Christie’s ‘Rare Watches’ Live auction in Geneva on 10 May 2021 achieved a total of more than CHF 23 million / USD25.5 million, with 94% sold by lot and 98% sold by value.
The top timepiece in the auction was Patek Philippe reference 1518 in pink gold, which was the world’s first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch to be serially produced by the manufacture, featuring the rare engraving of the Venezuelan retailer Serpico Y Laino. This most sought after wristwatch was sold for CHF 1,350,000 against the low estimate of CHF 450,000.

As usual, Patek Philippe watches dominated the auction. Some rare and important timepieces from F.P Journe, A. Lange & Söhne, Breguet, Rolex, Vianney Halter, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin were also achieved excellent selling prices.
Top Achievers (lots that achieved CHF 100,000 and above)
-
Lot 210: Patek Philippe Reference 1518, 18K Pink Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph retailed by Venezuelan retailer Serpico Y Laino: CHF 1, 350,000
-
Lot 117: Patek Philippe Reference 605 HU, 18K Pink Gold Open Face Keyless Lever World Time Watch with Polychrome Cloisonné Enamel Dial Representing a Map of North America: CHF 1,170,000
-
Lot 230: Patek Philippe Reference 3974, 18K White Gold Automatic Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour, Leap Year, Day/Night Indication: CHF 846,000
-
Lot 114: Patek Philippe Reference 130, 18K White Gold Chronograph, circa 1944: CHF 687,500
-
Lot 41: Patek Philippe Reference 5016R, 18K Pink Gold Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Tourbillon Retrograde Date, Moon Phases, Leap Year Indication, with a Black Dial, circa 2010: CHF 600,000
-
Lot 164: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with Power Reserve, Constant Force Remontoire, Dead Beat Seconds functions, Platinum Case, Mother-Of-Pearl Dial, circa 2007: CHF 575,000
-
Lot 211: Patek Philippe Reference 2499, 18K Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph with Moon Phases, circa 1984: CHF 537,500
-
Lot 211: Patek Philippe Reference 2499, 18K Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph with Moon Phases, 4th series: CHF 537,500
-
Lot 177: A. Lange & Söhne ‘Tourbillon Pour Le Merite’ Platinum Limited Edition Tourbillon Wristwatch with Chain Fusee, Power Reserve and Bracelet, Reference 751.005, circa 1998: CHF 500,000
-
Lot 63: Patek Philippe 18K Pink Gold Open Face Keyless Lever Perpetual Calendar Pocket Watch with Guillaume Balance and Equation of Time, circa 1890: CHF 475,000
-
Lot 40: Patek Philippe Reference 5016P, Platinum Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Tourbillon, Retrograde Date, Moon Phases, Leap Year Indication and Breguet Numerals: CHF 437,500
-
Lot 178: A. Lange & Söhne Reference 701.011, Tourbillon Pour Le Merite, 18K Pink Gold Limited Edition Tourbillon Wristwatch with Chain Fusée, Power Reserve, circa 1998: CHF 437,500
-
Lot 72: Breguet Sympathique No. 15, Gilt Bronze 8-Day Going Table Clock with Equation of Time, Annual Calendar, Moon Phases, Power Reserve Indication, Thermometer, Spring Detent Chronometer Escapement with Five-Second Constant Force Remontoire, Matching Numbered 18k Gold Tourbillon Wristwatch with Regulator Style Dial and Power Reserve Indication, circa 1994: CHF 437,500
-
Lot 226: Patek Philippe Reference 5013, Tonneau-Shaped Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar in Platinum, circa 2000: CHF 400,000
-
Lot 166: F.P. Journe Platinum Tourbillon Souverain wristwatch with Power Reserve, Constant Force Remontoir and Dead Beat Seconds, Matte gold dial circa 2002: CHF 400,000
-
Lot 165: F.P. Journe Platinum Tourbillon Wristwatch with Power Reserve, Constant Force Remontoir and Dead Beat Seconds, White gold and silver guilloche dial, circa 2001: CHF 400,000
-
Lot 132: Rolex Stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Submariner ‘Comex’, Reference 1680, circa 1978: CHF 400,000
-
