Our first live auction of 2025, the PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, takes place on 10 - 11 May, at the Hotel President, at Quai Wilson 47, in central Geneva. The auction includes nearly 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. We'll be highlighting a number of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale over the next month, including all the watches detailed below.
There are nearly 200 incredible timepieces to discover in the catalog for our upcoming Geneva Watch Auction: XXI. There are so many wonderful watches to discover that it can be extremely difficult to select a single lot from the sale that's right for you.
Alas, the heart wants what the heart wants.
We believe it's foolish to turn away from the watches you love the most, so while preparing for the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, we challenged a number of specialists and staffers in the Phillips Geneva office on what watch – one watch – they would choose to take home with them if they could.
Their answers might surprise you.
Lot 183: A Circa 1939 Rolex 'Barilotto' Ref. 3525 Chronograph with Salmon Multi-Scale Dial, Retailed by Cravanzola Roma 183.
Estimate: CHF 70,000–140,000
Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant
There are so many kinds of watches out there. Some make you happy when you buy them. Some make you even happier when you sell them. Others just make you smile every time you wear them or even when you catch a glimpse of them. That’s exactly why I chose this watch as my specialist pick. Back in the 1930s — way before SUVs hit the highways — Rolex and a few others were already building what I like to call SUWs: Sport Utility Watches. These were luxurious watches tough enough for real life. The Rolex reference 3525, nicknamed the “Barilotto” by Italian collectors and sometimes called the “Prisoner of War” model, is one of the first chronograph wristwatches with a screw-down caseback, a screw-down crown, and round pushers. Built in 18k pink gold, it was rugged enough for a weekend of hunting or even to survive the conditions of a prison camp.
The example we have here looks like it spent most of its life in a safe, not on a wrist. The case shows its original satin finish, untouched and unpolished. Between the lugs, you can still see both vertical and horizontal brushing — details you rarely find today. This is from the first generation, dating to about 1939, easy to spot thanks to small punch numbers outside the caseback and a tiny drop shape near the pinholes. What gets me every time is the charm: the rose-colored salmon dial paired with blued steel hands. It’s incredibly beautiful, super legible, and designed with real purpose. At about 35mm, it wears perfectly and still has the DNA that eventually evolved into the Rolex Daytona. This watch makes me smile. That’s why it’s my pick.
Lot 57: A 1961 Unique, Fresh-to-Market Vacheron Constantin Minute Repeater Ref. 6448 in Brushed Platinum with Diamond Hour Markers
Estimate: CHF 120,000–240,000
Alexandre Ghotbi, Head Of Watches, Continental Europe And EME
Five words: minute repeater, platinum, unique piece. That’s really all you need to know. This is one of my favorite watches from the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI — and picking a favorite wasn’t easy. Vintage minute repeaters are already rare, but Vacheron Constantin minute repeaters are even rarer. Finding one with straight lugs instead of the traditional teardrop lugs? That’s the Himalayas of rarity. This watch is a reference 6448, one of only three made in 1961. Each one was unique: one white gold with baton markers, one white gold with diamond markers, and this one — the only one in platinum, with diamond markers.
What sets it apart even more is the brushed platinum case. Not polished, brushed. It gives the watch a modern, almost stealthy elegance. Paired with the diamond markers, it pulls off this incredible balance of being flashy and low-key at the same time. The condition is spectacular. We knew this watch existed, but this is the first time anyone's actually seen it. Fresh to the market, straight from the original owner's family in Mexico. More than 60 years later, here it is in Geneva, 2025. And the sound? It's mind-blowing. Platinum usually muffles repeaters, but this one sounds crisp, clear, and beautiful. Honestly, words don’t do it justice. You need to see it, hear it, experience it. It's an absolute masterpiece — and one of my favorite timepieces of all time.
Lot 134: A Circa 1959 Rolex Oyster Chronograph 'Pre-Daytona' Ref. 6234 in 14k Yellow Gold with Bracelet
Estimate: CHF 100,000–200,000
Tiffany To, Head of Sale, Senior International Specialist
As watch specialists, we see a lot of pieces come across our desks. Most days, it’s the usual flow — clients dropping by, someone finding an old watch in a safe. But once in a while, something lands in front of you that stops you cold. You get goosebumps. You know you’re looking at something truly special. That feeling is rare, but it’s what keeps us chasing the next trophy piece. I still remember sitting with Ael, finishing the catalog, when the shipment arrived. We opened the box, saw the watch, and both just said, "Wow."
