12 Sep Fashion & Timepieces by Bukowskis

Fashion & Timepieces – Bukowskis online auction for watches, fashion and accessories. Catalogue online 23 September 2016.

Dear Clients, the upcoming Bukowskis auction will take place on September 23rd ( click here to check the catalogue ) and we spoke about this important sales with two specialists of the famous Swedish auction house: Johanna Fock, Fashion Specialist, and Mikael Wallhagen, Watch Specialist at Bukowskis.

Wearable fashion with enduring second-hand value is an investment. Bukowskis’ vintage auction Fashion & Timepieces – offers 500 hand-picked garments, accessories and watches.
    “Our customers buy timeless fashion in order to wear it. An auction is a fantastic opportunity to purchase a classic that you perhaps are unable to purchase new,” explains Johanna Fock, Fashion Specialist at Bukowskis.

“We showcase watches that are ready to be worn and thus we also attract a wider audience who otherwise would have purchased new in a shop. It’s possible to find a watch here with second-hand value that is supplied in a box with certificate,” says Mikael Wallhagen, Watch Specialist at Bukowskis.

Savvy customers are seeking something that suits their personal taste and provides durability in their wardrobe – or on their wrist. The change in attitudes in society makes Fashion & Timepieces especially interesting.
Bukowskis first launched vintage auctions ten years ago and was the first auction house in the Nordic region to dare to take this step. Since then, interest in vintage items has just grown stronger among fashion clientèle.
Despite this, the market for replica items has perhaps never been bigger. This could be seen as contradictory, but at the same time it makes the genuine article interesting. 
   “Many people want to invest in a quality bag. If you purchase a bag from Bukowskis we guarantee that it is genuine. Moreover, many customers are aware that a copy will not last and that such purchases also support an illegal trade,” says Johanna. 
     So how is a classic created?  
    “It’s often chance, such as when a celebrity has been seen wearing or using the product. For example, the Paul Newman watch, or the Rolex Daytona as it’s actually called, got its nickname because the well-known actor always wore one. When a classic like that is then updated or gets a “facelift”, it often generates even greater interest in the original,” Mikael Wallhagen goes on to explain. 
     “I don’t believe that today’s smart watches will become classics for example. Possibly if in 30 years’ time you have the first version of an Apple Watch in unopened packaging or some equally unique item. The classics we auction at Bukowskis are based on genuine craftsmanship. When quality, brand and provenance converge – that’s when a classic is created. However, the trend with running watches and smart watches is contributing to more people wearing watches,” says Mikael.
What are your tips for a fashion investment at auction? 
    “The classics, because you can use, renew and sell them on; such as Kelly and Birkin bags from Hermès or 2.55 from Chanel,” says Johanna.
“On the watch side, a mechanical watch from a classic brand such as Omega, Rolex or Patek Philippe is a sound investment. And classic models from the 1940s to 60s that survived what we call the quartz crisis in the watch industry, when battery-powered watches were launched; for example, Speedmaster from Rolex or Submariner from Omega. But in as pristine condition as possible. Ideally unpolished rather than polished,” says Mikael.
Bukowskis’ experts are in agreement: a hand-crafted fashion item is enduring, and will always be an investment.

Some of the watches that will be sold:

Johanna Fock – Specialist, Fashion. Tel: +46 708 – 92 19 74
Mikael Wallhagen – Specialist, Watches. Tel: +46 73 – 940 08 20