Inspired by motor racing and the cars that have been flying around the Monza Circuit since 1922, this Reservoir unique piece has been designed by the Monza Design Studio. It lives and breathes racing with its RPM-inspired dial and Ferrari-red colour, and will shortly go on sale at the upcoming Time For Art 2024 watch auction.
Time For Art 2024
On December 7th 2024, Phillips New York will be holding its second TimeForArt watch auction where 25 exceptional timepieces from the world’s most generous watchmakers will go on sale to support contemporary art and artists. 100% of the proceeds (including Phillips buyer’s premium) will go to the Swiss Institute, a non-profit organization, and free-entry contemporary art museum based in New York which supports emerging artists through exhibitions, public programs, artist residencies, education, and community engagement workshops, all of which are offered to the public free of charge.
The inaugural edition in 2022 featured 17 watches and raised $1.2 million for the organization, attesting to the interest in mixing contemporary art and watchmaking. This week, we are going to be taking a look at a selection of the timepieces in the auction catalogue, all of which are one-of-a-kind pieces and works of art in their own right.
All the Details on the Reservoir by Monza Design Prototype 01
The Reservoir by Monza Design Prototype 01 comes in a 43mm stainless steel case with a brushed finish and matching bracelet (there is also a black rubber strap with a racing car tyre imprint). This tribute to speed and precision is powered by the brand’s new Calibre RSV-240, a proprietary patented triple complication that is coupled to a manufacture movement (LJP-G100 base), combing a retrograde minute, jumping hour, and a power reserve indicator (56 hours).
The dial features seven embossed indexes – 0 to 6 – with a metal outline. The first five numerals are in black and the numbers five and six are in red, just like on a RPM counter. The minute hand takes 10 minutes to travel from one digit to the next so it is surprisingly easy to read the time once you get used to it. The hours are displayed in a window between the digits three and four, and the power reserve indicator is positioned at the bottom right of the dial in black. Another interesting feature is the oversized crown on the upper right side of the case which has a rubber grip and the inscription: “Engine Start”.
Luxury Garage Tool Box
The watch comes with a luxury racing car garage toolbox-inspired box with three watchmaking tools: A loupe for admiring the intricate workings of the movement, an anti-magnetic watchmaker’s screwdriver (for changing from the bracelet to the rubber strap), and watchmaking tweezers (in case you lose a screw)! The box includes a tray designed to store Monza Design eyeglasses and car keys for off track days! The timepiece is estimated at a very reasonable USD 3,000 to 6,000, but something tells us it will go for much, much more.
