On 27 November, Christie’s Hong Kong will be holding a live auction event for Important Watches that will feature The Triazza Collection, Part I, which comprises some of the rarest and most magnificent timepieces from Patek Philippe.

The Christie’s Hong Kong auction offers a total of over 200 watches, with a selection of highly desirable timekeepers, both modern and vintage. Renowned Maisons such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre and A. Lange & Söhne will be represented in this Live Sale, including noteworthy creations by F.P. Journe.

Highlights

Patek Philippe Esmond Bradley Martin Ref. 605 HU cloisonné dial ‘North America’, manufactured in 1950

This exemplary Patek Philippe reference 605 HU (Heure Universelle) World Time dress watch with cloisonné enamel ‘North America’ dial is one of only a handful of these sublimely beautiful horological masterpieces to ever have come to market.

It brings with it a wonderful and impeccable provenance, its first owner was one of the great American watch collectors of the 20th century, Esmond Bradley Martin, who purchased this watch from Tiffany & Co. in New York in December 1957. For the past decade, it has been a highlight of an important private watch collection.

From 1939 to 1964 Louis Cottier and Patek Philippe produced up to 95 pieces of the reference 605 HU, of which 68 were in yellow gold and 27 in pink gold. Reference 605 HU was available with a plain metal dial or a unique cloisonné enamel dial.

The latter could depict individual continents, hemispheres or even the entire planet. This reference was one of the earliest to use Louis Cottier’s world time system and each watch was made under Cottier’s direct supervision to ensure that the world time mechanism operated flawlessly, even after it was cased.

Patek Philippe’s cloisonné dial wristwatches are always among the rarest and most exclusive watches of any reference. Today, only around 12 surviving examples of reference 605 HU are known with cloisonné dials, however only four, including the present watch, were decorated with the map of North America.

Estimate: HK$7,000,000-14,000,000

Patek Philippe Geneva Observatory 1st Prize tourbillon, manufactured in 1924

This important and large-size Geneva Observatory 1st Prize winning tourbillon is not only in exceptional condition and one of the finest high-precision Patek Philippe watches, it is also possibly unique in retaining both its original gold case and white enamel Breguet numeral dial and, in addition, its original antimagnetic observatory contest case and original contest silver sector dial.

According to the Geneva Observatory records, the present movement was awarded a First Prize at the Timing Contest of 1931 with 782 points out of a possible 1000. This chronometer was the 13th out of the 50 classified among more than 600.

The first in the trial gained 856 and the last 604, 58 chronometers were entered for the contest. The tourbillon carriage was made by James Pellaton and the watch was adjusted by master adjuster Jules Golay-Audemars.

As is common to all Patek Philippe movements made for observatory testing, the present watch it is engraved twice with the movement number. The inscription “Extra” on the bridge of the movement refers to the very high finishing of all the parts of the movement. This watch achieved chronometer standard as attested to by the stamping of the movement with the Seal of Geneva (twice).

Estimate: HK$5,500,000 – 11,000,000.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5004J-017

An almost certainly unique yellow gold split seconds chronograph perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, 24-hour and leap year indications, with a Certificate of Origin-confirmed stunning black monogram dial, luminous indexes and luminous hands and white tachymeter scale, made as a bespoke commission for the remarkable American collector Michael Ovitz. Circa 2011. Estimate: HK$5,000,000 – 10,000,000.

Patek Philippe Ref. 1415 Heures Universelles

A superb and very rare 18k gold world time wristwatch, with ‘short’ signature, manufactured in 1948. Only 82 pieces were made in yellow gold, and less than 20 pieces in yellow gold examples with ‘short’ signature. Estimate: HK$1,500,000-3,000,000.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5073P-001

An extremely rare and magnificent diamond-set platinum automatic “Cathedral” minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, 24-hour and leap year indication. On the bezel: baguette-cut diamonds. Circa 2014. Estimate: HK$11,000,000 – 18,000,000.

F.P. Journe Watches

F.P. Journe 30th Anniversary Tourbillon, limited edition of 99 pieces

A rare 18k rose gold and silver limited edition tourbillon wristwatch to celebrate thirty years since the founding of the F.P. Journe watchmaking Manufacture. Circa 2014. Estimate: HK$2,400,000 – 4,800,000.

F.P. Journe lineSport Automatique Reserve

18k pink gold automatic wristwatch with date, power reserve, day/night indication and bracelet. Circa 2021. Estimate: HK$800,000 – 1,600,000.

F.P. Journe Élégante 40 platinum

An attractive lady’s diamond and sapphire-set platinum wristwatch. Circa 2021. Estimate: HK$350,000 – 700,000.

F.P. Journe Élégante 40 titanium

An attractive lady’s ceramic and diamond-set titanium wristwatch. Circa 2021. Estimate: HK$180,000 – 280,000.