From the collection of Mohammed Zaman: five ‘masterpieces of historic watchmaking’

Over the course of 45 years, the Omani businessman Mohammed Zaman has been discreetly building one of the world’s most admired watch collections.

It started almost by accident, in 1978, when he purchased a Rolex Day-Date to celebrate a deal during a work trip to Dubai. Fast forward to the present, and Zaman has acquired more than 500 watches.

Yet his collection isn’t impressive for breadth alone. It contains a rare Patek Philippe with custom Omani royal ‘Khanjar’ dial; watches with enticing provenance, such as the Rolex GMT Marlon Brando wore in Apocalypse Now; and one-of-a-kind timepieces featuring unique complications created by renowned independent manufacturers such as Philippe Dufour.

In fact, according to Hodinkee editor Anthony Traina, when any headline-grabbing watch has come to auction in recent times, there’s a decent chance it was Zaman who bought it. There is a theme running through Zaman’s collection, however: a mission to own the best in each category. Or as he calls them, ‘masterpieces of historic watchmaking’.

This November, Christie’s is offering more than 200 watches from Zaman’s collection across two dedicated sales with the same title: Passion for Time — An Important Private Collection of Watches and Timepieces. One will be held live in Geneva on 6 November 2023, and the other online from 7-21 November.

We asked, Remi Guillemin, our Head of Watches in Europe, to select five ‘grail’ pieces from the sales that he would take home with him.

George Daniels

In the 1970s the British watchmaker George Daniels — renowned for building complex timepieces entirely by hand — invented the co-axial escapement, which virtually eliminated friction in the heart of the watch’s movement, improving precision and durability. It is considered the greatest advancement in escapement design to have happened over the past 200 years.

In 2010, to mark the 35th anniversary of the co-axial escapement, Daniels created this model. It features an entirely new calibre and was completely hand-crafted on the Isle of Man in collaboration with Daniels’ protégé, Roger W. Smith. In 2018, Smith received a knighthood for his services to watchmaking.

‘There are around 47 watches in total in the anniversary series,’ says Guillemin. ‘This was the first one ever produced. It’s also one of just four made in platinum. Signed “Daniels No.00”, it’s a cornerstone of this legendary collaboration between the two most renowned English independent watchmakers of modern times.’

Voutilainen

The Finnish watchmaker Kari Voutilainen is another independent manufacturer known for pushing technical boundaries. ‘His watches are mechanical marvels that he has spent decades refining,’ Guillemin says.

As a result, Voutilainen only produces around 50 watches per year, with a single dial alone sometimes taking up to two days to finish.

In 2005, Voutilainen unveiled the world’s first minute repeating watch that chimes at intervals of 10 — rather than 15 — minutes, so that each chime is counted in a way more closely connected to the numbers on a dial. ‘For me this was just so logical; counting 10s is what people do,’ Voutilainen said of his creation. ‘Even the minutes are easier to count and remember: one to nine in the case of the decimal repeater, compared to one to 14 in the classical one.’

This particular 18k white gold decimal minute repeater was made circa 2013 and also features a completely unique power reserve sector on the dial, indicating how much energy is left in the mainspring before it needs rewinding. ‘This watch is full of exquisite detail and charisma,’ says Guillemin. ‘It’s the incarnation of Voutilainen’s talent.’

Rolex

The 6062 is one of Rolex’s most fabled references. Unveiled at Basel Watch Fair in 1950, it was the first triple-calendar moon-phase watch to feature a waterproof case.

It came in a variety of combinations: customers could choose between a stainless steel or gold case, two-tone silver or black dials, and pyramid, dart or even diamond indexes. One of the most unusual options, however, was the ‘Stelline’ variant, which came with stars for hour markers.

Just 50 reference 6062 watches were made in pink gold, and of them, only 10 were fitted with Stelline dials, making this particular Rolex a real rarity. It’s also in immaculate condition: the luminous markers are original, the printing is still crisp and the case has also never been polished, so it still retains the satin finish and razor-sharp edges it left the factory with more than 70 years ago.

‘Its superb condition is partly thanks to the watch having had so few owners — most likely just four over its entire lifetime,’ says the specialist. ‘One of them was Gordon Bethune, who acquired the watch from its original owner’s estate. Bethune was the former CEO of Continental Airlines and a noted watch collector. This watch was sold in his landmark sale, The Gordon Bethune Collection of Fifty Exceptional Vintage Wristwatches at Christie’s in 2012.’

Harry Winston and F.P. Journe

In 1998, the jewellery business Harry Winston hired a young Max Büsser (later the founder of manufacturer MB&F) to head its rare timepieces department. Under his guidance, the company launched a range of collaborative projects with lesser-known independent watchmakers called its ‘Opus’ series.

The first watch was released in 2001. Called ‘Opus One’, it was created with the Geneva-based independent maker F.P. Journe. Eighteen were made in total, six each fitted with one of F.P. Journe’s Tourbillon, Resonance or Réserve de Marche movements. They all had unique dials, while every watch’s case was made in platinum in Harry Winston’s trademark Art Deco style, with the lugs resembling the iconic doorway to the company’s boutique on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

‘This example features a tourbillon and eye-catching turquoise dial,’ says Guillemin. ‘Opus One was an incredible project. Not only did it enhance Harry Winston’s reputation as a serious horological player, but it shone a spotlight on small, independent watchmakers.’

Today, F.P. Journe is one of the most respected independent brands in the industry, with an auction record price of more than $3 million.

De Bethune

‘Founded in Switzerland in 2002, De Bethune is an independent watchmaker with a reputation for avant-garde styling as much as technical innovation,’ says Guillemin.

Perhaps no other model showcases these two ingredients better than this reference DB28XP. It was released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original DB28 model, which had been awarded the top prize — the coveted ‘Aiguille d’Or’ — at the 2011 Grand Prix d’horlogerie de Genève.

The anniversary model features a grade-5 titanium case with fire-blued hands and a movement that contains no fewer than four patented parts. The lugs have also been created using De Bethune’s signature patented ‘floating’ system, which adapts to the wearer’s wrist size and movements for improved comfort.

‘This is a brilliant piece of design that combines traditional craftsmanship with scientifically advanced materials,’ Guillemin enthuses. ‘The delta-triangle shape on the watch’s dial is undoubtedly a nod to the space-age gadgets that inspired it.’

Explore Luxury at Christie’s in Hong Kong, Geneva, London and Paris, November and December 2023