- By Paul Boutros, Head of Watches, Americas
Phillips was proud to offer the first series from the “Ride the Wave” collection during our 2021 New York Watches auction held last December, which comprised water resistant watches of the highest quality. One hundred percent of these watches sold for a remarkable 280% above their low estimate, led by an exquisite Patek Philippe ref. 2526 in platinum with enamel dial that achieved $441,000 – clearly a testament to the collection’s overall quality.
A man of distinguished taste, he is an avid surfer, Porsche collector, world traveler, and bon vivant. Just like the unpredictability of the oceans’ waves he surfs, the journey of a collector can take many different paths. As a watch collector for over four decades, his focus expanded over the years, evolving from water resistant watches inspired by his passion for surfing, to pursuing iconic references from the most prestigious brands in the best preserved, most outstanding condition across periods and price points.
He developed his tastes and discipline over many years, recognizing the importance of being humble from the beginning. He was mentored early on by an accomplished Swiss watchmaker, Rene Grosjean, who taught him to appreciate vintage watches and to recognize their originality and quality. He learned to appreciate even the smallest details, such as the originality of a strap, buckle, patina consistency, and details indicating the presence of original factory finishing on a case.
His collection is the result of his journey and discoveries, comprised of countless visits to international auctions and estate sales, conversations with specialists, and his patience and perseverance. He appreciates watches with wonderful provenance – most especially those coming from original owners. For these “best quality” watches, armed with his knowledge and courage, he would not hesitate to “go the distance” to acquire a piece he loved.
For this series of watches we are so privileged to bring to market, he shared the following:
“Many of the watches are purchases from the 1980s and as such are appearing on the market for the first time in more than 30 years. In those days, virtually all of the auction house watches were from original owners or estates. I was the lone collector in a room full of dealers. My advisors were sticklers for quality. They would steer me away from any low-quality watch. I am thankful for their tutelage.
For instance, the Longines single button chronograph with the wonderful patina and delightful original dial and hands is from a Sutton Place estate on the East Side of Manhattan. I almost kept this piece due to the great, unusually wide, period leather strap (it reminded me of the leather strap sold with Paul Newman's Paul Newman in New York for the record $17 million) and quirky seconds hand with the ever so subtle bend.
Four of the watches are new old stock, unworn, except the Patek Philippe ref. 5270 worn for two days while in Geneva when I purchased it from the Patek Philippe Salon. The others were purchased by me from the Patek Philippe Salon, or Tiffany & Co. in New York, or from high-end authorized dealers such as Huber in Vaduz.”
We are thrilled to offer this second grouping of 19 watches from the “Ride the Wave” collection. Some are “best-in-class” examples, such as the complete, stainless steel Patek Philippe reference 130 chronograph with two-tone dial, or its superbly preserved, water-resistant sibling, the 18-karat yellow gold reference 1463 with Breguet numerals. They comprise a diverse range of brands, materials, and styles – and all are of exceptional quality.
In addition, they are each extremely sought after and collectible - a result of his keen sense of taste and timeless style. We hope you will enjoy discovering these wonderful watches as much as he did upon acquiring them, and as we did when cataloguing them. With many having been kept in his collection for decades, they each present a rare opportunity for the most discerning collector.