Independents

Major price discovery witnessed for Philippe Dufour Simplicity at Sotheby’s auction of Oct9,2020 The first Simplicity in WG fetched USD 455,000 excluding the 20% buyer’s premium. The second Simplicity in Platinum fetched USD 662,000 excluding buyer’s pr... 

Your examples point out perfectly that name is gaining too much importance. I’m almost feeling a kind of fatigue because of this “trend”.

In fact it would be interesting note that the HM1 has an automatic movement that builds a power reserve of a whopping 175 hours. I cannot recall any other automatic movement that can claim this level of power reserve. The 10 day movements in patek5100 or ... 

Octa Calendrier from FPJourne is an automatic with 120hours power reserve.

particularly disturbing since Philip Dufour has just announced that he will be producing 20 new Simplicity watches to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Simplicity. He has not decided on the price yet but with these auction prices, he must be tempted...  

Ofcourse a PD will be a grail watch for many including me but to pay such a huge premium even like you said 300k for a limited of 20 pieces is a bit to much imho . Looking at this i really think a Rexhepi is just a bargain then 😉

Your Chronometre Contemporain is an absolute bargain relatively especially with its limited numbers!

Some real value-plays are out there amongst independents. Prices are still reasonable. Names that I can heartily recommend are the artisanal independents like Stefan Kudoke ( gphg awardee), Dornbluth ( quintus ; inhouse caliber driven), Beat Haldiman ( wi... 

There are a few in your list that are in my collection too . All amazing and relatively affordable masterpieces imho. I really don’t think you need to spend a large amount like 500k to get a amazing watch from a great watchmaker unless money isn’t a probl... 

I “get” the attraction with Dufour but it seems many people believe these watches to be something more than they actually are in terms of the “handmade” story.

Its a lovely watch so if i had more money then i could ever spend why not and throw in a £50 mill Picasso for funsies.

And this is child’s play compared to the art world.

the Simplicity would easily be $50-100k.

The Simplicity has fetched such astronomical prices not just due to its rarity but due to what the buyers have perceived to be the very best in a hand finished movement. A Patek Calatrava produced in limited numbers would never command such prices (and I ... 

Dufour initially produced some 200 plus Simplicity watches and most were consumed by knowledgeable Japanese collectors. Perhaps another 100 or so could have been produced over time for those on the subscription waiting lists. The Duality which used the co... 

Winning them? IMO, Dufour has earned his reputation, but these prices are excessive.

S ...  

...just to make a small correcting. The prices list and achieved are inclusive of the buyer's premium.

Noted. Thanks.