Christie’s recently put this Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon up for auction online, where it garnered $481,700 at current exchange rates to become the sale’s top lot.
New York—A superhero-inspired Audemars Piguet garnered nearly half a million dollars at auction when it hit the block at Christie’s earlier this month.
In April, the watch manufacturer introduced the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon as part of a new partnership with Marvel.
The watch takes its name and images from the Marvel Comics character Black Panther (real name T’Challa) who is the king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda.
It features a laser-cut white gold figure of Black Panther, hand-painted with such detail he seems ready to jump off the watch. It takes an Audemars Piguet’s craftsperson 30 hours of work to complete the figure.
The vivid purple and black tones of the watch also keep with the character’s color scheme.
Another view of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon
Two hundred and fifty versions of the watch in titanium were produced. One of those just went to auction, leading Christie’s recent “Watches Online: The Marvelous Sale,” where it sold for about $481,700 at current exchange rates.
The final price tag fell within the pre-sale estimate of $380,000 to $650,000, though there was some speculation it would garner more, especially after a special white gold edition sold at a celebrity charity event for $5.2 million.
(The watch retails for €150,000, or about $176,000.)
Meanwhile, a Patek Philippe Platinum Minute Repeater Tourbillon Ref. 3939 was the No. 2 lot in the Christie’s online sale. It features two high complications—a two-gong minute repeater and a tourbillon escapement—a 34 mm platinum case, and a black enamel dial.
It sold for $417,400, going for three times more than its low estimate.
See: Other Tops Lots from ‘The Marvelous Sale’
This Patek Philippe Platinum Minute Repeater Tourbillon Ref. 3939 with a black enamel dial and white Breguet numerals sold for $417,400.
A rare Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 1579R in a pink gold case went for $208,700.
The No. 4 lot was this Patek Philippe Steel Nautilus with Date Ref. 5711/1A-001 that sold for $104,300.
A Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 1579R in a pink gold case, of which there are only 82 known examples, followed at No. 3, garnering $208,700 to fall within its pre-sale estimate.
Rounding out the top five was yet another Patek Philippe, a Steel Nautilus with Date Ref. 5711/1A-001 with a 40 mm stainless steel case, black/blue dial, automatic movement, and stainless-steel bracelet that sold for $104,300; and a Rolex Daytona Ref. 116509 set with diamonds and rubies that went for $96,300.
The online watch auction totaled $3.7 million dollars. For full results, visit Christies.com.
