Auction Phillips Celebrates a Decade of Achievements with Ferdinand Berthoud

This November, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will celebrate a decade of watch auctions with Decade One (2015–2025), a thematic sale at the Hôtel Président in Geneva. Marking ten years since the department’s inaugural auction in 2015, the event reflects on the extraordinary watches, record-breaking results, and pioneering scholarship that have shaped Phillips Watches over the past decade.

As previously noted, this celebration unfolds across ten “episodes.” The first, a landmark moment, saw Phillips bring together an unprecedented trio of Patek Philippe reference 1518. Now, the spotlight turns to the second chapter, dedicated to a name that shaped the history of haute horlogerie Ferdinand Berthoud.

Two remarkable works of art from the Berthoud dynasty will take center stage. The first is the Naissance d’Une Montre 3, unveiled at the most recent Geneva Watch Days, a unique, hand-made stainless-steel wristwatch created by the team at Ferdinand Berthoud, with proceeds supporting the preservation of watchmaking craft. Complementing it is the Louis Berthoud Marine Chronometer No. 52, made circa 1801, a historically important instrument once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte and French Navy Vice Admiral Denis Decrès. It is the only known surviving historic Louis Berthoud timepiece to retain its original lever escapement.

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is honored to present the unique stainless-steel Naissance d’Une Montre 3 at Decade One (2015–2025). The only example of its kind, the 44 mm wristwatch is inspired by Ferdinand Berthoud’s 18th-century Astronomical Pocket Watch No. 3 (1806). More than six years and 11,000 hours of manual work went into its creation, each component crafted entirely by hand using traditional tools.

The Naissance d’Une Montre initiative was launched by the Time Æon Foundation in 2009 to safeguard endangered artisanal techniques and to prove that contemporary watchmaking could still thrive without CNC machines or computer assistance. Following earlier collaborations with Greubel Forsey, Philippe Dufour, Michel Boulanger, Urwerk, and Oscillon, this third edition marks the first partnership with Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud. Ten examples in ethically sourced gold will be produced starting in 2026, all already reserved. The present steel watch, offered exclusively by Phillips, is both the first to be delivered and the last to be made available. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a foundation dedicated to preserving horological know-how, ensuring that future generations benefit from these traditional skills.

Equally significant is the Louis Berthoud Marine Chronometer No. 52, made circa 1801. Cased in silver and housed in its original mahogany box, this 63 mm marine chronometer represents a technical marvel of its era, featuring a lever escapement and conical balance spring. Beyond horology, its provenance is exceptional: originally sold to Premier Consul Napoleon Bonaparte (before his coronation as Emperor), who gifted it to Vice Admiral Denis Decrès in recognition of his valor commanding the Guillaume Tell after the Battle of the Nile. The case inscription preserves this legacy, marking it as a rare artifact of Napoleonic France.

The chronometer’s journey continued after Decrès, later Minister of the Navy, when it was passed on to Prince Jérôme Bonaparte before returning to the admiral. Another inscription commemorates Captain François Ponée’s gallantry aboard the frigate Néréide during the 1811 campaign off Mauritius. Remarkably, Louis Berthoud himself praised No. 52 in his workshop notes for the regularity of its lever escapement, a mechanism he otherwise often replaced with pivoted detents. Today, it remains the only known surviving Louis Berthoud timepiece retaining its original lever escapement, embodying both technical innovation and a vivid chapter of Napoleonic history.

The Phillips Decade One (2015–2025) auction will take place on 8–9 November 2025 at the Hôtel Président in Geneva, offering collectors an unprecedented opportunity to acquire timepieces that not only define Phillips’ first decade but also celebrate the enduring legacy of watchmaking. With eight further “episodes” yet to be revealed, anticipation builds for the surprises Phillips has in store for horological enthusiasts worldwide.

For more information visit Phillips official website.