Our first live auction of 2023, the PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XVII, takes place on May 13 and 14, at La Réserve Genève. The auction includes more than 200 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it's one of the best catalogs we've ever put together. Here, our specialists highlight a few of their favorite watches included in the auction.
Auction season is right around the corner. There are only a few weeks to go before the Geneva Watch Auction: XVII kicks off. The full catalog is published, the highlights have gone on tour, and we're publishing new content daily on social media and our editorial homepage.
With more than 200 lots to choose from in the catalog, we're sure you don't need any help in picking out your top lots, but in case you're curious, we did send a brief poll around the office to see what our Geneva specialists and international digital team members would select as their personal favorites.
It's a tough question, and our answers would likely change if you asked us again tomorrow, but at least for today, here are the six lots that made the cut.
Lot 206: A 1943 Audemars Piguet Full Calendar Chronograph Ref. 831 in 18k Yellow Gold with Caliber 13VZAQ
Estimate: CHF 150,000 - 300,000
Alexandre Ghotbi, Head Of Watches, Continental Europe And EMEA
This watch is made of the same fabric as dreams. It's rare (only 8 known), superbly well balanced, and in suberb condition. Audemars Piguet timepieces from the mid-20th century are often considered by collectors as icons due to their exquisite quality, superb – sometimes revolutionary – aesthetics, technical ingenuity, and extremely limited production numbers.
The design of the watch is a gem of equilibrium and balance. The short thick lugs and expansive dial shape provide it with definitive wrist presence, whereas the three-tone dial color, with its cream main plate, salmon chronograph indicators, and silver calendar section, provide an incredibly theatrical and charismatic effect. Take a closer look here.
Lot 145: A 1973 Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 'Padellone' in 18k White Gold with 'Sigma' Dial
Estimate: CHF 500,000 - 1,000,000
Tiffany To, Head Of Sale, Senior International Specialist
My pick for our upcoming sale is lot 145, a Patek Philippe ref. 3448 in white gold with its original certificate. It is a study of how any reference 3448 should look, providing both scholars and collectors a point of reference and a standard for how this model should be judged. It's most probably unpolished and displays a possibly unique dial, with all its factory finishes, from the mini bevels on the side of the lugs to the multi-faceted bezel – and even the crisp hallmarks beneath the lugs!
The razor-sharp edges, along with the contrasting polished and brushed finishes are undoubtedly original. It's clearly one of the most impressive ref. 3448s to grace the market in recent years; this example is a sight to behold. An added detail of interest is the plentitude of accessories that accompany the timepiece, such as the Certificate of Origin indicating the watch was sold in Japan, a period-correct polishing cloth, Patek Philippe Japan documents, a folio, and the original presentation box.
Lot 43: A 2012 Patek Philippe Advanced Research Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5550P-001
Estimate: CHF 40,000 - 80,000
Arthur Touchot, International Head Of Digital Strategy, Specialist
The Ref. 5550 is part of Patek Philippe’s game-changing “Advanced Research” program, featuring a small group of watches that showcase the latest and greatest in silicon technology from the illustrious Geneva-based watchmaker. While some watches in the program were met with instant success, the earlier and more conservative models – such as the ref. 5550 seen here – remain comparatively underappreciated.
Personally, I think the ref. 5550 is one of the most compelling Advanced Research watches to date since it combines the company’s innovative spirit with its most iconic complication – a perpetual calendar – and its most iconic case shape, the Calatrava. It’s very elegant on the wrist, and the brushed dial looks incredible in natural light. So far, this is the only perpetual calendar in the program, and with production capped at 300 pieces, it’s quite rare and hard to find.
Lot 87: A 1970 Piaget Ref. 9212/D76 Bracelet Watch in Yellow Gold, Jade, and Lapis Lazuli
Estimate: CHF 15,000 - 25,000
Virginie Liatard Roessli, Specialist, Associate Director
Embodying Piaget’s DNA, the present timepiece displays what made the Geneva-based Maison so beloved by the '70s jet set. The playful design could only be executed by master goldsmiths, and the use of hard stone was only possible at the time thanks to Piaget's success in miniaturizing their movements.
Altogether, this watch is a superb representation of a brand that masters those savoir-faires and is both a watchmaker and a jeweler. I love this piece, the "bark" texture of the outer part of the bracelet, which accompanies the lapis lazuli and jade bricks, gives an organic and eccentric look to this stunning articulated bracelet watch. The cherry on top is that the watch is in mint condition and is accompanied by its original box and certificate. The new owner can travel back in time to an era of fun and extravagance.
Lot 69: A 1955 Patek Philippe Ref. 2526 in 18k Yellow Gold with "Double Swiss" First Series Black Enamel Dial
Estimate: CHF 100,000 - 200,000
Marcello de Marco, Specialist, Business Development Associate
I have had an incredible fascination with the ref. 2526 since I first approached the world of vintage watches. While it is admittedly not the "loudest" of Patek Philippe watches, its understatement is part of the appeal. Once you spend a few minutes studying this time-only automatic model, it's easy to understands why it's truly a monumental reference. It is powered by the caliber 12-600, widely considered one of the best, if not the best, automatic movements ever devised. Having decided to wait for Rolex's patent on the automatic winding rotor to expire, Patek spent a good couple of decades perfecting this movement. The result is a technical masterpiece that was decorated to an absurdly high standard. Aesthetically, The waterproof screw-back case shows a mastery of design in its simplicity, conveying a sense of stately importance and solidity. The same impression is conveyed by the elegant and eminently legible dial.
Thus, any ref. 2526 is an "endgame timepiece" for me, but the present version with a "First Series" black enamel dial goes well above and beyond any "standard" ref. 2526. A white enamel dial version is already an incredibly attractive, rare, and important timepiece. A black enamel dial version, confirmed by the extract, is not only absurdly rare, but it completely alters the looks of the watch making it a sort of sport/evening hybrid that highly resonates with modern tastes.
Lot 124: The Naissance d'Une Montre 2 Unique Piece, by Greubel Forsey, Urwerk, and Cyrano Devanthey and Dominique Buser of Oscillon
Estimate: CHF 200,000 - 400,000
Logan Baker, Senior Editorial Manager
I might be biased – ok, I'm definitely biased – but after interviewing a few of the individuals involved in the project, I feel like I'd be fibbing if I picked anything but the Naissance d'une Montre 2. If you're not familiar with the story, the Naissance d'une Montre 2 is a one-of-a-kind watch that was painstakingly handcrafted using traditional antique tooling and machinery by Cyrano Devanthey and Dominique Buser of Oscillon, with guidance and support from Greubel Forsey, Urwerk, and the rest of the Time Aeon Foundation.
I'll admit I wasn't super aware of Devanthey and Buser's tremendous work at Oscillon before this project, but – wow – I highly, highly recommend anyone interested in independent, technical watchmaking follow along with what they're doing. Their four-arm bowtie-shaped balance wheel is something I never would have anticipated seeing in a wristwatch. And the Tensator system they use for the mainspring is a remarkably clever solution, so much so that you wonder why no one previously attempted downsizing it for a wristwatch before them. But the real mindblowing thing about the watch is that every single part is crafted by hand! That means zero CNC or CAD. Devanthey, Buser, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei from Urwerk, and the entire team at Greubel Forsey have poured countless hours over the past five years into making this single watch a reality.
I can't speak enough on how impressed I am at the final product. I can only hope that the final result at auction next month – with 100 percent of the lot proceeds going back to supporting the Time Aeon Foundation – leaves me with a similar feeling.
You can learn more about and register to bid in the Geneva Watch Auction: XVII by visiting our online catalog.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
Recommended Reading
Kari Voutilainen: Master of Dials
Naissance d’une Montre II: Making A Watch By Hand in the 21st Century
A Technical Overview Of Philippe Dufour's First Pocket Watch