Thursday, 5 November 2026 — Geneva’s auction previews, independent watchmaking and public exhibitions brought the international watch community together for the second day of Geneva Watch Auction Week.
◉ Today four major auction houses opened their Geneva previews, giving collectors an opportunity to examine important watches ahead of the weekend sales.
◉ Christie’s presented five F.P. Journe Ruthenium watches from Michael Schumacher’s collection, while Phillips showcased rare Patek Philippe, Rolex and independent watchmaking pieces.
◉ The GPHG exhibition and evening programme extended the day beyond the auction rooms, highlighting Geneva’s wider watchmaking heritage.
Geneva Watch Auction Week
From rare vintage Rolex and Patek Philippe references to independent masterpieces by F.P. Journe and Voutilainen, explore the extraordinary timepieces inspiring collectors during Geneva’s prestigious November auction week.
Rolex 6062 Stelline
An iconic vintage calendar watch in yellow gold, distinguished by its star-shaped hour markers, triple-calendar indications and moonphase display. A celebrated expression of mid-century Rolex design.
10:00 — Auction previews open across Geneva
The day began with simultaneous previews at Phillips, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, while Antiquorum’s exhibition continued as part of its November programme. The four auction houses offered collectors and visitors an opportunity to inspect important modern and vintage timepieces before the main sales.
At Phillips, the preview of The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV continued at the Hôtel President Wilson. The catalogue brings together approximately 220 watches, including significant examples from Patek Philippe and Rolex, alongside independent creations by F.P. Journe, Roger Smith and Kari Voutilainen. Among the notable highlights are a rare Patek Philippe split-seconds chronograph, a Rolex Ref. 6062 “Stelline” and distinctive F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance models.
At Christie’s, the Rare Watches Including Watches for ELA preview opened at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues. One of its most closely watched collections is a group of five F.P. Journe Ruthenium watches from Michael Schumacher’s personal collection. All five carry the number 92/99 and are offered as individual lots. The sale also includes vintage icons and important independent watchmaking.
Sotheby’s opened its Important Watches preview at the Mandarin Oriental. The selection spans established names including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, alongside important independent makers. Notable pieces include an historic A. Lange & Söhne Grande Complication pocket watch and a George Daniels Millennium.
Meanwhile, Antiquorum continued its exhibition of Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces, with highlights including an F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier, a Rolex Submariner Military Ref. 5513 and a Breguet Ref. 3356 Tourbillon Squelette.
12:00 — GPHG exhibition welcomes visitors
At the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève exhibition opened for the day.
The exhibition presents 84 nominated creations: 78 watches and six mechanical clocks from 55 brands. The selection offers a broad overview of contemporary watchmaking, from traditional craftsmanship and complicated movements to experimental design and independent horological work.
The exhibition remains open in Geneva until 15 November, with the GPHG awards ceremony scheduled for 7 November.
17:00 — Franck Muller and Classic 55 collectors’ evening
The afternoon programme included an invitation-only collectors’ evening organised by Franck Muller and New York-based Classic 55 at the Franck Muller Delisle Boutique.
The event focused on the maison’s distinctive Crazy Hours complication, known for its unconventional numeral arrangement and jumping-hour display. It offered a more intimate setting for collectors during a week otherwise dominated by auction previews and public exhibitions.
18:00 — A closer look at Geneva’s watchmaking heritage
The GPHG programme continued with a conference by Pascal Ravessoud, Vice-President of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.
Under the title “How did Geneva and Switzerland become a global benchmark for fine watchmaking?”, the 45-minute discussion explored the historical development of Geneva’s watchmaking tradition and the role of Swiss craftsmanship in establishing the region’s international reputation.
Additional guided exhibition tours were scheduled for 18:30 and 19:30, giving visitors another opportunity to explore the nominated watches with expert guidance.
19:00–21:00 — The day comes to a close
Phillips’ Thursday preview concluded at 19:00, while the Franck Muller collectors’ evening ran until 20:00.
The GPHG exhibition remained open until 21:00, making it one of the final public destinations of the day. Its extended Thursday hours gave visitors the opportunity to combine the auction previews with a broader cultural programme dedicated to watchmaking.
Looking ahead
Day Two was primarily about discovery rather than bidding. The main auction results are still ahead: Phillips is scheduled to hold its Geneva sale on 7–8 November, Sotheby’s on 8–9 November, Antiquorum on 7–8 November and Christie’s on 9 November.
With rare vintage references, important independent creations and historically significant watches represented across the catalogues, the coming auction sessions will provide a closer indication of collector demand and the current appetite for exceptional timepieces.
Sources
- Geneva Watch Auction Week — Event calendar and daily programme
- Phillips — The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV highlights
- Phillips — Auction catalogue
- Christie’s — Rare Watches Including Watches for ELA
- Sotheby’s — Important Watches
- Antiquorum — Official website
- GPHG — 2026 Geneva exhibition
- GPHG — Cultural programme and Thursday schedule
- Hodinkee — 2026 Geneva Fall Auctions preview
- Haute Time — Fall 2026 watch auction preview
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