10 Outrageous UFO-Inspired Watches From 2025’s Coolest Watch Auction

Last year, the historic auction house Sotheby’s teamed up with heist-out, the self-billed “outcast watch magazine,” for an unforgettable auction. The “Rough Diamonds” sale was one of the events of 2024 in the watch industry. The auction’s 24 lots were presented in a Genevan cave where buyers came to bid on gem-set oddities shaped like cars and majestic Chopard cuffs. The watches were unusually fun to pore over, capitalizing on collectors’ evolving tastes toward quirky, design-forward pieces. Now, Sotheby’s and heist-out are partnering up on a sequel. And what are the pair predicting will be the next big thing in watches? Alien wristwear, of course.

That’s no misprint: On April 3rd in Geneva, Sotheby’s and heist-out will be hosting the “AREA_51” auction, named for the infamous government site in Nevada that is said to harbor alien life—and apparently inspired some pretty sick watches. While the extraterrestrial auction might seem a bit more far-out than the blingier previous experiment, I can see why the collaborators decided to go in this sci-fi direction.

There are a fitting 51 lots this time around, more than double the number of timepieces included in last year’s auction. Sotheby’s has offered up a sneak peek of 10 highlights, which range from white-hot indies, brand-new commissions from beloved upstarts, and a sprinkling of gemmy pieces that would have felt right at home in last year’s sale. In other words, it’s everything buzzy in the watch world right now.

“This year, the vision is bigger: a wider selection of watches, a more ambitious project, and a story that reaches beyond,” said heist-out cofounders Maxime Couturier and Lorenzo Maillard. “AREA_51 is our latest collaborative initiative—a tribute to the boldest, most unconventional watch designs and the creative minds behind these UFO-like timepieces.”

Let’s take a closer look at the 10 preview lots Sotheby’s shared today. (All estimates converted from Swiss francs to US dollars.)

Rolex “Starship Gold” Cocktail Watch (High estimate: $13,390)

Probably my favorite of the 10 highlights. In a vacuum, the watch is a pure delight: The skinny tapered bracelet leads up to an oblong, UFO-like case—all of it cast in yellow gold. But it’s even more special, of course, because of the Rolex coronet on the dial. The brand is typically so rigid in its focus on toolsy stainless steel watches that these wilder pieces seem all the more significant. Designs like this feel, well, alien to Rolex, in the best possible sense.

Toledano & Chan B/2 Prototype (High estimate: $13,390)

Toledano & Chan is not even a year old, but the fast-rising indie brand is already an auction superstar. After the initial release of its B/1 model quickly sold out last May, founders Alfred Chan and Phillip Toledano have been hard at work cranking out limited editions in special materials to make noise at the rostrum. A version of the B/1 made of copper-infused carbon fiber sold for $24,000 last summer. And yet, I think this is by far their coolest unique made-for-auction piece yet. While the brand’s original B/1 took inspiration from the brutalist Breuer building in New York City, this prototype of the B/2 takes after the shape of Lockheed Martin F-117 Stealth fighters, a jet actually developed at a facility in Area 51. The new watch eschews 90-degree angles in favor of sexy dynamism.

Patek Philippe ref. 4233/1 (High estimate: $44,632)

This colorful Patek—with a bracelet composed of squares of lapis lazuli, malachite, and turquoise—would maybe have been a better fit for last year’s Rough Diamonds sale. But if you told me this is the type of watch the plutocrats of futuristic alien societies are wearing, I’d believe you.

Audemars Piguet Star Wheel Automatic ref. 25720OR (High estimate: $44,632)

It’s funny that a watch with origins in such human strife is in an auction like this one. The “wandering hours” complication used on this AP was originally invented in the 17th century for Pope Alexander VII, an insomniac who hated the ticking sound from traditional clocks. He commissioned a pair of watchmaker brothers to find a solution and the “wandering hours,” with its silent rotating discs, was born. In 1991, Audemars Piguet released a watch featuring this time-telling method and called it the “Star Wheel”—which is how it ended up in the AREA_51 sale.

Urwerk UR-103 ref. 103.06 (High estimate $66,948)

No UFO-inspired watch auction would be complete without a piece from Urwerk. The brand’s co-founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei make constant references to their love of science fiction in their work. They’ve put out watches and clocks referencing both of the primary Stars: Wars and Trek. This version of the UR-103, riddled with 277 white diamonds, is one of the brand’s standout creations.

Patek Philippe ref, 4117/1G retailed by Asprey (High estimate: $111,581)

The thing that’s most alien about this piece is that tracking one down is about as difficult as spotting a UFO. Its dial features preserved wings from a Morpho Menelaus butterfly, which Google tells me is one of the world’s largest butterflies. This watch is rare as it is, but when you add in the signature from premier British retailer Asprey, you get a combination that hasn’t been seen at auction in nearly 20 years.

Gérald Genta ref. G.4036 (High estimate: $223,189)

Platinum case, gorgeous sky-blue mother-of-pearl, a diamond-set bezel, a minute-repeater, and perpetual calendar function… I’m not exactly sure what makes this Gérald Genta fitting for AREA_51, but you could sneak this watch into any auction, themed or not, and I’d be happy to see it.

Ressence Type 3Am (High estimate: $44,632)

Much like the wares from fellow modern makers Urwerk, MB&F, and De Bethune—who specializes in watches that look like spaceships or sci-fi devices—Ressence’s oil-filled watches look like nothing else on earth.

Furlan Marri Disco Volante (High estimate: $13,390)

This watch is a seamless fit for an alien-themed auction. The “Disco Volante” shape is also known as the “flying saucer,” and Furlan Marri tailor-made this watch for the sale by fitting it with a meteorite dial.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 'CW1' ref. 25980AI (High estimate: $223,189)

Audemars Piguet introduced the “Concept” line of the Royal Oak in 2002 with its eyes firmly on the future. This variation of the iconic watch is all about exploring new technologies and pushing the limits of what a Royal Oak can do, so it’s no surprise it looks like a watch you’d wear while flying your DeLorean.