Lot 61: Patek Philippe Reference 944/1, 18K Gold Open Face High-Precision Keyless Lever Pocket Watch with One-Minute Tourbillon Regulator by Hector Golay, Made For Observatory Competition, Regulated By François Modoux: CHF 375,000
-
Lot 229: Patek Philippe Reference 3974G, 18K Gold Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour And Leap Year And Day/Night Indication with a Black Dial, circa 1991: CHF 350,000
-
Lot 159: Breguet Perpétuelle No. 195/3759, 18K Gold Open Face Self-Winding Minute Repeating Jumping Hour Lever Pocket Watch with Free Sprung Helical Balance Spring and 60-Hour Power Reserve: CHF 300,000
-
Lot 11: Patek Philippe Reference 5711/1R, 18K Pink Gold Nautilus Automatic Wristwatch with Sweep Centre Seconds and Date, Retailed By Tiffany & Co., circa 2016: CHF 300,000
-
Lot 227: Patek Philippe Reference 5079J, 18K Gold Automatic “Cathedral” Minute Repeating Wristwatch with Enamel Dial, circa 2002: CHF 275,000
-
Lot 209: Patek Philippe Reference 2497, 18K Gold Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Sweep Centre Seconds and Moon Phases, circa 1955: CHF 250,000
-
Lot 225: Patek Philipe Reference 5013J, 18K Gold Tonneau-Shaped Automatic Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch with Retrograde Date, Moon Phases, Leap Year Indication and Breguet Numerals, circa 1992: CHF 250,000
-
Lot 137: Rolex Dato-Compax ‘Jean Claude Killy’ Reference 6036, 18K Gold Triple Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch, circa 1953: CHF 250,000
-
Lot 38: Patek Philippe Reference 5970P, Platinum Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases and 24 Hour Indication, circa 2010: CHF 237,500
-
Lot 111: Patek Philippe Reference 2526, 18K White Gold Automatic Wristwatch with small seconds and Diamond-Set hour-markers, circa 1955: CHF 237,500
-
Lot 39: Patek Philippe Reference 5971, Platinum and Diamond-Set Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24-Hour and Leap Year Indication, circa 2007: CHF 225,000
-
Lot 169: Vianney Halter Platinum Antiqua Automatic Perpetual Calendar: CHF 225,000
-
Lot 19: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Grande Complication Ref. 25806, Platinum Automatic Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph Wristwatch With Moon Phases, Calendar Week and Leap Year Indication, circa 2006: CHF 212,500
-
Lot 52: Vacheron Constantin Polar Bear Mystery Tourbillon Clock, circa 1989: CHF 225,000
-
Lot 155: Attributed to Charles Ducommun, 18K Pink Gold Enamel and Pearl-Set Open Face Quarter Repeating Pocket Watch with Virgule Escapement and Varicoloured Gold Automaton Depicting ‘Moses Striking the Rock’, circa 1800: CHF 225,000
-
Lot 162: F.P. Journe Repetition Minute Souverain, Stainless Steel Minute Repeating Wristwatch with Power Reserve Indication, circa 2011: CHF 187,500
-
Lot 136: Rolex Reference 6062, 18K Gold Automatic Triple Calendar Wristwatch with Moon Phases, circa 1953: CHF 175,000
-
Lot 36: Patek Philippe Reference 3971 1st Series, 18K Pink Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour and Leap Year Indication, Manufactured in 1990: CHF 168,750
-
Lot 12: Patek Philippe Jumbo Nautilus Reference 3700/11J, 18K Gold Automatic Wristwatch with Date, circa 1983: CHF 162,500
-
Lot 9: Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5980R, 18K Pink Gold Automatic Chronograph with Date, circa 2017: CHF 162,500
-
Lot 65: Jules Jürgensen Grand Complication, 18K Gold Open Face Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph Keyless Lever Watch with Moon Phases and Jürgensen’s Patented Bow Hand-Setting, Winner of a Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle, Paris 1900: CHF 162,500
-
Lot 16: Audemars Piguet Montre De Poche Royal Oak Model, NO. 3, Ref. 25729, Platinum and Diamond-Set Limited Edition Open Face Skeletonised Quantieme Perpetual Calendar Keyless Lever Watch with Moon Phases and Leap Year Indication and Chain, Circa 1992: CHF 156,250
-
Lot 163: F.P. Journe Pink Gold Tourbillon Souverain No. 211-TN, 18K Pink Gold Tourbillon Wristwatch with Power Reserve, Constant Force Remontoir and Dead Beat Seconds, circa 2006: CHF 150,000
-
