The most unique watches of the Only Watch Auction 2023

Only Watch, the biennial charity auction made up of totally unique watches, has revealed all of the pieces which will go under the hammer later in the year.

The one-of-a-kind watches are the result of creative work from over 70 watchmakers and brands, featuring 16 collaborations resulting in an auction of 62 lots.

This 10th anniversary auction celebrates Only Watch’s bright and colourful story by including all colours of previous editions in its visual identity as well as adding the colour green (an emblem of hope).

As per previous auctions, all auction proceeds will benefit research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and genetic diseases.

Due to take place on November 5, 2023, starting at 2 pm (CET), all watches will be auctioned by Christie’s Geneva at PALEXPO, the auction can also be followed online via christies.com and bids can be additionally placed over the phone.

You can find all watches online on the Only Watch website, but I’ve included a few of my favourites down below:

1. Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon

Let’s kick things off with a bit of bling. This sapphire watch is inspired by Takashi Murakami’s iconic smiling flower features Hublot’s first ever central tourbillon at its heart. It’s surrounded by twelve petals set with 444 gemstones and boasts an impressive power reserve of 150 hours.

2. Maurice Lacroix Only Watch 2023

Equally as colourful, although a little less blingy, Maurice Lacroix’s entry this year is inspired by the work of artist Victor Vasarely. The Only Watch model celebrates vibrant colours, housed in a 43mm sapphire case and featuring an in-house skeleton movement.

3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked Only Watch Edition

The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked was first unveiled last year to celebrate the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary. This unique Only Watch edition comes in a 41mm white ceramic case with a matching bracelet. It’s enhanced with the mainplate and bridges in a vivid blue hue, and special oscillating weight in 22K gold.

4. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Marble

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo is already a unique looking watch, but this one-off takes things to the next level. The 40mm DLC treated titanium case and bracelet are covered with a Verde di Alpi marble. At 6 o’clock, the marble dial reveals the 1.95mm thin manual tourbillon in-house caliber BVL 268.

5. Baltic Experiments Premier Quantième Perpétuel

Baltic has teamed up with the experienced watchmakers of Maclef company to create a highly legible Perpetual Calendar watch. The 37mm slim timepiece blends steel and titanium, and features three sub-registers with a prominent pointer date. At the heart, a 100% newly developed perpetual calendar run by the ultra-thin Vaucher 5401 micro-rotor movement.

6. Montblanc 1858 Géosphère 0 Oxygen Carbo2

I’m a big fan of Montblanc’s Géosphère model, but this unique edition created for Only Watch features several innovations which makes it even more appealing. These innovations include an exclusive brand new material, zero oxygen in the case and an amazing experience together with Montblanc Mark Maker Nimsdai Purja. Zero oxygen inside the case not only eliminates fogging, which can occur with drastic temperature changes at altitude, but also prevents oxidization.

7. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1 Unique Piece

If you’re after something a little more traditional, Blancpain is celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its iconic Fifty Fathoms which publicly debuted in 1953. This unique special edition is blue themed take on the 70th Anniversary Act 1 timepiece that launched earlier this year.

8. Girard-perregaux Neo Constant Escapement Only Watch Edition

The Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement Only Watch Edition encompasses the brand’s highly inventive constant force technology. This pièce unique incorporates numerous aesthetic and technical improvements and serves to showcase the Manufacture’s technical prowess.

9. Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto “On Track”

With the creation of the new Sport Auto “On Track”, Laurent Ferrier decided to pay tribute not only to Only Watch’s colourful and vibrant theme, but also to its founding history associated to the world of motor racing. This new, unique and distinctive dial features  charcoal grey gradient shades that resemble the appearance of asphalt. On the outer edge of the dial, a track pattern alternating yellow and blue acts as a boundary for the dial, evoking the speed bumps delimiting the bends in the racetrack.

10. Bell & Ross BR03 Cyber Rainbow

Standing out with a touch of avant-garde flair and vibrant use colours, Bell & Ross presents a bold timepiece fitted with a manufacture movement, inspired by the iconic BR 03.

