Kettering man's watch collection sells for almost £90,000

A Kettering watch enthusiast’s collection of thousands of timepieces and parts sold for just over £88,000 after bids from across the world.

The array, amassed over the lifetime of Ronald J Pace, included pieces dating as far back as the late 1700s and largely consisted of items that no longer worked.

But on November 29, at an auction at Market Harborough-based Gildings Auctioneers, the collection beat its total sale estimate by £36,000.

The standout lot was a Longines Second World War RAF pilot’s watch which was offered in a set of three wristwatches and sold for £2,200 in a bidding war. Despite not being in working order, it reached over ten-fold its original estimate of £100 to £200.

Gildings director Mark Gilding said: “We’re thrilled with the result of the sale of this extraordinary collection of horological history dating from the late 18th century all the way through to the 1990s.

“Ronald Pace’s expert eye and lifelong passion for collecting watches, clocks and their associated parts resulted in a deep treasure trove for enthusiasts. Indeed, such was the interest in his collection, we had bidders from all over the world, including Germany, France, eastern Europe, New Zealand and the USA.”

Another notable result in the auction was a 1960s Omega Seamaster 300 wristwatch which sold for £2,200 on the day, doubling its estimate of £800 to £1,200 despite lacking its bezel and original bracelet.

And of the hundreds of pocket watches in the auction, a silver-cased open-faced pocket watch originating from Birmingham in 1901 sold for £1,300 against an estimate of £80 to £120.

Mr Gilding added: “The extraordinarily high bids achieved for so many of the lots in this auction really does show the extremely high value collectors place on these kinds of rare items, whether that’s for them to restore and perhaps sell on or to add to their own collections.

“So, as well as the brilliant result achieved, it’s great to think of this very special lifetime collection finding a new home with people who will treasure it all over the world.”