A very rare 18K yellow gold two-crown Patek Philippe World Time wristwatch from 1953 has sold for HK$65,475,000 ($8.42m) at Christie’s in Hong Kong.
Patek Philippe Ref. 2523J (picture top) has a dial combining the 24-hour indication with a rare cloisonné enamel dial showing a map of Eurasia.
The watch was top lot in the Important Watches sale that realised a total of HK$206,291,340 ($26.54m)
Another interesting Patek was Lot 2303, a Ref. 3974J in 18K gold – an automatic minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, 24-hour indication, leap year and day/night indications.
The watch, with a case made by Geneva specialist Jean-Pierre Hagmann, fetched HK$5,292,000 ($680,904).
Also notable was Lot 2304, a very rare platinum Patek Philippe Ref. 5207P-001 minute repeating instantaneous perpetual calendar tourbillon with moon phases, day/night and leap year indication. This watch from 2010 sold for HK$5,544,000 ($713,328).
The sale included two exceptional single-owner collections: The ‘Generations Collection’, 27 watches that included the Patek Philippe Ref. 5016P-018 platinum with a black dial and Breguet numerals that sold for HK$6,930,000 ($891,660).
‘Timeless Opulence’ was a collection of 78 neo-vintage wristwatches of the 1990s and early 2000s that sold for a total of HK$20,655,180 ($2.66m).
Alexandre Bigler, Senior Vice President and Head of Watches, Christie’s Asia Pacific, said: “The Spring 2024 edition of Important Watches again exemplified what Christie’s is all about – creating the perfect setting for an alignment of desires between sellers and bidders.”
He added: “The demand in Asia for rare and exceptional timepieces remains strong and we very much look forward to presenting more exquisite timepieces to global connoisseurs and enthusiasts as the rest of the year unfolds.”