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Alan “Hammer” Bloore’s 37-lot watch collection brought in a reported US$1.6 million at Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in New York on 7 December 2023. Time+Tide reported that 95% of the collection’s lots sold. Sotheby’s catalogue highlights rare Panerai, military-issued watches and pieces linked to notable maritime history.
What was the reported result?
Time+Tide reported that the 37-piece “Hammer Time: The Collection of Alan Bloore” section earned US$1.6 million, with 95% of its lots sold. The publication attributed those figures to Sotheby’s closing-sale statement; Sotheby’s catalogue page does not itself show the collection’s aggregate result. Time+Tide’s report is therefore the source for the collection total and sell-through.
The Bloore collection was a section within Sotheby’s wider Important Watches auction, held in New York from 29 November to 7 December 2023. The overall sale’s reported US$14.5 million result is separate from the collection’s US$1.6 million total; it is not the Bloore collection’s result. Sotheby’s says displayed auction results include its premium and exclude applicable taxes and costs unless otherwise noted. Sotheby’s sale results
Which watches were in Bloore’s collection?
Sotheby’s presented Bloore as an Australian sportsman and sailor who became an early “Paneristi”—a dedicated Panerai collector. Its catalogue described the collection as spanning prototypes, limited editions and historically significant military-issued watches. Among the named highlights were:
#1 Best Overall
- A Royal Australian Navy “Big Crown” Submariner.
- A COMEX watch associated with the gold salvage of HMS Edinburgh.
- A World War II-era Panerai 3646.
The catalogue also lists Panerai examples including the PAM02020 Radiomir Venti “Watch No. 1,” PAM00195 Luminor Marina Paneristi, PAM00360 Luminor “Watch No. 1,” PAM00532 Radiomir 1940 Paneristi Forever “Watch No. 0,” PAM00662, PAM00663, PAM00232 and PAM00449. These are catalogue descriptions of pieces offered in the 2023 sale, not indications that they are currently available. Sotheby’s collection catalogue
Sotheby’s also notes that Bloore later collected watches by independent makers including Romain Gauthier, De Bethune and Richard Mille. The auction’s story was not solely about rarity: the catalogue attributes this line to Bloore, “You collect the friendships, the watch is just a bonus.”
Rank #2
- Book - a man and his watch: iconic watches and stories from the men who wore them
- Language: english
- Binding: hardcover
Why is the lead Rolex price uncertain?
Two reports identify the lead lot as a Rolex Reference 6263 Daytona but give different prices. Time+Tide reports US$171,450, while Rapaport reports US$174,450. The Sotheby’s pages available here do not resolve the discrepancy, so neither figure should be treated as confirmed. Rapaport’s report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the result does—and does not—show
The US$1.6 million figure describes the reported auction total for this particular 37-lot collection, not an appraisal of every watch or evidence of investment performance. Sotheby’s catalogue documents the collection’s character and notable pieces; Time+Tide supplies the reported aggregate total and sell-through. The result is a historical account of a closed 2023 auction, not current price guidance.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Time+Tide also quoted Sotheby’s Head of Watches, Americas, Geoff Hess, reflecting on Bloore’s place in the collecting community: “Hammer’s personal story and his deep connection to the watch community around the world has served as a much-needed reminder of the greatness of our hobby: watch collecting rests far more in the human element of the owner than the actual watch itself.”
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