Sotheby’s is set to take the world of horology into uncharted territory with Area_51, an exhibition and live auction of alien-inspired wristwear, in collaboration with watch magazine heist-out. Coinciding with Watches & Wonders, the three-day, 51-lot live auction is set to occur from April 1 through 3 in Geneva.
The Area_51 exhibition will be staged at La Salle Trocmé, transformed into an immersive UFO crash site and top secret alien research facility. This dramatic setting will display a stellar collection of watches that appear to have arrived from another dimension. Blending vintage and contemporary designs, the collection includes standout references from brands including Urwerk, MB&F, De Bethune, and Gérald Genta, alongside rare offerings from legacy labels Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet.
“This year’s theme—extraterrestrial wristwear—blasts us onto a galactic journey filled with out-of-this-world watches,” said Manon Hagie, Sotheby’s watch specialist, in a statement. “We have also included more contemporary references and two brand-new
and unique creations made exclusively for Area_51. Above all, the most fun was had in playing around with the definition of alien design and its many possibilities. That’s why this Area_51 collection is so eclectic—taking in the bejeweled and the minimalist, the graphic and the sleek, the discreet and the ostentatious—yet unmistakably alien to convention.”
Co-founders of heist-out Maxime Couturier and Lorenzo Maillard echoed this sentiment: “Free from the constraints of era or tradition, Area_51 recontextualizes the extraordinary, challenging perceptions and sparking new conversations about time, design, and the unknown.”
With estimates up to $225,000, here are a few of the highlights from the upcoming sale:
At top: Rolex Starship Gold watch (circa 1980) in 14k yellow gold, estimate $9,000-$13,000
(Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)
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