The watch is a Rolex 6234. This is the chronograph made two generations before the Cosmograph Daytona we all know today. You can find 6234s in different metals — 18k gold, 14k gold, stainless steel — with all kinds of dials. But for me, it always comes down to condition. Launched in the 1950s, most examples show heavy wear, polishing, or service parts. That's life. But this one? This one is different. The case edges are so sharp you could almost shave with them. The dial has this perfect caramel-vanilla patina. Flip it over, and the caseback shows a crisp milled finish. It’s like a masterclass in preservation. Stored carefully for decades, this watch stayed as pure as the day it left Rolex.
Rarity adds another layer. Out of about 2,000 examples made, only around 200–300 were in gold — and even fewer were in 14k gold, like this one, made specifically for the American market. On top of that, it has its original dial and a rare "big logo" bracelet stamped for 1958. And here’s the kicker: this exact watch was published in 100 Superlative Rolexes by John Goldberger — the bible for collectors. It doesn’t get better. This is a once-in-a-lifetime piece, and whoever owns it next will have a true trophy in their collection.
Lot 81: A Circa 2000 A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Moon Phase 'Emil Lange' Limited Edition in Platinum
Estimate: CHF 20,000–40,000
Sophie Furley, Head of Digital Marketing
Hi, I'm the new head of digital marketing here at Phillips in Geneva. This is my first Specialist Picks, and honestly, I felt a bit of pressure picking a watch that might impress everyone as the "new girl." But in the end, I kept it simple: I laid all the watches out, gave myself 10 seconds, and asked, "If I could go home with one right now, which would it be?"
I chose the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase. Produced in 1999 for the 150th birthday of Emil Lange, it’s crafted in platinum, measuring 35.9mm across and just 8mm thick. The midnight blue dial is stunning, with a small seconds at four o'clock, a moon phase at eight, and a constellation featuring the Big Dipper — the only constellation I can reliably spot in the sky! It's absolutely beautiful, and if I could sneak it home, I would.
Lot 88: A 2023 Krayon Anywhere 'Métiers d’Art Azur' in Platinum
Estimate: CHF 80,000–160,000
Marcello de Marco, Specialist, Business Development Associate
Today, I’m excited to share my pick for the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI sale happening this May. I went a little off my usual path this time. Thanks to Mr. Ghotbi infecting me with the "independent watch" bug, I picked a Krayon timepiece.
When Krayon launched their first model, Everywhere, in 2018, I fell for it immediately. Then came the Anywhere, which kept the original's quirky charm but with a cleaner, more simplified dial. I loved it even more. This watch shows sunrise, sunset, and the length of day and night for any location you choose — hence the name "Anywhere." The lighter blue sector shows daylight, the darker starry sector shows nighttime, and the edge between them tells you exactly when the sun rises and sets. A small sun glides around the 24-hour track to show the current time of day. At the center, a simple calendar displays the month and day to track the changing daylight through the year.
Even with all this complexity, the dial stays clean and readable. It looks almost minimal at first glance, with just one counter at six o'clock. But that outer track cleverly carries all the astronomical information you need. This particular piece is a special 15-piece limited edition, featuring a stunning shaded enamel dial that shifts from light blue to dark blue, like a sunrise or sunset. The case is thin, elegant, and perfectly sized at 39mm.
The moment I realized we had this watch in the sale, I knew it had to be my pick. It's an incredible package: a novel, practical complication, beautifully finished, and extremely wearable. What do you think? Is tracking sunrise and sunset practical—or a bit of a gimmick? Personally, I see a lot of use for it.
Lot 58: A Circa 1940 Vacheron Constantin 'Bras en l’Air' Pocket Watch in Platinum with 'View of New York City' Diamond Setting and Gübelin Signature
Estimate: CHF 70,000–140,000
Logan Baker, Senior Editorial Manager
The catalogue for the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI is amazing. I honestly struggled to pick a favorite this season. But in the end, I chose something really special — a unique pocket watch from Vacheron Constantin, made around 1940. It has a Gübelin retailer signature on the dial and a double retrograde display for the hours and minutes. Press the little button on the side, and the hands jump up to show the time — then they drop back down when you release it. It’s such a cool mechanism.
What really pulled me in, though, is the center of the dial. It features a cityscape of New York, made out of diamonds. I lived in New York for 10 years during my twenties, so the city feels like home to me. I felt an instant connection to this piece.
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Geneva Watch Auction: XXI catalogue right here.
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
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Why Collectors Are Falling Back in Love With Time-Only Vintage Watches
Inside The Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation