The Renaissance Of Mid-Century Modern

Things change. We know that. Times change and tastes change. Sometimes we are ahead of the curve (we recognized the beauty and funkiness of old-cut, Euro-cut and old mine-cut diamonds back in the ’80s) and sometimes we are behind the curve. While not quite blindsided by the mid-century modern craze that started over 15 years ago, we were not ready for just how hot this stuff is.

When we started in the 1980s, few wanted those dated 1960s and ’70s so-called “modernist” designs. Yes, the bizarre exploding clock in your mom’s kitchen or the odd Danish-modern table in your parents’ den was not so much collectible as behind the times. But these Danish modern and art moderne designs made their way into jewelry and watches, and the demand for these styles is over the top! We need this stuff to feed our clientele — clientele that, unexpectedly, includes millennials and middle-agers, as well!

Collectible Modern Audemar Piguet Watches

Furniture designs range from the organic curves and clean lines of Charles Eames, Joseph Eichler, Paul Evans, Knoll and Hans Wegner to small tables with a bubble or constellation design by Dunbar or Edward Wormley. There are also watches and jewelry set in silver or gold and signed by Adler, Audemar Piguet, David Webb, Hamilton (especially Hamilton Electrics), Sam Kramer (his mark is a mushroom), Bacharach, Bergman, Brynner, Pardon and Gilbert Albert.

a piguet watch

$8,000 / MID-20th CENTURY ROSE GOLD AUDEMAR PIGUET MEN’S WATCH

Featured is a terrific example of mid-century wonder that we picked up at a coin show in Tampa last month. Largely ignored on a table full of used Rolexes and Pateks, we snapped it up for the coin dealer’s full asking price of $2,500.    We sold this ultra-cool, rose gold Audemar Piguet men’s watch, known as Disco Volante among collectors (Italian for “flying saucer”), on one of our online auctions for almost $8,000.

This is an archival article formerly written and is for informational purposes only. The valuations in this article have likely changed since it was first written.

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