Watches
Dimepiece and Foundwell Team Up to Curate 30 Vintage Watches for Dover Street Market
The collectible pieces—which range from a platinum Rolex Day-Date to a rare Audemars Piguet Royal Oak—will be available online and at the brand's L.A. an N.Y.C. shops.
BY Rachel Cormack  |  September 13, 2023
2 Minute Read
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Dimepiece

Two watch-world stars have joined forces to bring collectors a curated trove of vintage wrist candy.

Dimepiece, the New York-based watch influencer established in 2020 by former Sotheby’s staffer Brynn Wallner, has selected 30 prized pre-owned pieces that will be up for grabs via Dover Street Market starting on Friday. Each rarity was carefully vetted and authenticated by trusted watch dealer Foundwell, so you know they’re up to snuff. The lineup includes highly collectible examples from CartierRolexPatek PhilippeAudemars Piguet, and other venerable watchmakers. Some models have even been discontinued, adding to the exclusivity.

Leading the charge is a 28 mm Patek Philippe Aquanaut. Launched in 1997, the Aquanaut is often referred to as the “little brother” of the wildly popular Nautilus. It’s distinguished by a modern rounded-octagon case and a checkboard dial. It’s also equipped with a “tropical” strap made from a new composite material that is ultra-resistant to wear, saltwater, and UV rays. Stylish yet sporty, the Aquanaut is “a true child of the 1990s,” Wallner says. Reference 4960 was released in 1998 and then discontinued in 2007. Such a short production run makes the model especially coveted among collectors.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date.
Dimepiece

Another standout is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date finished in solid platinum. The “President” was one of the priciest watches in the Crown’s catalog when released back in 2000. This particular iced-out example is rare, with diamonds adorning the dial, bezel, and lugs. This watch cost more than US$70,000 (H$548,142) new and was not an easy model to find, according to Wallner. It commands a pretty price on the secondary market, too, with a custom white-gold example from 1984 recently selling for more than US$1.3 million (HK$10.18 million) at auction.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
Dimepiece

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak has been continuously reinvented over the past half-century. The mid-sized example on offer—which has been phased out, sadly—has an elegant two-tone colorway of stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold. In addition, the gray dial showcases AP’s classic petite tapisserie motif. The AP logo is cut from white gold and pinned to the dial at 12 o’clock, while the word “quartz” sits above 6 o’clock as a nod to the movement.

Other highlights include a mini white gold Cartier Baignoire, another Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, this one encrusted with diamonds and emeralds, and an 18-karat white gold Vacheron Constantin bracelet watch.

The 30 select watches will be available via Dover Street Market’s e-shop and its New York and Los Angeles boutiques from September 8.