11. F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu Furtif

With a case and bracelet made completely from Tantalum, this unique watch made especially for Only Watch is a world first. It features an 18K rose gold movement, and the Chronomètre Furtif takes its name from the difficulty of reading the time if the watch is not facing you.

12. Frederique Constant X Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Tourbillon Planetarium

Frederique Constant and Christiaan van der Klaauw, both Dutch, are celebrating over 20 years of horological friendship. Frederique Constant has contributed its Manufacture Tourbillon and 42mm Classic case, while Christiaan Van Der Klaauw adds the world’s smallest planetarium, showing six planets orbiting the Sun in real time – an orbit that takes Saturn almost 30 years to complete. You’ll definitely want to keep this one in a watch winder.

13. Gérald Genta Only Watch 2023

Back to something a little more playful – a magical take on Haute Horlogerie combining Disney’s Mickey Mouse and an on-demand chiming time. The octagonal case celebrates one of Gérald Genta’s design masterpieces.

14. Biver Catharsis

Catharsis is a unique interpretation of the minute repeater carillon tourbillon with no visible display of time. Made of titanium, the piece combines unusual handcrafts with a unique type of invisible gem-setting, stone marquetery and guilloché.

15. Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur Only Watch

Clad in its platinum and titanium case, the Arceau le temps voyageur Only Watch 2023 offers an interpretation that is all about bright colours.

16. Richard Mille Talisman Origine

RM takes perspective bidders on a journey with this unique piece, stating ‘A millennia ago, in a long-since vanished society where mechanics, craftsmanship and spirituality were united, this fascinating object emerged. Discovered in the heart of the Swiss mountains, this pendant was imprisoned for an eternity in its wooden receptacle. Nicknamed “Talisman Origine” by the research teams, this mysterious golden relic certainly encapsulated the know-how of an old Swiss tribe.’

Richard Millie claims to have analyzed the shamanic relic and used modern manufacturing technologies to learn more about its origin. Codename RMS14, this piece offered to Only Watch is a tribute to this enigmatic object, a Richard Mille interpretation of what this pendent could have looked like centuries past.

17. Ulysse Nardin Freak S Only Watch

Freak S Only Watch is a unique iteration of the Freak S launched last year. In order to celebrate the anniversary of Only Watch, the Ulysse Nardin manufacture and design studio have created a colorful interpretation of the UN-251 caliber based on the rainbow colour pallet.

18. Zenith Chronomaster Sport Only Watch Set

If you’re not satisified with just one watch, try bidding for Zenith’s Chronomaster Sport Box Set of 4 references. It features yellow, green, blue and red ceramic bezel models and coloured dials to matching the official colours of Only Watch 2023. The watches are equipped with the automatic El Primero chronograph with 1/10th of a second measurement.

19. TAG Heuer Monaco Split- Seconds Chronograph for Only Watch

At Only Watch this year, TAG Heuer has debuted a brand-new mechanical split seconds chronograph movement – the very first for the brand. It also introduces a bold new design direction (similar to the new TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton) for the iconic Monaco collection.

20. Tudor Prince Chronograph One

Tudor usually offers an innovative take on its Black Bay range for the Only Watch auction, but this year the brand is celebrating a classic chronograph from the ‘70s. For the first time, a brand-new prototype Manufacture Chronograph Calibre, fully developed from the ground up by Tudor, is being presented in a unique 18K solid yellow gold version of a Tudor classic, the “Big Block” Chronograph. If previous auctions are to go by, this gives us an exciting glimpse at Tudor’s future plans.

21. Trilobe Réconciliation

Inspired by the Japanese art Kintsugi, “Réconciliation” by Trilobe embodies the philosophy of embracing life’s imperfections. The timepiece reveals the beauty hidden behind the flaws by gilding its cracks with gold leaves.

22. Konstantin Chaykin Stargazer

If you’re after complications, meet Stargazer Only Watch 2023, the most complicated watch Konstantin Chaykin has ever created. It features 16 complications, a double-sided reversible design and a pre-shaped reversible strap allowing the watch to be worn in either orientation.

If you liked this, check out Stuff’s guide to the best G-Shock watches for slightly more affordable timepieces. If you prefer smartwatches, find them in our best smartwatch guide.