An exceptional watch for a man of history: General de Gaulle’s gold Lip was sold for a record price of 410,000 euros during a historic sale at Artcurial on December 16 in Paris.
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410,000 euros, sold! This figure is the price at which the gold Lip watch that belonged to General de Gaulle was sold. In a packed room at Artcurial (Paris), more than 300 people jostled together during the historic sale.de Gaulle, a succession for history“. On sale, objects that belonged to the former President of the Republic. In total, the writings and memories of Charles de Gaulle totaled 5.6 million euros, costs included, announced the Artcurial house.
Among these objects, the Lip R27 watch which was given to the president at the time. Priced between 6,000 and 10,000 euros, it finally sold for 410,000 euros. This is the highest bid in the sale. A sum that does not surprise the watchmaker Jean Humbert-Droz, who incubated the general’s timepiece, in “cet atelier secret”, during the 1950s, in Besançon in Doubs. “It’s huge, but it’s a unique piece. I was sure it would be expensive, he comments. People want to put their money into something exceptional.” However, he, like his son Frédéric, regrets that this jewel is leaving Besançon. “It’s a shame. It’s a watch that should have ended up in the watchmaking museum in Besançon.”
I can’t tell you anything other than regret that she is leaving.
Jean Humbert-Droz, watchmaker
Frédéric would have preferred that she come back “to the Berards” (owner of the Lip brand). “But that wasn’t possible, it’s excessive”.
Frédéric, Jean and Julien Humbert-Droz, the fourth of a generation of watchmakers.
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© Humbert-Droz
This watch is a real “technical prowess”, underlines Jean Humbert-Droz who immerses himself in his memories. He was 18 when he joined Lip, he is now 88. For seven years, he worked “in secret” to make this watch with a round case and revolutionary technology. Indeed, this is the very first battery-powered movement in Europe, marking a significant advance in the history of French watchmaking, “feat of French genius”, describes the Artcurial house.
The watchmaker obviously remembers these years of research and more particularly this new technology that was this gold filament, which allowed the stability of the balance wheel. “This gold wire was 2/100 in diameter. Realize, it’s a third of a hair!”
Managing to spin gold at that level was quite a bit of research at that time.
Jean Humbert-Droz, watchmaker
“It’s a memory that will stay with me until the end of my days.”, he confides with nostalgia.
During a first auction in 2019, another example of the Lip R27 that belonged to de Gaulle was sold for 32,000 euros. “This one, I thought it would sell for more, that the auctions would go higher than that”, recalls Jean Humbert-Droz. It still sold for six times its low estimate.
Manuscripts, letters, drawings, electric train… “100% “of the 372 lots found a buyer”said the auction house. The sale was accompanied by the exhibition at Artcurial, on the Champs Élysées in Paris, of a document kept by the family: the four leaves of the manuscript of the Appeal of June 18, an exhortation to resistance launched from the antenna of the BBC in London in 1940. This exhibition attracted 5,000 visitors in 10 days, specifies the company.
