Weekly Wind Down | Sales Highlights including watches from Rolex, Breguet and Universal Geneve

Rolex cops a hard time for its conservative stance towards watch design, but truth be told it is willing to experiment in the name of sales. Last week, we covered the Oyster Perpetual ‘Celebration Dial’ which stunned the watch world and silenced the haters earlier this year with its slightly crazy multi-coloured circles. Also new for 2023 was a Day-Date with an emoji date wheel which proved Rolex knows how to have a laugh. 

Back in 2007, it reintroduced the Milgauss to the line up of professional watches. This was a risky proposition for a model dedicated to scientists that had been discontinued in the 80s due to poor sales. The Geneva Giant decided to be adventurous, embellishing the Milgauss with bright orange accents and re-introducing the lightning bolt seconds hand that featured on the original ref. 6543 from the 1950s. It also launched an exclusive green tinted sapphire crystal which had never been seen before and created a halo around the edge of the glass. The gamble paid off, with the Milgauss being one of the early examples of The Crown’s hyped and waitlisted models. 

Fast forward to 2023, and after years of speculation about its future, the Milgauss was discontinued for a second time. What does the future hold for this quirky model? Will we ever see it back in the catalogue?  One thing’s clear, values are on the rise. Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £9,065

It’s hard to think of a brand that’s more underappreciated than Breguet. We’re talking about centuries of history here, and the man who not only invented the tourbillon, but established most of the principles of modern watchmaking. We also have to acknowledge the brand’s expertise and attention to detail, which are immediately apparent on this Marine Big Date.  

Few watches manage to straddle the dressy / sporty blend better than the Marine. The design is inspired by the historical marine chronometers that Abraham Louis Breguet made for the French Navy, and yet somehow, it manages to deliver a contemporary sports watch feel.

Breguet has never been shy when it comes to showing off its fine finishing, and this is evident the dial's guilloche centre, and the wave-style pattern engraved on the movement’s rotor. A great value-packed choice for any collector seeking a luxury sports watch with a difference.  Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £10,650

The biggest news to hit the watch world in recent weeks was Breitling’s acquisition of Universal Geneve. There’s been much speculation about the revival of this archived brand, which is both a collectors’ favourite, and has an enviable back catalogue of models like the Polerouter and this lovely Tri Compax. 

Spotted on the wrist of esteemed collector and famous musician, Eric Clapton, it is thought that only around 1,000 examples of this Tri Compax were made between 1963 and 1967. It’s crafted from stainless steel with a ‘panda’ dial sporting four sub-registers, which display the chronograph, moonphase, and calendar complications. As we eagerly await Universal Geneve’s future, these killer vintage examples remind us how rich the brand’s history is.   Recently sold on Watch Collecting for £10,750.