The global watchmaking community is preparing to converge on Geneva this November for a landmark philanthropic event that marries haute horology with humanitarian purpose. Christie’s upcoming Rare Watches auction, scheduled for November 9, will play host to a specially curated selection of charitable lots under the banner Watches for ELA.
All proceeds generated from the sale of these exceptional timepieces will directly benefit the European Leukodystrophies Association (ELA). The organization is dedicated to funding critical medical research into leukodystrophies—a group of rare, destructive genetic diseases that affect the central nervous system—while simultaneously providing vital, hands-on support to affected families navigating the daily challenges of these conditions.
The initiative boasts deeply personal connections to the highest levels of the luxury and sports worlds. Among its long-standing champions is François-Henri Pinault, scion of the family that owns Christie’s, who serves as a dedicated board member and vocal supporter of ELA. Alongside corporate and elite backing, the auction has drawn high-profile contributions from cultural icons, most notably legendary French football great Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane, whose commitment to the European charity spans many years, has parted with his personal Cartier Pasha for the cause. While the football star’s donation is a cherished personal artifact that he has owned and worn for decades, the remainder of the watches curated specifically for Watches for ELA represent one-of-a-kind artistic collaborations commissioned expressly for the auction block.
Among these unique pieces are four standout lots from celebrated independent watchmakers, each offering a distinct philosophy, mechanism, and design language tied subtly or overtly to the mission of ELA.
Lot 130 – Atelier Haute Complication Dual Time Art for ELA
Representing a compelling modern success story in independent watchmaking is Vladimir Victor Négault, founder of Atelier Haute Complication. Négault established his eponymous brand in 2018 following an intensive 14-year tenure at F.P. Journe. During his time in Journe’s research and development department, Négault honed his craft by building sophisticated 3D models and precise animations of the brand’s movements. This rare and advantageous training ground provided the aspiring watchmaker with a comprehensive foundation before he decided to strike out on his own.
In 2022, Atelier Haute Complication introduced its debut timepiece, which offered an unconventional, highly distinctive take on the traditional dual-time complication. Built upon a proprietary hand-wound calibre derived from the reliable going train of the proven Peseux 7001, the movement features a completely reimagined bridge architecture and a unique dual-time display system.
For the ELA edition, presented in a versatile 41mm stainless steel case, Négault cleverly relocated the aperture for the 24-hour home time disc to the six o’clock position. This layout choice successfully clears the remainder of the dial, leaving a clean, uninterrupted canvas for a hand-painted ELA logo. To ensure the artwork pops with striking clarity, the mirror-finished brass dial is treated with a deep dark blue PVD coating, establishing a vibrant backdrop.
Turning the watch over reveals a meticulously finished movement constructed with German silver plates and bridges. The components showcase alternating frosted and brushed surfaces; this deliberate contrast in texture, combined with the naturally warm, golden tone of German silver, elevates a straightforward calibre into a visually engaging piece of micro-mechanics. The Atelier Haute Complication Dual Time Art for ELA carries a pre-sale estimate of CHF 15,000 to CHF 25,000.
Lot 133 – Cédric Johner Abyss
Few names carry the historical resonance of the first wave of independent watchmaking in the 1990s quite like Cédric Johner. Having apprenticed as a jeweller at Chopard as a teenager, Johner went on to attend the prestigious Geneva Watchmaking School before launching his own brand in 1997. His roots in the Genevan watch industry run deep; in the year 2000, he co-founded Les Cadraniers de Genève, a specialized dial manufacturer that is now under the ownership of F.P. Journe.
Johner’s signature aesthetic is embodied in the Abyss, a rounded hexagonal case that provides a refreshing, organic twist on the classic tonneau shape. In an era dominated by advanced computer numerical control (CNC) technology and automated manufacturing, Johner famously continues to work with pen and paper, shaping his distinctive cases entirely by hand.
The watchmaker’s current professional chapter represents a notable comeback. Several years ago, Johner temporarily lost control of his brand and intellectual property due to commercial missteps, but he persevered and ultimately regained the rights to his designs.
