Do Your Bidding
The upcoming Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction shows 356 lots, of which 43 are from the personal collection of Laurent Picciotto, owner of the Parisian watch store, Chronopassion, and bona fide luxury watch influencer before the term was ever coined. On 30 May at the Mandarin Oriental at 1pm and 6pm Hong Kong Time, the auction includes several extremely rare pieces. Phillips has also taken the less traditional approach with this auction. You can also bid online, by telephone, or on the Phillips app.
Expect the usual plethora of Patek Philippes and Rolexes. Picciotto’s pieces include a De Bethune DB25L in white gold featuring a spherical moon and a customised Girard-Perregaux R&D 01. Also up, a number of vintage Omegas, plus Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Cartier, and a host of independent watchmaker brands like FP Journe and even Alain Silberstein.
Here are the key highlights.
Rolex Ref. 1665
Estimate: HK$2,200,000 – HK$4,000,000 (S$392,000 – S$713,000)
Rolex Sea-Dweller fans can look forward to an ultra-rare Ref. 1665 that was made for the Sultanate of Oman circa 1977. This piece is only one out of (possibly) 12 that comes with a gold, not red, Khanjar symbol.
Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 3670
Estimate: HK$4,500,000 – HK$7,000,000 (S$802,000 – S$1,247,000)
Possibly the most elusive and desirable of all of Patek Philippe’s contemporary wristwatches, Chronograph Ref. 3670 in stainless steel is the leading highlight. At the time of its production, this watch was an “application piece”, which means only Patek Philippe VIPs were invited to own it. This being the first time it has appeared on the auction market presents a rare opportunity for the Patek aficionado.
Patek Philippe Ref. 3448
Estimate: HK$2,400,000 – HK$4,000,000 (S$427,000 – S$713,000)
Introduced in 1962, Ref. 3448 was the first automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch made by Patek Philippe. There are 586 examples manufactured up until 1981, the majority of which were cased in yellow gold. This piece is accompanied by the original certificate.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1415
Estimate: HK$400,000 – HK$600,000 (S$71,000 – S$107,000)
Loyalists of Patek Philippe’s world timer will be thrilled to see Ref. 1415. This watch dates back to 1949 and is one of the first Louis Cottier-inspired world time wristwatches. Comes with a yellow gold case with soldered lugs, and its hour hand is dagger shaped.
