Happy to show you the watches when I'm back in town with the prototypes. As an aside, I appreciate all the comments here (I still do try to find the time to lurk here from time to time!). I've always maintained that taste is a personal thing, and just as - as a collector - I would never begrudge any
Although that doesn't make it any less amazing! I echo all of your thoughts about this watch, it is a superlative achievement and a real mechanical tour de force. I was lucky enough to have the chance to play with it and photograph it in Geneva last month (I shot the photos for the Hodinkee article
If the winning buyer doesn't pay, Phillips has discretion over whether and how to resell the lot, including via a private sale. There is no obligation to offer it to the second highest bidder.
It's not my place to comment in detail but I will say for certain that there wasn't any calculated attempt on Hodinkee's part to deceive anyone - these were the facts as reported to us by the subject and corroborated by Phillips, and I certainly detected no calculated conspiracy on their part either