Lot 160: Breguet No. 1348, 20K Gold Openface Cylinder Watch With Days of the Week Indication, Annual Gregorian calendar, Additional Gold Index for the Julian calendar, Signs Of The Zodiac and Special Disengaging Equation of Time Mechanism: CHF 150,000
-
Lot 56: Walter Prendel Groïtzsch I/SA Silver Double Barrel Open Face Six-Minute Flying Tourbillon High-Precision Pocket Watch with 30° Angled Oblique Balance, Guillaume Balance and 30-Hour Power Reserve Indication, circa 1927/28: CHF 150,000
-
Lot 11: Patek Philippe Reference 530, 18K Gold Chronograph with Tachometer Scale, circa 1942: CHF 143,750
-
Lot 70: Attributed to Piguet & Capt, Geneva, Musical Automaton Vinaigrette with Watch, circa 1810: CHF 143,750
-
Lot 62: Patek Philippe Reference 880/1, 18K Gold Open Face Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Keyless Lever Pocket Watch with Moon Phases, Four Year Cycle Indication, 24-Hour Indication and Equation Of Time, Retailed By Beyer, Zürich, circa 1974: CHF 137,500
-
Lot 116: Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 605 HU, 18K Gold Open Face Keyless Lever World Time Pocket Watch with Later Engraved Coat Of Arms, circa 1944: CHF 137,500
-
Lot 64: Patek Philippe 18K Gold Open Face Two Train Trip Minute Repeating Keyless Lever Chronograph Pocket Watch with 60 Minute Register, Retailed By A. Sulikowski, Kracow, Manufactured in 1898: CHF 125,000
-
Lot 212: Patek Philippe Reference 5970R, 18K Pink Gold Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour and Leap Year Indication, circa 2007: CHF 125,000
-
Lot 37: Patek Philippe Reference 3970E, Platinum Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour Indication, Leap Year Indication and Black Dial, circa 1997: CHF 125,000
-
Lot 60: Patek Philippe Geneva Oberservatory First Prize Winning Tourbillon, 18K Gold Open Face High-Precision Keyless Lever Pocket Watch with One-Minute Tourbillon Regulator by Hector Golay, Awarded First Prize at the Geneva Observatory Chronometer Competition in 1932, Regulated By François Modoux, circa 1931: CHF 125,000
-
Lot 10: Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5990/1A, Stainless Steel Automatic Chronograph Dual Time with Date, circa 2014: CHF 118,750
-
Lot 5: Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 3712A, Stainless Steel Automatic Wristwatch with Power Reserve, Moon Phases and Date, circa 2006: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 115: Patek Philippe Gilt Brass Solar-powered Table Clock with Cloisonne Enamel by Elisabeth Perusset Lagger, Reference 1121, circa 1976: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 213: Patek Philippe Reference 3970EP, 4th Series, Platinum and Diamond-Set Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch with Moon Phases, 24 Hour Indication and Leap Year Indication, Manufactured in 2004: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 21: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Platinum Minute Repeating Tourbillon Chronograph, Reference 26050PT, Circa 2007: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 73: Breguet Skeletonized Souscription Set No. 1, ‘Souscription’ Set of 18k Pink Gold Watches, Comprising a Skeletonized Tourbillon Wristwatch (Reference 3355) and a ‘Perpétuelle’ Self-Winding Skeletonized Pocket Watch with Date, Moon Phases and Power Reserve, circa 1996: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 20: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Reference 260500R, 18K Pink Gold Minute Repeating Tourbillon Chronograph Wristwatch, Circa 2008: CHF 112,500
-
Lot 122: Rolex Reference 18188 Day-Date ‘Lucky Wheel’, 18K Gold, Diamond, Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire Set Automatic Wristwatch with Sweep Centre Seconds, Day and Date, Circa 1987: CHF 100,000
-
Lot 8: Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5980A, Stainless Steel Automatic Chronograph Wristwatch with Date, circa 2012: CHF 100,000
-
Lot 71: Attributed to Charles-Abraham Bruguier 18k Gold and Enamel Singing Bird Box, circa 1865: CHF 100,000