Our final live auction of the spring 2026 season, The Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIV, takes place on 13–14 June at our Manhattan headquarters, bringing together more than 150 exceptional watches in a carefully curated sale. Ahead of the auction, we’ll be highlighting some of its most compelling timepieces and stories, including the lots featured in this article.
By Steven Rogers
Few dial colors have arguably generated quite the same collector appetite in recent years as salmon. Of course, we say “salmon,” but depending on the watchmaker, the tone may be described as rose, copper, gilded, rose-gilt opaline, or simply pink gold.
Historically, salmon-toned dials first appeared on pocket watches before gaining prominence on wristwatches during the 1930s and 1940s. Traditionally associated with “gilt” or “gilded” finishes, the color was often achieved by electroplating gold onto brass dial plates.
Nowadays, watchmakers can employ a broader range of techniques, from lacquer and PVD coatings to – at the higher end – enamel, opaline rose-gilt treatments, and solid pink gold dials.
At The New York Watch Auction: XIV, Phillips is offering six contemporary salmon-dialed watches sure to hook collectors.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5070G-014 “Saatchi Gallery” in 18k White Gold
Unveiled in 1998, the Ref. 5070 marked Patek Philippe’s return to a serially produced, time-only chronograph after a gap of more than three decades.
It was also a pretty bold move for the era. At 42mm, the reference was larger than most contemporary Pateks, with its broad dial, stepped bezel, and oversized Arabic numerals giving it a more assertive personality than the compact perpetual calendar chronographs that had defined the brand through the 1980s and '90s.
Beneath the sapphire caseback sat the revered Lemania-based CH 27-70 caliber, the last era of outsourced Patek Philippe chronograph movements before the arrival of fully in-house successors.
By the time the reference was discontinued in 2009, the 5070 had already garnered a devoted following.
Then came an unexpected encore: for the 2015 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery, the brand revived the model in a tiny series of special editions created from unused cases and new-old-stock movements.
Among them was the present Ref. 5070G-014, a white gold example paired with an eye-catching salmon dial. The combination totally transforms the watch. Where the standard 5070G leaned relatively monochromatic, the warm metallic tone of the dial gives this version a punchier personality.
One of only five examples produced, the present watch is offered fresh-to-the-public-market in outstanding condition and complete with its full London-issued accessories.
Another Ref. 5236P-010 crossed the block at Phillips Geneva in May, achieving just over CHF 700,000 all in, so all eyes will be on this lot 42 in New York.
Patek Philippe Ref. 3940G-029 Perpetual Calendar “Saatchi Edition” in 18k White Gold
The Ref. 3940 holds an altogether different place in the Patek Philippe universe. Where the 5070 announced itself with oversized proportions and chronograph bravado, the 3940 built its reputation more discreetly, through svelte sizing and one of the most elegant perpetual calendar layouts of the modern era.
Introduced in 1985 as the successor to the Ref. 3450, it ushered in a softer, more rounded aesthetic and was powered by the ultra-thin micro-rotor Caliber 240. It became what many collectors still consider the quintessential modern Patek perpetual calendar.
Discontinued in 2007, the reference returned eight years later for the London Saatchi Gallery exhibition series in a refreshed format. The present Ref. 3940G-029 brings together the classic 36mm white gold case with a salmon dial not previously seen in the reference.
As with the Ref. 5070G-014 above, the coppery face gives the watch a warmer, more contemporary character without disturbing the harmony of the original design, itself updated with revised subsidiary displays.
Research suggests fewer than 20 examples of the Ref. 3940G-029 were produced, and the reference is rarely seen publicly. The piece offered here is fresh-to-the-market in outstanding condition and complete with its full suite of accessories.
Patek Phillippe Ref. 5236P-010 In-Line Perpetual Calendar “Salmon” in Platinum
A modern perpetual calendar informed by classical Patek Philippe codes, the Ref. 5236P-010 draws inspiration from a handful of the brand’s mid-century pocket watches that displayed the calendar indications in a single horizontal aperture.
Released in 2021, this In-Line Perpetual Calendar reinterprets that historical layout through a clean dial design built around symmetry and readability.
