SO too is a timepiece, providing it has illustrious parentage and displays a certain superiority of craftsmanship. Bourne, a Singapore resident who trained as a cellist with the Royal Academy of Music, became an expert on timepieces during an eight-year stint with Christie's in London. I spend 24 hours a day thinking of them. There have been watches that have done very, very well. But we try not to encourage people to use them as investments - especially when they are buying and selling at auctions, which can be volatile.
Watches remain relatively recession-proof because they have a big international following.
Prices have stayed strong. At our traditional sales centers in Geneva, London and New York, we have an enormous number of buyers coming from Asia. We have a big spectrum from the 1900s right up to modern-day watches made six months ago. Some people say that some of the older watches are better-made. Quality-wise, there isn't a great deal of difference between old and new.