Bring a Loupe: An Omega Speedmaster Alaska I Prototype Delivered To NASA, A Silver Dial Eberhard Contograf, And A Super Rare Heuer 'Skipperera'

November 09, 2018

That time of the year is here again, when dealers, collectors, and journalists flock to Geneva to kick off auction season. With this in mind, weve highlighted a few pieces on offer at Christies, Phillips, and Antiquorum, including an ultra-desirable Heuer Skipper Carrera, a prototype Speedmaster originally delivered to NASA, and a range of Rolex ephemera that ought to impress the scholarly collector. For good measure, there's also a fun chronograph that competed with the Speedmaster for the moon watch title and an often overlooked variant of yet another stellar vintage chronograph. Lets do just what the title of the column would suggest, and take a closer look at this weeks curiosities of note.? 1965 Eberhard Contograf With Silver Dial Eberhard has produced some of the greatest chronographs of all time, and the Contograf is no exception. While it may not be as mechanically sophisticated as some of the brand's other offerings of years past C though the in-house cal. 310.82 is no slouch C it is a legendary design, and one that you cant help but love, regardless of your collecting background. The example in question today is no ordinary Contograf though, as it features the seldom-seen silver dial, thats accented tastefully with red and black markings.? This watch is in incredible condition top to bottom, and even still has the original bracelet that so many are now missing. Its hands are also particularly appealing, as theyre the less common, thin stick variant from Eberhard, which followed the earlier dauphine-style hands.?The aptly named, Netherlands-based dealer of both cars and watches, Cars & Watches, has this Contograf listed for 16,500. Visit their site for more details. 1969 Omega Speedmaster Alaska I Prototype With NASA Provenance Aside from watches, music, and photography, Im somewhat obsessed with all things related to NASA, for the simple reason that the administration represents one of the coolest, most daring efforts in the history of humankind, itself. Hows that for justification? With this in mind, I couldnt help but include this historically important piece coming up for sale at Phillips in Geneva this weekend.?This is a Mark II ref. ST 145.014 Speedmaster, but its not an ordinary one by any means. As the extract from the archives from Omega will confirm, this is a prototype example of the sought after Alaska Project Speedmaster that, interestingly enough, was delivered to the Apollo Program Office at NASAs Johnson Space Center. Its believed to be one of a handful of prototypes produced with a set of durability-increasing modifications, per NASAs request.? To own a Speedmaster thats confirmed to have been delivered to NASA is one thing, but to own an Alaska Project prototype delivered to NASA is on an entirely different level. Well certainly be watching to see what this rarity among rarities realizes in the sales room this weekend.?Phillips has the estimate on this piece set at CHF 40,000-60,000. Click here for more details (and to see the rest of the catalog).? Wittnauer Ref. 242T Speaking of space, its worth noting that the Speedmaster didnt earn the Moonwatch monicker without going through rigorous testing C and during the process, a few other watches were put to the test as well. One such watch was the ref. 242T manufactured by Wittnauer, and its arguably one of the best looking sports chronographs ever made. Allow me to explain.?On paper, the 242T has a lot to offer, with a Valjoux 72 at its core and a liberal 38mm case diameter, though as one would expect, it's on the wrist that it really shines, thanks to the truly unique dial design. In addition to the outer decimal scale that traces the dial, youll find puffy luminous plots marking every five minute increment, along with an inner ring of small white dots that cut through the all the sub registers. This all makes for one of the most daring chronograph dial designs of the 1960s, which I personally find to be reminiscent of solar system models. 242T prices have been climbing steadily over the last few years, but in comparison to some other Valjoux 72 powered chronographs that are perhaps more desirable, the Wittnauer offers a lot in the way of value. While it might not have necessarily been up to NASAs standards, Im sure youll find it to be more than satisfactory C just dont go to the Moon with it.?Justin Vrakas of WatchSteez is offering this outstanding example for $10,500. Click here for the full listing. Heuer Carrera Skipper Ref. 7754 The Skipper is perhaps one of the rarest Carreras to have ever been produced, and also one of the most attractive. Its multicolored dial has long mesmerized the upper echelons of the vintage watch collecting world, and for good reason. The design was simply so radically different from both anything Heuer had ever produced, and anything available on the market at the time, which is largely why its so coveted in todays collecting landscape.?Heuers involvement in the timing of yachting dates back to the early 1960s, when the watchmaker began production of several stopwatches branded with the name Yacht Timer C many of which featured dials accented vibrantly with touches of blue, red, and green. These instruments were relied upon as true tools by sailors and skippers across the globe, to the extent that many teams competing in the Americas Cup had Heuer chronographs on board. Aspects of the existing yachting design language would later be translated into their wristwatch lineup with the release of the first Skipper, the Carrera-based ref. 7754, and later the ref. 7764 based on the ref. 2446 Autavia.? Following the weekend, Christies will offer an example of the famed yachting chronograph in their Geneva sale. The sale of a so-called Skipperrera is a rather big deal in the watch world, in that these are just unbelievably rare, and those that own them are understandably reluctant to part ways. Be sure to watch what this piece realizes on Monday, as the stunning condition will surely make it a benchmark for all future sales.?Christies has the estimate on this rare Heuer set at CHF 25,000-45,000, though I wouldnt be surprised to see it go far higher considering what examples have fetched in the past. Find more details here. Editor's Note: The description for this watch has been updated on Christies.com:"Please note that the image of this watch in the catalogue does not accurately reflect the condition. Additional photos will be sent to you to show the dial and the case that reflects the description in our condition report of this important watch." Rolex Ephemera At Antiquorum As much as I love watches, Ill often joke that marketing materials and watchmaker associated ephemera are arguably cooler than the watches themselves. I say this because such materials frame and contextualize how brands wished to be, and ultimately were perceived in an era we now so fervently celebrate as watch collectors.?Marketing and Rolex go together like peanut butter and jelly, and if you somehow werent already convinced, then maybe these several lots on offer at Antiquorum (via Invaluable.com) this weekend will change your mind. In addition to a directional sign from the Rolex offices, there are several unique looking brochures, watchmaking tools and materials, and a variety of hand painted sketches that were presumably used in Rolex window displays. Theres also what appears to be a Rolex branded pressure gauge, which is just unbelievably cool. Should you need a break from watches but still want a piece of the action, this might be a good direction to look in.