Auctions: Marteau & Co.’s “Heat Wave” Sale Features Unique Independents And An Education On Lesser-Known Makers

Last year, we covered the launch of Marteau & Co., a new, small, independent-focused auction house that took a new perspective on what auction houses can (and, in their view, should) do for the watchmaking artists who have become such high-demand subjects. In Europe and the UK, artists are owed a portion of the sale fee when their work reaches the secondary market. It seems only fair, when a $100,000 watch these days can reach a million on the secondary market and the original maker doesn’t get a penny. At Marteau, of the 20% fee added to the hammer price, the watchmaker receives 3% to acknowledge their work.

The current Marteau & Co. auction catalog recently went live, and bidding is open (online only) from June 10 to June 17. There are a lot of great watches to bid on, headlined by the return of an OnlyWatch collaboration, a unique Vianney Halter, and a unique Voutilainen Regulator Decimal Repeater. There are also a number of watchmakers who have only come to auction a handful of times, and I got to see a number of them in person. But I wanted to start with two watches that might potentially go for more affordable prices, watches from Baltic/SpaceOne and Furlan Marri.

The Baltic x SpaceOne collaboration might have been one of the hottest affordable watches of the year so far, based on the response I received in my DMs. Marteau is offering a unique version of the Seconde Majeure with a hand-executed “graté” that wasn’t done on any of the production watches. The caseback engraving is also different, noting that it’s a prototype, and it carries an estimate of CHF 3,000 to 6,000, but I imagine the watch will go for much more. 

The same could be said for the first lot of the auction, a “prototype” Furlan Marri Mechaquartz Chronograph with a unique two-tone terracotta dial. The CHF 500-1,000 estimate feels low. Other affordable options include the very popular Otsuka Lotec and Kurono Tokyo watches, a Laventure, and a unique watch from Australian maker Nicholas Hacko using a “Timascus” movement.

Since I already shared a photo above, I’ll swing back to the high end of the auction with the Voutilainen Regulator Decimal Repeater in a unique combination of 4N yellow gold with a semi-openworked dial. These are some of the most interesting watches from Kari Voutilainen, as they blend his love and experience with vintage restoration and his work as an independent watchmaking icon. The movement is based on a Louis Elisée Piguet ébauche, instantly recognizable with the three straight finger bridges. The estimate is CHF 300,000 to 600,000. There’s also a more affordable, unique steel Voultilainen 28SC available.

One of the watches I was pleasantly surprised to see was the return of the De Bethune and Urwerk collaboration, the “Moon Satellite,” made for the OnlyWatch 2019 auction. Often, a collaboration can feel a bit disjointed and forced, but the Moon Satellite keeps Urwerk’s recognizable display on the front and adds De Bethune’s great hinged lugs and signature bridge design on the caseback. It’s a bit large, but I don’t think that will deter someone who wants a second shot at the watch, which originally sold for CHF 300,000. The estimate now is CHF 140,000 to CHF 280,000.

I will be honest, I never much cared for the Vianney Halter Antiqua, even though the watch had a stranglehold on early indie collectors. And yet, when I saw this tone-on-tone unique piece in person, it finally clicked. It’s a cool watch, it wears well, and it feels like the progenitor for what we see from Otsuka Lotec. It’s obviously much more expensive, with an estimate of CHF 100,000 to CHF 200,000, but man, it’s an incredibly cool perpetual calendar. And if that’s not wacky enough for you, there is a Laurent Ferrier tourbillon that has a secret shutter activated by the crown pusher, which unveils a scene of Geneva.

Last but not least, I wanted to highlight two watchmakers most people probably haven’t heard of. Pascal Coyon of France and Qian GuoBiao of China. Those names might be more familiar to those closely following the independent scene, but as small-batch independent makers who haven’t quite blown up, I was excited to see both. 

Coyon’s watch—the Pascal Coyon Series II—is the more traditional of the two, with a sector dial and small seconds display, given a twist with Eastern Arabic numerals. The watch is cased in steel and is nice from the front, but really shines from the rear. The movement is lovely, with great attention to detail in the finishing and an architecture that really speaks to me as a vintage watch lover, with the three curved finger bridges. It’s also a true chronometer and comes with certification from the Observatory of Besançon. The estimate is CHF 24,000-48,000, and it’s a great way to get one of Coyon’s most attractive dials.

GuoBaio is maybe the most creative in his approach, though you can get a sense of the blend of French and Swiss inspiration he draws from. This is the second of his watches to come to auction, this one being the Prototype N.00 of the model Facing The Sky 2.0, which was made in 12 production pieces. The estimate is CHF 18,000 to CHF 36,000.

For more on the Marteau & Co. “Heat Wave” Auction, visit their website.