The Fourth Wheel, Issue 103

Hacks, flak and backroom deals: the latest chapter in Only Watch and Christie's woes

Hello and welcome back to The Fourth Wheel, the weekly watch newsletter that is, as promised in Issue 100, having a little bit of a party! I’ve teamed up with The Watch Collector’s Club to host a very low-key get-together to celebrate 100 issues of the newsletter. It will be taking place on the evening of Tuesday May 28th at a central London location¹. Somewhat foolishly, perhaps, I’ve agreed to let Club founder Hamish turn the tables and interview me on all things watch media. Apparently this is a topic on which people have Big Opinions (really? I hadn’t noticed!) so if you fancy hearing us get our teeth into this innocuous topic - or just want to come for a drink, say hi, and see some interesting watches, sign up at the link here.

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The Fourth Wheel is a reader-supported publication with no advertising, sponsorship or commercial partnerships to influence its content. It is made possible by the generous support of its readers: if you think watch journalism could do with a voice that exists outside of the usual media dynamic, please consider taking out a paid subscription. You can start with a free trial!

Here’s a little taste of what you might have missed recently:

News About The Future Of The Fourth Wheel
Review: Baltic Hermetique Tourer
Revolution At Bremont
Exclusive Interview: Chronode Founder Jean-Francois Mojon
Where Are All The Risk-Takers?

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It is with a sense of inevitability that we return once more to Only Watch. I've given up saying ‘this is the last time’ because as Tony wrote in his immediate report on the sale last Friday for Hodinkee, nothing concerning this organisation is straightforward any more. It’s the story that keeps on giving.

Why has it been such a popcorn-worthy spectacle over the last eight months or so? It has it all: the suggestion of impropriety, the reputation of a much-loved individual called into question, the emotive and not at all trivial matter of sick and suffering children, large sums of money and some of the world’s most influential luxury goods corporations forced to react to events in an uncharacteristically public manner. The last part, for me, is where the real interest lies, and is why watch fans can’t leave the matter alone: for once, the veil of secrecy has been lifted and we’ve all had a glimpse of how things get done in Geneva and Monaco, and in the auction business as a whole. We’ll get back to that in a second.

Having weathered the PR storm, published its accounts, dodged further questions and exhausted the interest of 99 per cent of the media, rescheduled the sale, persuaded enough brands to stick with them and spent Watches and Wonders week glad-handing and sweet-talking everyone who matters, the Only Watch team could have been forgiven for thinking that it was finally in the bag. Oh no. The season finale had yet another unexpected twist; one that must have left them feeling somewhat cursed.

I am talking, of course, about the cyber attack that we now know to have struck Christie’s website prior to the Only Watch sale. At the time of writing it is ongoing - the full website is still unavailable - and true to form (Only Watch 2023; Mohammed Zaman; etc etc) the auction house has handled the comms with the deft touch of someone playing the piano in a pair of oven gloves.