• Jane Birkin’s Personal Hermès Bag, Complete with Her Signature and Handwritten Message, Heads to Auction

  A rare Hermès Birkin 30 once owned by Jane Birkin is set to go under the hammer in Paris. The bag’s particular appeal lies in the actress’s autograph and a handwritten message addressed to a friend named Georgia, Robb Report reports...

• Louis Vuitton Unveils Tambour Convergence Mirror Steel: Exceptional Scratch Resistance Meets Mirror-Like Shine

  Louis Vuitton has expanded its Tambour Convergence collection with the new Mirror Steel model. Its defining feature is a case made from specially developed hardened stainless steel, with a surface almost six times harder than conventional steel, reaching 1,130 Vickers. This allows the metal to retain its mirror polish for significantly longer, while minor scratches become virtually unnoticeable...

• Why Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe Dominate 62% of the $26.6 Billion Pre-Owned Watch Market

  Three Swiss brands dominate the luxury pre-owned watch market, largely thanks to sustained demand for iconic models that buyers are still willing to pay well above retail prices to acquire, according to Robb Report...

• How Bernard Arnault’s 28-Year-Old Son Turned Louis Vuitton Watches into Coveted Collectors’ Items

  At just 22, Jean Arnault was put in charge of Louis Vuitton’s watch division with an ambitious mission: to turn the fashion house’s watchmaking business into a serious force in the world of haute horlogerie. Now 28, the youngest son of billionaire Bernard Arnault has already made skeptics rethink their views on the brand’s timepieces. And it seems he is only getting started, Robb Report writes...

• A Theft with an Unexpected Twist: Thief Returns $292,000 Watch with a Note Saying “Sorry”

  A man stole a Swiss Audemars Piguet watch worth approximately $292,000 from a store in Tokyo, only to return it three days later by courier, along with a handwritten apology note. Police are now trying to identify the mysterious thief and find out why he changed his mind...

• Dubai to Open the World’s First Gold-Plated Pedestrian Walkway

  Dubai is preparing a new attraction for those who associate the city with luxury and record-breaking extravagance...

• Time by the Laws of the Cosmos: Van Cleef & Arpels Unveils Watch with Moving Sun and Moon

  French luxury jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels has introduced a new watch, the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune, which links timekeeping to the movement of celestial bodies...

• Chanel, Gucci and Burberry Under Fire: What Luxury Brands Have Been Hiding From Consumers

  Luxury brands have long destroyed unsold goods to preserve exclusivity and prevent their collections from losing value. Now, the European Union is trying to put an end to the practice...

Philips will put up for sale the personal collection of watches of Italian publisher and watch expert Guido Mondani as part of the XIX Geneva watch auction, writes Hypebeast.

A prominent figure in the luxury watch industry, Mondani has published numerous books on watchmaking over a career spanning more than three decades. In addition, he is also an avid collector of Rolex and Patek Philippe models. Back in 2006, he put up part of his collection of vintage Rolex models for auction. Among this line, two models were recognized as the most expensive Rolex watches ever sold.

This time Mondani intends to auction off the rest of his collection. “I now feel ready to part with a watch that I thought was too special to sell 18 years ago. This event is further confirmation that my constant search for and acquisition of quality watches has brought me great satisfaction,” said Mondani.

The upcoming auction in Geneva will feature a total of 40 watches from the Mondani collection, including vintage wristwatches from Rolex, Longines, Eberhard and Patek Philippe. One of the main items of the sale was the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6269, which Mondani gave to his wife while on vacation in 1985. Estimated cost: $680,000 to $1.3 million.

It comes in an 18k yellow gold case with a dial and bezel set entirely with diamonds. Other highlights include the Rolex Ref. in 18k rose gold. 6036 “Jean-Claude Killy” from 1955, as well as a 1938 Eberhard Rattrapante chronograph, which Mondanii purchased from a retiring Eberhard & Co. salesman. back in 1988.

The Guido Mondani collection will be exhibited in Milan. On March 20, select watches will be on display in New York from April 3 to 5, and in London from April 19 to 21. The full collection will be on view at the exhibition starting May 8th. The Geneva watch auction XIX will take place from 11 to 12 May.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram