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Top Ten Watches (by value) Sold
Lot 55. Patek Philippe Ref. 2523/1: $1,934,840. The 24-city world timer is a rare bird that few watch companies make, but for Patek Philippe, it’s a signature complication.
It debuted in the 1930s, but wasn’t produced at all between 1965 and 2000, hence its rarity and status as a trophy watch.
This one, made in 1954, is a double-crowned yellow gold example, with a guilloché dial and a metallic city ring.
Lot 216. Rolex Ref. 6241 John Player Special: $1,467,680. When I decided a few years ago that this version of the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona was my grail watch, it was selling in the already unrealistic $800,000 range. Those days are gone.
Last year an 18k gold specimen sold at Sotheby’s for a record $2,491,655, an amount that makes this slightly patinated 14k gold version seem like a bargain.
Lot 219. Rolex Ref. 6102: $1,400,940. This is a world record price for the 6102, an extremely rare reference made in 1953 (Phillips sold the same watch a decade ago, for CHF 1,235,000, approximately $1,360,000).
The cloisonné enamel dial, a rare metiers for Rolex, was designed as a caravel ship and crafted by one of Geneva’s most acclaimed enamelers, Margueritte Koch. It was retailed by Bucherer circa 1953.
Lot 106. Patek Philippe Ref. 3670A-001: $1,288,860. A steel, cushion-shaped chronograph by Patek Philippe is something you don’t see every day.
In 1996, Patek discovered a crate of 16 chronograph movements made in the 1950s and used them for a limited-edition run of steel watches with cushion-shaped cases inspired by 1920s chronographs. They were sold “by application” (to top customers) in 2011 for CHF 240,000 ($265,000). Not a bad investment.
Lot 58. Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain 1: $1,274,852. The original 2018/2019 RRCC1 watches – 25 each in pink gold and platinum – rarely come up for sale, but maybe this world record price will change that.
The price of this platinum model is not surprising considering how hot Rexhepi is right now. His steel Chronometre Antimagnétique just sold for $2.3 million at the Only auction, and last year Phillips sold a gold RRCC1 for just over $900,000.
Rexhepi’s star is now outshining F.P. Journe’s among the independents.
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