The unique Abyss created for Watches for ELA pairs a robust stainless steel case with a polished black lacquer dial. Housed inside is a vintage Tavannes calibre 586, a historical movement that has been gold-plated and painstakingly hand-engraved with flowing, intricate lines. This artistic decoration is intentionally designed to evoke the neural pathways and neurons of the brain, creating a poignant and direct metaphor connecting the watch to the medical charity it supports.
Remarkably, despite being a historical slow-beat movement lacking a seconds hand, the vintage calibre has been expertly adjusted by Johner to achieve an impressive precision of plus or minus five seconds per day. The artisanal dedication required to produce the watch is reflected in its estimate of CHF 20,000 to CHF 40,000.
Lot 139 – Kollokium Projekt 01
For collectors seeking a more contemporary and playful expression of independent watchmaking, Kollokium offers an accessible yet conceptually rich lot. Founded by Manuel Emch, Barth Nussbaumer, and Amr Sindi, the small independent brand has quickly built a reputation for infusing serious horology with an irreverent sense of humour.
This irreverence is immediately evident on the custom laser-etched case back of the Projekt 01 unique piece created for Watches for ELA. The engraving begins with an informal "Basically" and features an original hand-drawn illustration by Ivy Nussbaumer, daughter of co-founder Barth Nussbaumer. This family contribution infuses the technical object with an undeniably warm, personal touch.
Visually, the unique timepiece sets itself apart through a striking monochromatic color scheme punctuated sharply by a vibrant hot pink seconds hand. The dial is a marvel of micro-engineering, featuring 488 individually applied PVD-coated cylinders in three distinct sizes, clustered densely together to serve as the hour markers.
The watch is housed in a die-cast steel case—a manufacturing technique rarely utilized in contemporary watchmaking. Die-casting yields softly rounded edges and a matte texture that offers a delightfully tactile experience on the wrist. While a box-form sapphire crystal accounts for a significant portion of the watch’s overall height, the steel case itself remains relatively slim, maintaining a light and comfortable low-profile presence.
Powering the watch is the reliable, high-performance La Joux-Perret calibre G101, which delivers a robust 68-hour power reserve. With an accessible pre-sale estimate of CHF 4,000 to CHF 8,000, the lot represents an approachable entry point for philanthropic collectors, though past charity offerings from the brand have proven capable of vastly outperforming their high estimates at auction.
Lot 140 – Konstantin Chaykin Seneca II
Konstantin Chaykin brings his instantly recognizable, whimsical design language to the auction with a unique interpretation of his signature Wristmon format. In this whimsical architecture, the hours and minutes are displayed through two asymmetric subdials acting as "eyes," while a playful, wagging tongue visible through an open mouth indicates the phase of the moon.
While the Wristmon concept has been adapted into numerous creative iterations over the years, the titanium Seneca II pièce unique created for Watches for ELA draws inspiration from Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger. The ancient Roman Stoic philosopher authored foundational moral writings that continue to shape Western thought, with his maxim—"Not to pursue the reward of good deeds"—serving as a fitting philosophical anchor for a charity watch.
The thematic connection is woven subtly throughout the watch, notably in a dial design that evokes Seneca’s flowing beard surrounding the moon phase display. The intellectual tribute extends further to the date disc, which incorporates Latin characters into its numerals, gradually spelling out the Latin phrase Non fructum beneficiorum sequi over the course of the monthly cycle.
Inscribed with "Seneca II" along its bezel, the watch is powered by the upmarket La Joux-Perret calibre G200, a next-generation base movement produced in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The movement incorporates a free-sprung balance supported by a robust full balance bridge, alongside an extended 70-hour power reserve. The proprietary Wristmon display module itself is entirely designed and manufactured in-house by Konstantin Chaykin, justifying a pre-sale estimate of CHF 15,000 to CHF 25,000.
Preview and Auction Information
The public exhibition and subsequent auction will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, located at Quai des Bergues 33, 1201 Geneva.
The preview exhibition will be open to the public daily from November 5 to November 7, between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm, and on November 8 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The live auction is scheduled to commence on November 9 at 12:30 pm local Geneva time (GMT+1).
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