The 2019 auction of a supposed Sistema Magini wristwatch should raise more than the odd red flag to all horology lovers.
The Sistema Magini pair are perhaps Italy’s most famous pair of military watches. The duo comprises a Longines Hour Angle watch delivered to and signed by the Italian military supplier Antonio Cairelli, and a unique high-grade split-second pocket watch with dual calendar functions supplied by specialist watchmaker Eberhard & Co.
The latter bears the words Sistema Magini on its dial and serves as a testament to one of Italy’s most remarkable aviators and spy missions.
The Allied force was rumored to have a mole within Italian intelligence that enabled the cracking and deciphering of secret radio codes between the so-called Axis powers in their communication with Japan during WWII.
This necessitated the planning of a covert spy mission flight from Rome to Tokyo in June 1942 to deliver the new Axis codes. The plan involved a long-distance return trip by the Italian Royal Airforce’s (Regio Aeronautica Italiana) master navigator Publio Magini. He was already recognized as one of Italy’s best pilots before the war. Flight mission preparations involved a flight to Ethiopia that nearly ended in disaster during an emergency landing on their return flight home. Lucky to escape with their lives – Captain Paradisi lost a leg, whilst Magini was out of action with injuries for a month.
Although the mission was never made public, it involved long distance flying over enemy territory with limited navigational maps at lower altitude on takeoffs due to the weight of the heavily fueled plane. The plane’s altitude was limited to 2500 feet post takeoff from controlled lands in Zaporosche leaving them vulnerable to Russian anti-aircraft guns.
Their Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 plane was repainted in friendly colours twice, in Pao-Taw-Chen, in occupied China with the Japanese rising sun, then in Japan with the original design for its homebound journey.
On the return flight, the plane’s antenna was destroyed during a storm and the Sistema Magini pair were critical and essential navigation instruments that aided a successful mission outcome.
The flight carried the new Axis spy codes back to Rome from Tokyo. The incredible journey pushed the technical and operational limits of the Savoia military plane, brought pride to the Italian nation post mission discovery and the crew was greeted and congratulated by Mussolini during an official ceremony post landing on 20th July 1942.
This pair of specialist navigation watches were instrumental to the success of one of World War II’s biggest covert spy operations. The unique split-second pocket watch with calendar functions was crafted by Eberhard and Co in La Chaux Du Fonds, Switzerland.
The original military purchase order with Eberhard notes an order for 10 pieces, with the cessation of the war resulting in the supply of just one solitary piece. The watch was paired with a Longines hour angle supplied by the Italian military agent Antonio Cairelli.
The dial signing was undertaken by Longines dial maker Fluckiger and is noted as such in their archive records. There are just three known surviving pieces supplied by Cairelli, and only one of these was used by Magini on the spy mission.
On Magini’s passing, the famous pair of watches were sold as consecutive lots by Drouot the French auction house in 2000 and were bought by different parties. Separated for approximately 15 years, they were later reunited and sold together at a Phillips auction in 2015.
Geneva Watch Auction: TWO Geneva Lot 146 November 2015 | Phillips
Given the value of the Sistema Magini pair, a red flag appeared with the 2019 Italian auction house offering by Aste Bolaffi.
https://www.astebolaffi.it/en/lot/258/150/detail
An incredible creation, with ‘creation’ being the operative word.
The watch with case number 1023277 was described by the auction house as having a ‘three body circular case, steel bezel and snap on back, chromed metal case side, concave lugs with fixed bars, coaxial monopusher on the winding crown, pusher for the split-seconds function at 4. Not original strap and buckle.’ (https://www.astebolaffi.it/en/lot/258/150/detail)
First appearances would leave one believing that the lot is an original oversized Sistema Magini wristwatch with the description supporting such analysis.
The small auction house listing also claimed ‘Before the appearance of this watch, it was thought that the Eberhard Magini wristwatch model was a unique piece, with the only other known example kept in the private collection of one of the most important collectors in the world. Thus, this watch represents a sensational discovery, as well as the possibility of getting hold of an absolute rarity.
The watch in the catalogue is in surprisingly excellent condition, and for the most refined collector represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain a piece of history.’
However, as we have seen with a multitude of auctions, other dealer and market sales that feature questionable watch creations, embellishments, all that is not as it seems. Some of these exposes are covered masterfully by watch sleuth Perezscope et al. Perhaps if this is ever brought to his attention, he will touch upon the crazy stories relating to Burford dials.
However, there are many others that experienced dealers and collectors seem unwilling to discuss, touch or expose. Other remarkable creations, including this one, are blindly liked or spruiked by supposed Instagram or blog stars who are only interested in likes and “look at me” type antics rather than applying the most basic of litmus tests on originality.
