For its seventh edition, the Christie’s-hosted Only Watch charity auction has procured 50 lots of exceptional merit from some of the most important names in watchmaking. All profits from sales, which commence online and in Geneva on November 11, go to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. The auction and 10-city watch tour, currently underway, both receive patronage from H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, and the globe-traveling event commenced at the Monaco Yacht Club. Estimates for the wristwatches range from $4,600 to more than $1,000,000, with value derived from the timepieces’ sheer rarity and to unique, exciting experiences that are being packaged with some of them. Whether it’s the introduction of a vibrant new material, technical complications, or uncommon variations (such as a left-handed model), these 18 selections are ones for collectors to watch.

Patek Philippe Reference 5208T-010

Rarely does one find a self-winding mechanism in an ultra-complicated watch featuring a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar, and a mono pusher chronograph. Here, Patek Philippe has done it—and, for the fist time, in titanium, making this a one-of-a-kind reference. From the blue hand-guilloched carbon-fiber dial to the sapphire-crystal display back, aesthetic nuance defines the piece. Winning the lot also means a visit to the brand’s workshop and a private lunch with Patek’s president, Thierry Stern.

Estimates: $932,000 to $1,139,000

Laurent Ferrier & Urwerk

From its wandering hours to the unconventional case shape, this collaborative watch carries the hallmarks of the two brands behind it. While the avant garde stylings of Urwerk might appear most evident, the refined finishing alludes to Lauren Ferrier.  The case has been crafted from an Arpal+ alloy that was developed specifically for this self-winding watch.

Estimate: $52,000 to $72,000

Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Black & Fire

Defined by its red, orange, and yellow colorway, the “Black & Fire” Escale Spin Time conveys time through a dial of 12 hand-painted cubes from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton is also offering a tour of its historic Asnières workshop with master watchmaker Michel Navas.

Estimate: $52,000 to $83,000

Bell & Ross BR-X1 R.S.17 Only Watch

There’s much at play within this square Carbone Forge and ceramic case —

including an X-shaped upper bridge and skeletonised chronograph movement. Bell & Ross’s distinct design DNA gets a bright boost from the colors of the Renault Sport Formula One Team, which partnered on the watch.

Estimate: $23,000 to $29,000

Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) S200 Vantablack

A months-long collaboration with acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor, this S200 features a dial of high-tech Vantablack—the blackest material in the known universe, except for a black hole. This dial material absorbs 99.96 per cent of light, giving the illusion that a central time-indicating mechanism is floating.

Estimate: $72,000 to $124,000

Breguet Classique Quantième Perpéturel en Ligne

One of the most elegant lots in the auction, Breguet’s Classique 7715 sports a silvered gold dial that’s been hand-engraved on a proprietary rose engine. Subdials and windows align in a vertical fashion, with patterning switching off with a polished finish. The self-winding perpetual calendar movement can be viewed through a sapphire crystal display back. An experience also accompanies the winning bid for the watch, including a private guided tour of Breguet’s Manufacture in Vallée de Joux, Switzerland.

Estimate: $83,000 to $103,000

Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) S200 Vantablack

A months-long collaboration with acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor, this S200 features a dial of high-tech Vantablack—the blackest material in the known universe, except for a black hole. This dial material absorbs 99.96 per cent of light, giving the illusion that a central time-indicating mechanism is floating.

Estimate: $72,000 to $124,000