A unique piece, with a hand-crafted dial and engraved letters... The sale of this timepiece set a new record, first witnessed by Bonhams auction house. Estimated at between €12,000 and €18,000, Picasso's historic watch sold for almost 20 times its estimate! Bought for €219,050, the sale of this unusual watch is a real event in today'sWATCHMAKING world. Daniel Gérard explains.
Picasso, a fan of high WATCHMAKING
A true figure of Western cultural and artistic heritage, the genius artist was also known for his extensive collection of timepieces. Passionate aboutWATCHMAKING and mechanics, he was drawn to the most prestigious manufactures of the time. Among his many possessions were a bevy of timepieces, each more complex and prestigious than the last. His passion: the emotion found in the object that is a watch, combined with its technicality. Akin to an animate being, for Picasso the timepiece is also a true daily companion, far more than a simple accessory.
A passionate auction
On May 20, at the Bonhams auction, the Park Hyatt Hotel featured the famous Spanish painter'sbracelet watch, manufactured by Michael Z. Berger.
Photographed several times on the wrist of the famous cubist, the watch subsequently captured the attention of the most fervent collectors.
The auction, which kept the whole world on its toes, also unleashed passions both online and by telephone. It ended with an iconic bid of €219,050, and an exceptional round of applause in the Bonhams auction room.
A watch steeped in history
The Greek sculptor Lela Kanellopoulou, whom he nicknamed "La Belle Hélène" in reference to her beauty, her background as an archaeologist and her Greek nationality, was a close friend and accomplice of the contemporary painter. According to the seller, one of Lela Kanellopoulou's close friends, the author of the famous Guernica would have immediately removed this timepiece from his wrist as a gift to La Belle Hélène.
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