While the Ref. 5236P has appeared with white, black and blue dials, there is something especially alluring about this rose-gilt opaline version.
The pinkish matte surface works a treat with the linear calendar display, while dark anthracite-coated white gold hands and indexes sharpen the contrast against the 41mm platinum case, inspired by the much-loved Ref. 3448.
Powering the watch is the self-winding Caliber 31-260 PS QL, developed for the reference and fitted with a platinum micro-rotor to provide the additional torque required by the in-line perpetual calendar mechanism.
Making its first auction appearance since the reference’s launch, this salmon-dialed watch is preserved in like-new condition and comes with its full accessory set.
A. Lange & Söhne Ref. 345.056 Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar in 18k White Gold
From Geneva to Germany now, the A. Lange & Söhne Ref. 345.056 Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar approaches the concept of a salmon dial from a different perspective, eschewing symmetry for the off-center design that made the Lange 1 such a hit.
Introduced in 2021, the watch integrated a perpetual calendar into the asymmetric Lange 1 layout without disrupting the geometry that defined the model from 1994 onward.
The month is displayed on a rotating peripheral ring, the oversized date remains prominent, while the leap year indication is integrated neatly at 6 o’clock.
The present limited edition pairs a 42mm white gold case with a solid pink gold dial – a tone most collectors would describe as “salmon”, even if A. Lange & Söhne has avoided the term itself.
The matte gold surface sets off the black printing, white date and leap year displays, rhodium-treated hands and indexes, and the deep blue of the moonphase to superb effect.
Limited to 150 examples, the present watch is number 61 and remains in virtually new condition with its factory protective wrapping still intact.
Offered by the original owner and accompanied by its complete suite of accessories, it is one of the most visually distinctive timepieces produced by the Glashütte manufacture in recent years.
Romain Gauthier – C by Romain Gauthier, Titanium Edition with “Lever du soleil” Dial
Producing fewer than 250 watches a year, Swiss independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier operates on an entirely different scale to the other manufactures that dominate our selection here.
And rather than drawing on vintage chronographs or classical perpetual calendars, this C by Romain Gauthier places a salmon dial within a lightweight, integrated-bracelet contemporary sports watch designed for everyday wear.
Debuting in 2021, the time-only C collection marked a more casual side of Gauthier’s work, without sacrificing the mechanical sophistication and fine finishing associated with the brand.
The present “Lever du Soleil” execution – named after sunrise over the watchmaker’s native Vallée de Joux – pairs a Grade 5 titanium case and bracelet with a titanium dial plate whose coppery surface changes depending on the light and viewing angle.
Details abound, from the fluid C-shaped bracelet and faceted bezel to the in-house automatic movement with its stop-seconds mechanism and extensive hand-decoration.
Offered in excellent overall condition and accompanied by its complete set of accessories, it captures a more modern and sport-oriented expression of the salmon dial.
Patek Philippe Ref. 6196P-001 Calatrava in Platinum
And finally, we finish with absolute purity. The Ref. 6196P-001 strips the salmon dial concept back to the bare essentials through the clean lines of the Calatrava.
Appearing for the first time in 2025, the 38mm reference marked an important moment for Patek Philippe, essentially replacing the long-running Ref. 5196.
The watch also introduced the manually wound Caliber 30-255 PS to the traditional Calatrava line, its larger dimensions restoring the balanced proportions collectors expect from Patek Philippe’s iconic dress watch model.
Little is happening on the dial – and that is precisely the beauty of it. Blackened white gold hour markers and dauphine hands, along with an unframed small seconds display and minimalist printing, allow the rose-gilt opaline surface to dominate.
Making its first auction appearance since launch, the present watch is offered by its original owner in virtually unworn condition and accompanied by its complete suite of accessories.
You can learn more about these timepieces, place a bid, and view the entire Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIV 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 DECADE ONE (2015–2025) sale having realized $83 million in 2025. The annual total for watch auctions in 2025 exceeded $290 million, marking the first time any auction house's Watches department has surpassed US$200 million in annual sales for five consecutive years.
About Steven Rogers
Steven Rogers is Senior Editorial Manager at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, with 15 years’ experience in the Swiss watch industry as an editor, copywriter, and communications manager across brands, agencies, and media.