Thinking about anything in binary terms is usually a fool’s errand, but the way we see it there are two kinds of auctions: Joopiter auctions and everything else. The house, founded by Pharrell Williams, specializes in campaigns that feel more like experiences than transactions. They’ve given buyers the chance to raid Kid Cudi’s closet and shut down New York’s Morton street for their first-ever car auction in May of 2024. Now, Joopiter’s kicking off a new auction, one full of a century’s worth of top-tier timepieces.
Dubbed “The Art of Time: Rare & Coveted Watches,” this isn’t an auction full of your standard Rolex Paul Newman Daytonas. Rather than pleasing the horological nerds, the Joopiter auction spotlights watches slightly off the beaten path. Even the watches from big names like Patek Philippe aren’t the models you’d expect to find during other auction houses. The Gondolo with an onyx dial is proof of that. Further proof this isn’t your average auction: not one, not two, but three of Franck Muller fantastically ‘90s watches! Not every single one of these is a must-have for enthusiasts, but it’s a truly special collection of watches for anyone looking to better learn how to appreciate the art behind watchmaking would do well to check out. These are the watches of ‘The Art of Time’ ranked from not-quite-our-tempo to must-have.
28. Ebel Sports Classic Chronograph ref. 8134901
Unfortunately, we had to start somewhere, even if this does have Zenith’s legendary El Primero movement in it. The bar is high.
27. Hermés Ceinture Concealed Dial
