Artcurial organizes its first Paris Luxury Days, dedicated to Jewelry and Watchmaking

On January 13 and 14, the auction house will sell vintage watches and jewelry, including some exceptional pieces, by the biggest names in the industry, from Patek Philippe to Rolex, Breguet, Cartier, Chaumet, Graff, Harry Winston, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Piaget, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Artcurial Paris‘s sales are coming thick and fast, showcased in its prestigious setting, the Hôtel Marcel Dassault, on the Champs-Élysées roundabout.

After French Haute Pâtisserie, the subject of the very first charity auction in early December, the auction house, which presents itself as the leading auction house in France based in Paris, is organizing another first on January 13 and 14, the Paris Luxury Days, dedicated to jewelry and watchmaking.

Three sessions

Three sessions will be held: the first, dedicated to Collectible Watches, will take place on Tuesday, January 13 at 2 p.m.; the second, “Le Temps est Féminin” (Time is Feminine), dedicated to ladies’ watches, will take place on Tuesday, January 13 at 4 p.m.; and finally, the last session, dedicated to Jewelry, will take place on Wednesday, January 14 at 2 p.m.

To enable buyers to identify, or simply admire, the pieces of their dreams, public viewings will be held from January 5 to 9, 2026, by appointment, then on Saturday, January 10, from 2pm to 6pm, Monday, January 12 (11am–5pm) and Tuesday, January 13 (11am–6pm).

Collectible Watches: Patek Philippe and Rolex in the spotlight

During the Collectible Watches sale, two iconic models, dating from around 1993 and 1980 respectively, are expected to be highly sought after, with both estimated at €80,000 to €120,000: a Patek Philippe ref. 3970 bracelet chronograph with perpetual calendar and moon phases, and a Rolex Sea-Dweller “Comex” steel diving wristwatch ref. 1665.

The former belongs to the third generation of the model, a series produced between 1989 and 1995 and “recognizable by its faceted hour markers and baton hands,” according to the media outlet Passion Horlogère.

The second is sold with a Rolex letter dated July 29, 2008, confirming delivery to Comex on December 1, 1980, “a particularly sought-after element of provenance in this segment,” according to Passion Horlogère.

Enthusiasts with slightly less money to spend can console themselves by trying to buy another Rolex, which will allow them to show their friends and family that they have not “missed out on life,” in the famous words of advertising executive Jacques Séguéla. This is a Cosmograph Daytona “Big Red – Sigma Dial” ref. 6265 (circa 1980), advertised with a complete original set from the first owner, and estimated at the modest sum of €50,000–70,000.

Breguet and Cartier more accessible

It will also be possible to opt for a Breguet Type XX, with a flyback function evoking the heyday of aviation chronographs, referenced in the watchmaker’s archives as having been sold on December 20, 1961, with an estimate of €20,000–30,000.

Finally, those with less money but still passionate about watches may be interested in a Cartier Gondole Horizontale “Jumbo” model, dating from around 1975, in white gold, whose series is distinguished by its curved lines and “only” estimated at €8,000–12,000.

Le Temps est Féminin: refined timepieces

The Le Temps est Féminin session, dedicated to ladies’ watches, is also set to spark excitement with its highly refined models.

Estimated at €25,000-50,000, an Art Deco wristwatch, dating from around 1920, in platinum, enamel, and diamonds, signed Jaeger-Lecoultre, will be the highlight of a set of gold and diamond pieces.

Another Patek Phillipe yellow gold wristwatch, estimated at €8,000-12,000, stands out for its personal history: it belonged to Marcelle Pellet, a gift from her famous husband André Chaumeix, journalist (editor-in-chief of Le Figaro from 1926 to 1930), literary critic, and member of the Académie Française.

Fans of the watchmaker Piaget will be drawn to a bracelet watch (circa 1980) in 18-carat yellow gold and diamonds, estimated at €5,000–7,000.

Jewelry: diamonds and history await

Finally, the jewelry session also has something to turn heads…

The undisputed star of the sale isa ring from Harry Winston, adorned with an exceptional 6.96-carat Type IIa diamond, color D, clarity VVS2, estimated at a remarkable €150,000–200,000.

A magnificent 10.97-carat Fancy Yellow diamond, set in a ring by Graff, is also estimated to fetch a handsome sum (€120,000-150,000).

Another ring, but a little more “affordable,” with an estimate of €35,000–45,000, is a 2006 Cartier “Lakarda” model, adorned with two panther heads, the jeweler’s favorite animal, with emerald-set eyes and an onyx nose.

Two in one

Those who prefer necklaces will set their sights on a “superb” “1950s platinum” model from Maison Chaumet, formed of a river of half-cut diamonds weighing 38.40 carats. The new owner of this precious item, estimated at €25,000-35,000, will actually be getting two pieces of jewelry, as “the central part can be worn as a bracelet.”

Van Cleef & Arpels will also be featured in this vintage auction with Snowflake earrings and two Danseuse brooches (circa 1945), estimated at €40,000–60,000 and €6,000–8,000, respectively.

Last but not least, history and jewelry enthusiasts will not want to miss (or bid on?) a set that belonged to the Duchess of Angoulême, the daughter of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. This rare set, consisting of a drapery necklace, bracelet, brooch, earrings, and plastron buttons, is estimated at €6,000–8,000. This is a rather modest sum given the undeniable historical value of this piece, but also its beautiful craftsmanship in 18-carat gold set with smoky quartz, the famous “Alençon diamonds.”

This set is said to have been given by the city of Alençon in September 1827 on the occasion of an official visit…

Artcurial: a growing international presence

Founded in 2002, Artcurial says it has consolidated “its leading position in the international art market in 2024” with €186.6 million in sales at its four auction houses in Paris, Monaco, Marrakech, and Basel. It does so by covering “the entire range of major specialties: from Fine Arts to Decorative Arts, Collectible Cars, Jewelry, Collectible Watches, Fine Wines, and Spirits.”

Artcurial is also expanding its international coverage. In addition to representative offices in Brussels, Milan, Monte Carlo, Munich, and Marrakech, and a presence in Austria and Spain, in 2023 it joined forces with the Swiss auction house Beurret Bailly Widmer and in March 2025 inaugurated a new space in Geneva.