The question then springs to mind, is lot 150 from the 250th Aste Bolaffi sale a newly discovered Sistema Magini wristwatch with a connection to Publio Magini or is it simply one of their exceptional 1930-40’s split-second pocket watches that has been modified post its delivery to dramatically enhance its value? If so, who is the connecting party?
Strangely and importantly, Eberhard has no records of the serial number of this watch or of such a creation existing in their archives. This is noted in an email exchange with them.
Da: Raffaella Guerra Astor Time Ltd
Inviato: venerdì, 27. settembre 2019 16:49
A: ‘andy_timeman@yahoo.com‘ <andy_timeman@yahoo.com>
Oggetto: R: I: Sistema magini et al…. greetings from Bangkok.
Hi Andy,
we shall be waiting for you.
Concerning your question we unfortunately do not know, the watch in fact does not appear at all in our ancient books.
Best, Raffaella
This mysterious Eberhard watch sold for €125,000 at a small auction despite any proof of authenticity. It garnered much attention and excitement, being written up in various blog articles which took the bait and ran with the verbatim auction listing description and apparent sale result.
The missing part in these articles being any challenge or basic query to the watch’s originality, questioning, or checking on its apparent existence. A small amount of intelligence needs to be applied with such an offering.
It is incredible to think that there are three claimed Sistema Magini wristwatches. Whilst Eberhard made a range of spectacular wrist split second chronographs, the watch in question bears no design nor mid case similarity to these or any other of their wonderful vintage creations. The original Magini pocket watch has day and month calendar functions whilst this watch just a date. On the Aste offering we also have mismatched hour and minute hands.
There are no distant past auction records, nor book or catalogue history that lend support to the claim. No investigative work is done whatsoever by the IG promoters and bloggers. It was blindly promoted and touted on a variety of platforms, including Instagram, due to claimed association with the remarkable aviator Publio Magini.
The pocket watch layout with a crown at three lends itself to an easy wristwatch remake as the dial remains original with no change to the foot placement. Further, Eberhard have no record of this offering, it is sold through a smaller auction house, and there is no known history or association with Publio Magini. All told, more red and multi-colour flags than at a kid’s fair.
References were made to this mysterious chronometer being a newly discovered Sistema Magini wristwatch, with the understanding and intention that any association with the real Sistema Magini pair would boost its value.
Whilst the watch has a beautiful Eberhard Valjoux Cal 55 movement and a lovely original dial, the watch smells fishier than 4-day old prawns left out in the Aussie summer sun.
How so?…some Eberhard split second pocket watches from this era have the crown located at three o’clock and are around 50mm. This watch has a single calendar function and mirrors the exact layout of a number of Eberhard split second pocket watches.
This hands the ”Italian” creative department one of the easiest jobs – turning a split-second pocket watch worth less than 5000 USD into a supposed Sistema Magini wristwatch.
All one needs to do is fabricate a wristwatch mid-case with lugs. An easy assignment for a good casemaker at no more than a few hundred dollars cost. The auction creation sports a beautiful original dial and movement and becomes a new rare wristwatch with a massive payday.
The dial will remain the same as the crown is already in the correct position at three o’clock. Add a creative story about some association with the remarkable Italian aviation hero Publio Magini, make sure it gets a real, imaginary or shill bid – then presto!
Follow this with some write ups by the odd willing watch blog, use some spruikers with Instagram posts and their likes lend support to the piece. This leaves a good many horology lovers to second guess about the wristwatch’s existence, its apparent originality and fearful of challenging either.
In this connected world if it were an all-original Magini split second wristwatch, it would have been in Eberhard’s records, highly likely the dial layout and functions would match the real Sistema Magini and it would have found its way instantly to one of the bigger auction houses.
By generating a backstory and passing it through a small auction, credibility was given to its very existence. Throw in a promotion campaign with some influencers writing up a provided script and presto! We have a newly created “famous” watch.
The only thing missing – originality.
Whilst writing the truth is a lonely road for many, the author opines that it is nothing more than a converted Eberhard vintage split-second pocket watch or movement and dial from one that would have value somewhere around $5,000 USD. It has absolutely no association with Publio Magini, was not born as a wristwatch, and any suggestion to the contrary is mere puffery – period.
There is just ONE original Sistema Magini – the magnificent Eberhard split second pocket watch that was owned and used by Publio Magini on a remarkable WWII spy Italian spy mission. Together with the Longines Hour Angle supplied by Antonio Cairelli this rare pair of exceptional Flight Birds are the only real and original Sistema Magini pair and have now stood up.
The RING-IN wristwatch can now sit down!!