their contributions.

Most notable are Christian Huygens, inventor of the pendulum clock, John Harrison, inventor of the marine chronometer, Pierre le Roy, horloger to the King and inventor of the simple chronometer, Abraham Louis Breguet, inventor of the tourbillon mechanism, and Thomas Tompion, inventor of the quarter-repeating watch.

All these great names in European watchmaking worked with bronzemakers, founders and chasers who brought their mechanisms to life and decorated them. This was the case, for example, with Pierre Philippe Thomire and Hubert Sarton, also an inventor.

Louis Cartier, meanwhile, would leave his mark on modern fine jewelry, popularizing the Cartier watch for men.

Watch history

The first wristwatch appeared in 1571, after the gousset watch. It was the Earl of Leicester who gave a watch with a matching bracelet to Queen Elizabeth I. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that it was standardized for women. Empress Josephine took part in this trend in France, ordering wristwatches from Nitot. In the other branch of the Bonaparte clan, the Queen-Consort of Naples, Caroline Bonaparte, ordered a wristwatch from the house of Breguet. They quickly set a trend that would become much more, established in women's fashion. Other jewelry houses began to design wristwatch models, and women quickly adopted them throughout Europe. The first serial productions began at the end of the century. For men, it was not until the early 20th century and Louis Cartier. The jeweler created a wristwatch for his aviator friend, who could see the time while flying. The Cartier watch for men quickly became popular, first in the aviation sector and then on a larger scale. It was originally used to tell the time, but several craftsmen would contribute to watch complications and thus give them other functionalities. 

The success of modern watchmakers on the auction market  

Today, some modern watchmakers are unavoidable at auctions and in the fine jewelry market. Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Cartier, or Philippe Dufour, less well known to the general public, and many others are houses that are prized by collectors and watch lovers.   

Knowing the value of a cartel or clock

If you happen to own a clock or watch by a master watchmaker, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as any relevant information about it. If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account the inclinations of the market.