Our first live auction of 2026, the PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII, takes place on 9 & 10 May, at the Hotel President, at Quai Wilson 47, in central Geneva. 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 catalogues we've ever put together. We'll be highlighting a number of the most interesting lots and stories from the sale over the next month, including the ultra-rare Patek Philippe Ref. 3998J-013 with hieroglyph hour markers, featured below.
– By Logan Baker
Among the many ways Patek Philippe has allowed its most important clients to personalize a watch, few are as unusual or as intriguing as the piece offered here.
At first glance, the present Ref. 3998J appears to be a familiar Calatrava: a restrained 34mm 18k yellow-gold wristwatch powered by the automatic calibre 315 SC, with a date aperture and the elegance collectors have come to associate with Patek Philippe’s most classical line. But a closer look at the dial reveals something extraordinary. In place of traditional hour markers, a sequence of Egyptian hieroglyphs appears around the dial, transforming an otherwise discreet Calatrava into one of the most culturally fascinating and enigmatic modern Patek Philippe wristwatches known.
Made in 2002 and accompanied by its Extract from the Archives confirming the presence of hieroglyphic hour markers, the watch belongs to an exceptionally small group of Ref. 3998 examples commissioned with similar dials. Only four examples are known today. Each displays a different sequence of hieroglyphs and appears to have been created as part of a single, highly personalized order placed by a collector with a uniquely close relationship to the manufacture. Prior to their appearance at auction, no other Patek Philippe wristwatch with Egyptian hieroglyph markers had ever been documented.
The present watch is arguably the most intriguing of the group.
When Phillips first studied the hieroglyphic dial in detail, the symbols revealed a hidden message. At 12 o’clock, the hieroglyphs spell “NAUTUN,” while at six o’clock, they read “HALMUT.” Together, they form a phonetic rendering of the name Helmut Newton, the legendary photographer whose provocative and unmistakable visual language shaped fashion photography for decades.
Understanding why such a watch was created requires stepping into the remarkable world of Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Thani.
The Qatari prince was one of the most formidable art buyers of his era, building an astonishing collection valued at roughly USD $1.5 billion within little more than a decade. His interests ranged widely across antiquities, Islamic art, photography, and objects of exceptional historical significance.
Among horological collectors, he is perhaps best remembered for owning one of the greatest timepieces ever made: the Henry Graves Supercomplication, which he acquired at the celebrated 1999 Time Museum sale in New York before later consigning it to auction in Geneva, where it achieved a record-breaking CHF 23.2 million in 2014.
Al Thani’s deep connection to Patek Philippe makes the appearance of these hieroglyphic Calatravas easier to understand. Another known example in the series bears hieroglyphs that translate to “SAUD AL TANI,” strongly suggesting that the watches were commissioned directly by the prince. If that is the case, the present example appears to have been conceived as a tribute to Newton himself.
The connection between the two men is well documented. Newton, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, worked with Al Thani on a private commission that reportedly earned the photographer $210,000 for just three days of work.
The prince was a passionate supporter of photography as an art form, collecting extensively and even purchasing entire auctions devoted to the medium. His holdings included works by figures such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Man Ray, as well as a remarkable array of historic cameras and lenses.
Against this backdrop, the creation of a uniquely personalized Patek Philippe as a gift to Newton begins to make perfect sense. The hieroglyphic dial reflects Al Thani’s fascination with ancient cultures, particularly Egyptian antiquity. At the same time, encoding Newton’s name in hieroglyphs introduces a subtle layer of intellectual playfulness that feels entirely consistent with the prince’s taste for extraordinary objects. The result is a watch that connects three seemingly distant worlds: classical Geneva watchmaking, ancient Egyptian symbolism, and the modern art world.
The present example is distinguished not only by its dial but also by its impeccable provenance. It retains its original presentation box and hang tag, and the accompanying Extract from the Archives confirms both its production in 2002 and its unusual dial configuration.
It first surfaced publicly in June 2014 as part of the legendary “Titanium Collection,” a group of unique Patek Philippe timepieces that also included the only known titanium Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5001T. Even within that remarkable group, the hieroglyphic Calatravas stood out as one of the most unexpected watches ever produced by the manufacture.
The watch reappeared at the Phillips New York Watch Auction: SEVEN in December 2022, where collectors immediately recognized its rarity and significance, resulting in a sale price of USD $239,400. Its return to the market this season in Geneva offers a rare opportunity to study and acquire one of the most unusual modern Calatravas ever created.
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII 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.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past ten years covering the watch industry from every angle. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in early 2023 as Senior Editorial Manager, after previous roles at Hodinkee and WatchTime. Originally from Texas, he spent a decade in New York and now calls Geneva home.
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