{{Short description|Auctioneer of timepieces}} '''Antiquorum''' is an auctioneer of modern and vintage timepieces. Established in Geneva in 1974, Antiquorum was the first auction house to auction fine watches over the Internet in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/2010/11/25/the-worlds-largest-watch-auction-house-is-now-on-your-iphone.html |title=The World's Largest Watch Auction House Is Now On Your iPhone: A Review Of The Antiquorum App |author=Felix Scholz |work=HODINKEE - Wristwatch News, Reviews, & Original Stories |accessdate=18 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118164524/http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/2010/11/25/the-worlds-largest-watch-auction-house-is-now-on-your-iphone.html |archivedate=18 January 2015 }}</ref>
The company was founded in Geneva in 1974 and expanded to have branches in ten cities, including New York, London, Moscow, Paris, Milan, Munich, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
Antiquorum conducts auctions in Geneva, New York and Hong Kong about ten times a year, preceded by previews in various major cities worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jckonline.com/2007/01/19/antiquorum-buys-timezonecom|title=Antiquorum buys TimeZone.com|work=JCK Magazine|accessdate=18 January 2015}}</ref>
In 1989 Antiquorum held a "landmark auction" called "Art of Patek Philippe." This auction helped to establish Patek Philippe's reputation as a luxury watch brand and viable investment and solidified the notion that watches could be more than just "timepieces."<ref>{{Cite web|author=Alex Doak|title=The incredible stories behind 5 of the world's most expensive watches|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/5-of-historys-most-expensive-watches/index.html|access-date=2020-12-31|website=CNN|language=en}}</ref>
== Notable auctions ==
* In 2002, Antiquorum set the all-time world record for a wristwatch at auction, selling a unique 1939 platinum Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 1415 for US$4,026,524 (SFr. 6,603,500) - more than double the previous world record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watchtime.com/2009/09/patek-world-records-at-antiquorums-new-york-sale/|title=Patek World Records at Antiquorum's New York Sale - WatchTime - USA's No.1 Watch Magazine|date=23 September 2009|publisher=Watchtime.com|accessdate=18 January 2015}}</ref> *On October 16, 2008, Antiquorum sold a gold Longines wristwatch once owned by Albert Einstein for US$596,000 in New York.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://mediacenter.longines.com/event/corporate/albert-einsteins-longines-watch-fetches-a-record-price-at-auction|title=Albert Einstein's Longines watch fetch... - 16/10/2008 {{!}} Longines Media Center|work=mediacenter.longines.com|accessdate=2019-01-22|archive-date=2020-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025173801/https://mediacenter.longines.com/event/corporate/albert-einsteins-longines-watch-fetches-a-record-price-at-auction|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/lot-208-286?page=1&q=longines|title=Unique and Historically Important Longines, No. 4876616, case No. 66968. Made in 1930, presented to Professor Albert Einstein on February 16th, 1931 in Los Angeles.|website=catalog.antiquorum.swiss|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.antiquorum.swiss/history/|title=HISTORY {{!}} Antiquorum Auctioneers since 1974|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref> * In March 2009, Antiquorum auctioned a number of Mahatma Gandhi's possessions including his Zenith pocket watch and spectacles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0328/billionaires-11-possessions-vijay-mallya-gandhi-memories.html|title=Vijay Mallya: Memories of Gandhi|author=Naazneen Karmali|date=9 March 2011|work=Forbes|accessdate=18 January 2015}}</ref> This caused controversy and the Indian government tried to cancel the sale.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7925686.stm|title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Gandhi items 'to return to India'|date=5 March 2009|publisher=News.bbc.co.uk|accessdate=18 January 2015}}</ref> * In November 2009 and March 2004, Antiquorum sold the yellow-gold and the white-gold Patek Philippe Calibre 89, respectively, and both watches currently rank among the top 10 most expensive watches ever sold at auction, with final prices over 5 million US dollars (the auction record for Antiquorum).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/patek-philippe-lot-222-364?browse_all=1&page=1&q=Patek+Philippe+Calibre+89|title=The Yellow Gold Calibre 89 Patek Philippe|website=catalog.antiquorum.swiss|access-date=2018-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124003703/https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/patek-philippe-lot-222-364?browse_all=1&page=1&q=Patek+Philippe+Calibre+89|archive-date=2018-11-24|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-patek-philippe-caliber-89-for-sale-at-christies-new-york|title=Hands-On: A Patek Philippe Caliber 89, For Sale At Christie's New York - HODINKEE|work=HODINKEE|access-date=2018-11-23|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112127/https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-patek-philippe-caliber-89-for-sale-at-christies-new-york|archive-date=2018-11-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/patek-philippe-lot-51-301?browse_all=1&page=2&q=Patek+Philippe+Calibre+89|title=Patek, Philippe, Genève. The white gold "Calibre 89"|website=catalog.antiquorum.swiss|access-date=2018-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124003638/https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/patek-philippe-lot-51-301?browse_all=1&page=2&q=Patek+Philippe+Calibre+89|archive-date=2018-11-24|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/patek-philippe-calibre-89-sold-for-5-million/|title=Patek Philippe Calibre 89 sold for $5 million|work=JCK|access-date=2018-11-23|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112137/https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/patek-philippe-calibre-89-sold-for-5-million/|archive-date=2018-11-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Horology Category:Companies based in Geneva Category:Retail companies established in 1974 Category:Swiss auction houses