The 10th Edition of Only Watch, conducted with Christie’s, concluded its auction on May 10, 2024, raising over US$31 million to fund Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. The highlight was the Patek Philippe 6301A grand sonnerie and minute repeater watch, which sold for US$17.3 million.
The highest bidder, Zach Lu, is a New York-based watch collector in his 30s with a particular fondness for Patek Philippe watches. He also owns the first of the limited-edition Tiffany-Blue Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, created in 2021 to celebrate the relationship between Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co.
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Lu shares his watch-collecting journey with over 115,000 followers on Instagram (@zachattack__25), showcasing experiences like a private tour of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton with Jean Arnault and featuring his favorite Richard Mille Pharrell Williams sapphire watch.
One of his proudest moments was acquiring the rare Tiffany-Blue Patek timepiece. Although he was initially an underbidder at the Phillips 2021 New York Watch Auction, he eventually secured the watch when the winning bidder couldn’t complete the purchase. Alexandre Arnault of Tiffany & Co. and Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe selected Lu to buy it.
Lu, who started collecting watches at 15, also has connections with Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, even playing a small role in Wahlberg’s 2023 movie, The Family Plan.
The next highest bids at Only Watch were for Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Antimagnétique (about US$2.3 million) and F.P. Journe Chronomètre Furtif (about US$2.2 million). A total of 47 exclusive timepieces were donated by 52 brands, including Bulgari, Hublot, Chanel, and Tag Heuer.
