HODINKEE Radio: Episode 62: Talking Auctions With Eric Ku And A First Look At Only Watch 2019

October 21, 2019

Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review here, and tell us which guests we should have on! Auction season is fast approaching. Ben gave us some of his thoughts last week, but we thought it would be fun to do a HODINKEE Radio episode themed around the upcoming sales. At the center of this, we've got our first ever repeat HODINKEE Radio guest: Eric Ku, the well-known collector and dealer, was our guest way back on Episode 5, and on a recent trip to San Francisco James and I sat down with him to talk about how the vintage watch market has evolved over the last year, with a particular eye to what we might expect in Geneva in November. As usually, I learned a ton from talking to Eric and I think you probably will too. Continuing the auction theme, I sat down with Ben and Cole just a few hours after we visited the preview for Only Watch 2019, the charity auction of unique modern watches from some of the world's top watchmakers. We get into what Only Watch is, the sale's history of producing world record prices, and our favorite pieces from this year's catalog. We'll have plenty more Only Watch coverage as the November sale approaches, but this is a perfect primer.We hope you enjoy Episode 62 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below and let us know what you think in the comments. Wrist Check In addition to being one of the go-to guys for all things vintage Rolex (and vintage Cartier, for that matter), Eric is also a passionate collector of modern watches, with a particular focus on independents and more avant-garde watchmaking. This ranges from Urwerk to Bulgari to the Akrivia you see here. Anyone who reads HODINKEE regularly will know that I absolutely love the Chronomtre Contemporain from Rexhep Rexhepi and it turns out Eric is a big fan too. This is one of the single most impressive time-only watches ever made and it's great to see savvy collectors like Eric getting onboard early. Show Notes 2:43?Only Watch 20195:16Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime5:30Three Things To Consider At The Upcoming Geneva Sales7:30Patek 5016 At Only Watch Sells For CHF 7.3 Million9:30The Sale Of Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona, The Most Expensive Wristwatch Ever10:40The Tudor Black Bay One At Only Watch 2015 Sells For Over 100 Times Retail Price13:35The F.P. Journe Monopusher Split-Seconds Chronograph For Only Watch 2017?17:19Breguet Type 20 Only Watch 201919:45Fifty Fathoms Barakuda for Only Watch20:20Gronefeld 1941 Remontoire20:30TUDOR Black Bay Ceramic One22:001858 Split Second Chronograph Only Watch 201923:00Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Tourbillon Openworked Only Watch Edition24:00El Primero A386 Only Watch26:40n/naka28:30'Chef's Table' Niki Nakayama32:30HODINKEE Radio Episode Eric Ku35:00Rolex TransContinental36:40Eric's Akrivia44:20Marlon Brando's Rolex GMT-Master From 'Apocalypse Now'1:08:00'American Factory' Official Trailer1:08:46'Rope'