BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Heritage Auctions, the largest auction house founded in the United States, has hired Jonathan Burford as Timepiece Consignment Director for the Beverly Hills office.
“Jonathan has worked in the fine watch and vintage timepiece industry for the majority of his professional career. His luxury lifestyle brand experience includes not just timepieces but also racing and publishing across the UK,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. “His experience and professional relationships will help Heritage continue to expand our timepiece department.”
Most recently, Burford lived in London while working for Privatus, a private sales and advisory company focused on rare collectibles as Head of Watches and Fine Timepieces. He was an advisor and consultant for a client base of private banks, family offices and other high net worth individuals. He has privately advised and assisted numerous high net worth clients with the sourcing, curating and consigning of fine watches, as well as helping to build two notable collections of vintage timepieces.
“I am excited to join Heritage Auctions in Beverly Hills. I have been involved with luxury watches and vintage timepieces most of my life. Two factors that have been essential to my success throughout my career have been amazing relationships and tremendous appreciation for the mechanical beauty of timepieces. I am looking forward to bringing both of these assets to Heritage,” Burford said.
Fascinated by mechanical engineering, he started collecting wristwatches – primarily those with a motorsports association reflecting his other great passion: classic cars and racing – at a young age. After studying for a Business and Economics degree from University of the West of England Bristol in Great Britain, he worked as a Director of Sales at the international marketing company Mice Group plc. While competing in a number of pan-European classic car rallies and race series, he joined the luxury lifestyle brand Supercar Club as Commercial Director. There, he built out the luxury products arm, and re-launched Supercar, its luxury lifestyle magazine, writing regularly about fine vintage and modern watches, as well as supercars and other luxury products. He was a luxury consultant to the British International Motorshow, curator to its Heritage Collection, as well as a number of UK-based luxury Concours d’Elegance events.
Burford relocated to Los Angeles from London in 2016 with his film editor wife and two young children, joining his wife’s family, including his mother-in-law, legendary film editor and Academy Award winner Anne V. Coates.
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