The Monaco Legend Group’s upcoming Lugano auction presents a fantastic opportunity for collectors to acquire some of the most important neo-vintage wristwatches ever produced. From groundbreaking complications to rare, early independent watchmaking icons, the June 5th sale at Hotel Villa Principe Leopoldo offers a remarkable snapshot of innovation and craftsmanship from the 1980s through early 2000s.
Starting with Lot 32, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Répétition Minutes, a limited edition from 1994 commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Reverso. Numbered 037 of 500, this pink gold minute repeater blends the Reverso's Art Deco elegance with mechanical brilliance via the world’s first rectangular repeater movement, calibre 943. An aperture at five o’clock offers a view of the striking regulator—a compelling detail in this historically important timepiece.
Neo-vintage Breguet highlights include Lot 35, a reference 3237 Tuxedo Chronograph in yellow gold. Featuring a rare onyx outer dial track, this Lemania-powered chronograph exudes subtle flair and classical balance.
Even more complex is Lot 41, a yellow gold reference 3617 Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, which marries two elite complications with exquisite dial work and the same legendary Lemania 2310 movement.
The standout Breguet complication is Lot 47, a reference 3350BB Tourbillon in white gold with a guilloché dial and manual Calibre 558—a celebration of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s most enduring legacy.
Also of note is Lot 53, a unique platinum Blancpain Minute Repeater Erotic Automaton wristwatch, combining discreet classical styling on the front with an intricately engraved and animated automaton case back.
Lot 56 continues the theme of rarity and duality with Breguet’s Souscription Set, featuring a matching wristwatch and pocket watch, each with perpetual calendar functions and superb presentation.
For collectors of independent watchmaking, Lot 134 represents a landmark—the very first Daniel Roth Monopusher Chronograph ever made, crafted in platinum and powered by the Lemania 2220 calibre.
Meanwhile, Lot 91 offers a Franck Muller Split-Seconds Chronograph marked "N°00," an early and possibly unique platinum execution of the model.
Blue-chip Patek Philippe references include Lot 151, a pink gold perpetual calendar 3940R with box and papers.
Lot 64, an Aquanaut 5066 made exclusively for the Japanese market, featuring a blue dial and desirable early production year.
Rounding out the neo-vintage masterpieces is Lot 13, an Audemars Piguet reference 25657PT Quantième Perpétuel Automatique with a Tuscan blue dial, one of only 128 platinum examples ever produced.
Finally, for lovers of bold mechanical ambition, Lot 97 is an IWC Grande Complication in platinum, one of just 50 made. With a 659-part movement including a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and chronograph, this exceptional wristwatch exemplifies the fearless spirit of mechanical watchmaking at the turn of the millennium.
These pieces speak not only to their makers’ technical prowess but also to a cultural moment in watchmaking, when traditional craftsmanship met modern design with renewed purpose. The Lugano Exceptional Timepieces sale invites connoisseurs to acquire the icons of that exciting era.
These highlights in a broader selection of exceptional neo-vintage timepieces curated for collectors who understand the quiet power of provenance, rarity, and uncompromising quality.
The Exclusive Timepieces sale will take place on Thursday, 5 June 2025, at the prestigious Villa Principe Leopoldo 5 star Hotel in Lugano.
Absentee bidding closes at 10:00 AM CEST on the morning of the sale. We encourage all interested collectors to register in advance to ensure participation.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire timepieces that define the creative, technical, and aesthetic renaissance of modern watchmaking.
Explore the full catalogue and register now to be part of this landmark event.
