CHIEF EXPERT MR. PHILIP PONIZ
Mr. Poniz is a leading horological expert, historian and mathematician. He is currently the chief expert of WatchInvest. From 1989 to 1999 he was the expert for Sotheby’s watch department, from 1999 to 2006 the Director and Chief Expert for Antiquorum, 2006-2008 CEO of Horological Investments, 2008-2010 a partner, vice chairman and Chief Expert at Patrizzi& Co. He has given important lectures at National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, and is often consulted by Museums, Auction houses, and Collectors, as well as serves as Court Expert. He is the foremost expert on horological fakes, a subject he studied for 30 years.
He handled the majority of the most important watches and clocks that came onto the market. He is currently a partner and Chief Expert at WatchInvest, Inc., where he advises high-end watch collectors and investors, and is also owner of European Watch & Casemakers, Ltd, a company specializing in restoring ultra-complicated watches and clocks. He is considered the foremost expert on Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Breguet. Patek Philippe company, due to his research was able to complete their founding history.
Amazingly, Philip additionally owns and manages the largest electronic horological library in the world with over eight million files which includes copies of the original manufacturing records of many companies including Cartier, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, Ulysse Nardin, etc.
He has published many articles, discovered previously unknown facts about watch companies and particular watches. His latest discovery is the Marine clock by the legendary Huygens which he found misattributed at one of American auctions.
Over the years Philip Poniz was entrusted with restoration of some of the most complicated watches ever made. Today Philip Poniz do restoration for special collectors and special watches. Below are examples:
- Breguet No. 2396, the only known Breguet tourbillon watch with constant force escapement where certain elements of the constant force mechanism were missing. By the way, it is a watch Philip Poniz strongly recommend for the Patek Philippe Museum.
- Christiaan Huygens Perfect marine Balance clock, the only one in existence.
- The so called Empress Josephine Clock, a gift from Napoleon to his wife.
- Patek Philippe No. 80897, The so called Gradowski, the most expensive pocket Patek Philippe watch outside The Graves and Cal. 89
- Patek Philippe No. 864470, a stainless steel wristwatch with perpetual calendar, the first stainless steel watch that broke half a million pound record (Sotheby’s, London, October 3, 1996, lot 161).
- Musical amphora, the pair to the one in the Patek Philippe Museum (Antiquorum, October 13, 2002, lot 607, sold for 4,018,500CHF).
- Cartier, The Victory Clock, Cartier version of the World Time clock, a present from Pierre Cartier to President F. D. Roosevelt. The most expensive Cartier clock ever sold (Sotheby’s NY, December 4, 2007, lot 226, $1,609,000). The new owner brought it over for restoration.
- The Louis Berthoud marine watches which are now in Patek Philippe museum.
- At the request of the former curator of the Cincinatti AWI Museum, Orville Hagen, an addition of a five minute repeating mechanism to “N” size Howard watch.
Click here for an extended career biography of Mr. Philip Poniz.