The Most Expensive Vintage Patek Philippe Watches Sold at Auctions

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Timepieces from the prestigious Geneva watch making company Patek Philippe are the most sought after lots in vintage and contemporary mechanical watch auctions.

Patek Philippe Caliber 89
Patek Philippe Calibre 89

Below is a list of most expensive vintage Patek Philippe watches based on the record breaking prices they achieved on auctions.

Patek Philippe “Henry Graves” super-complicated pocket watch (1933), 24 complications: Sold by Sotheby’s on November 11, 2014 for CHF 23.237 million (USD 23.934 million). New all-time world record in all categories. (Previous record in 1999: CHF 17 million, also by Sotheby’s).

Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 – Wristwatch in stainless steel (1944), first regularly produced chronograph with perpetual calendar, manually wound 13’’’ caliber 130 Q movement. Sold by Phillips in Geneva on November 12, 2016 for CHF 11.002 million (USD 11.128 million). World record for wristwatches and stainless steel watches.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5016A – Wristwatch with minute repeater, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, retrograde date, and moon phases in stainless steel (Ref. 5016A); the world’s only Patek Philippe watch with this reference in steel. Sold at the Only Watch charity auction in Geneva on November 7, 2015 for CHF 7.3 million. Second world record for wristwatches and stainless steel watches.

Patek Philippe “Calibre 89” in 18K white gold (1989), then the world’s most complicated portable mechanical timepiece, 33 complications: third-highest auction price ever attained. Sold for CHF 6.6 million in 2004.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1415 HU – “World Time” wristwatch in platinum (1946) indicating 41 cities, countries and regions of the world (Ref. 1415 HU): third–highest price ever paid for a wristwatch. Sold for CHF 6.6 million in 2002.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1527 – Wristwatch in 18K yellow gold (1943), with chronograph, perpetual calendar, and moon-phase display, unique piece (Ref. 1527). Sold for CHF 6.26 million in 2010.

Patek Philippe Reference 5208T-010 – Minute repeater, Chronograph and Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar with day/night indication. Caliber R CH 27 PS QI. Unique piece created for Only Watch 2017. The first and only version of this timepiece ever produced in titanium, a metal rarely used for a Patek Philippe. Sold for CHF 6.2 million at the Only Watch 2017 Charity Auction.

Patek Philippe “Calibre 89” in 18K yellow gold (1989), then the world’s most complicated portable mechanical timepiece, 33 complications. Sold for CHF 5.12 million in 2009.

Patek Philippe Ref 130 – Stainless steel, circa 1927, single button chronograph. Sold for CHF 4,645,000 ($4,987,383 / €4,451,141) at the Geneva Watch Auction ONE by Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo on 10 May 2015.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1526 – Wristwatch in steel (1949), with perpetual calendar and moon-phase display (Ref. 1526). Sold for CHF 4.14 million in 2008.

Patek Philippe The “Gradowski”, 18K rose gold “Grande Complication” pocket watch (1890) – Sold for CHF 3.9 million in 2002. The fourth most expensive pocket watch ever sold.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2458 – Men’s wristwatch in platinum (1952), chronometer certificate from the Geneva Observatory. 13’’’ Lépine caliber. Guillaume balance. Breguet balance spring. Precision index adjuster. Ref. 2458, Movement No. 861’121, Case No. 673’916 – 1952. Sold for CHF 3.78 million in 2012.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499/100 – Platinum wristwatch (1987). Chronograph, perpetual calendar. 13’’’ caliber. Ref. 2499/100. Movement No. 869’308, Case No. 2’817’876. Sold for CHF 3.44 million in 2012.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1436 – Men’s split-seconds chronograph wristwatch (1945). One of only two known models with this reference cased in stainless steel. Sold by Phillips in Geneva on November 7, 2015 for CHF 3.3 million. World record for a wristwatch with a split-seconds chronograph.

Patek Philippe Wristwatch in 18K white gold (1928), mono-pusher chronograph. Sold for CHF 3.24 million in 2011. Record price for a simple chronograph.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 – Wristwatch in 18K rose gold (1951) with chronograph, perpetual calendar and special dial (Ref. 2499). Sold for CHF 3.2 million in 2002.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 – Wristwatch in rose gold (1957) with chronograph, rectangular pushers (Ref. 2499). Sold for CHF 3.19 million in 2002.

Patek Philippe Pink Gold Reference 2499 retailed by Tiffany & Co. (Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases) was sold for HK$23,520,000 (CHF 2,975,693/ US$2,998,800) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Autumn 2018 Important Watches Auction. The most valuable wristwatch sold at auction in Asia with a world record price for a Pink Gold Reference 2499.

Patek Philippe “The Magpie’s Treasure Nest” table clock (1992) with the sculpture of a bird’s nest in which a magpie hides its booty. Hand-crafted one-of-a-kind piece in yellow gold and silver with agate, diamond, ruby, sapphire, tanzanite, rose quartz, amethyst, mother of pearl, and rock crystal. Sold for CHF 2.22 million in 2013. Record price for a Patek Philippe table clock.

Patek Philippe Ref. 530 – Men’s Calatrava wristwatch in stainless steel (1941) with shiny black dial, Breguet numerals. Diameter 36.5 mm. Manually wound caliber 12’’’ 120. Sold by Philips in Geneva on May 14, 2016 for CHF 1.445 million.

PATEK PHILIPPE, Platinum Double Dial Wristwatch with Twelve Complications Ref 5002P-001 Sky Moon Tourbillon. Sold for HK$9,720,000 (CHF 1,230,590/ USD 1,239,300) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Autumn 2018 Important Watches Auction.

Patek Philippe Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch with Registers and Pulsation Dial Ref 1579 sold for HK$8,760,000 (CHF1,109,050/ US$1,116,199) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring 2018 Important Watches Auction on 02 Apr 2018.

Patek Philippe Ref. 3700 – Nautilus wristwatch in platinum with 11 diamond hour markers (1981). Sold for CHF 783,750 in 2013, Record price for a Nautilus model.