Four auction houses, three days: Geneva's week

Patek Philippe ref. 1436 in steel, 1945: Phillips's headline lot. © Phillips

Between 7 and 9 November, four auction houses offer more than 1,200 lots in Geneva. They include a steel Patek Philippe estimated at up to CHF 4 million, the five F.P. Journe watches once owned by Michael Schumacher and a Nautilus given by a sultan. On Saturday night, in the same city, the GPHG prizes are awarded.

The calendar

• Phillips, The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV — 7 and 8 November, at 2 pm, Hotel President. About 220 lots, on view from 4 to 7 November.

• Antiquorum, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces — 7 and 8 November. 603 lots.

• Sotheby's, Important Watches — 8 and 9 November, Mandarin Oriental. 184 lots, on view from 5 to 7 November.

• Christie's, Rare Watches — 9 November, Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. 218 lots, on view from 5 to 8 November.

The estimates in this article do not include the buyer's premium.

Phillips: steel worth millions

Lot 95 is a Patek Philippe ref. 1436 from 1945. Launched in 1938, the reference was the brand's first serially produced split-seconds chronograph, with about 140 examples made over 33 years. In steel, only two are known with their original case and dial. An Extract from the Archives confirms production in 1945 and sale in 1949.

The ref. 1436 retains its original case and dial, and the crown operates the split seconds. Estimate: CHF 2–4 million. © Phillips

In steel, only two Patek Philippe ref. 1436 are known with their original case and dial.

The catalogue includes Cartier's Portico No. 4, a 1924 mystery clock and the only one of the six in the series with a hexagonal dial (CHF 1.8–3.2 million); a Rolex ref. 6062 «Stelline», discovered in Japan and consigned by its first owner (CHF 600,000–1.2 million); and the 2002 F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance «Régence», the only one with a shiny pink gold dial (CHF 1–2 million). There is also the first part of the Pucci Papaleo collection, with 16 Rolex chronographs.

For those who love the history of precision timekeeping, lot 91 is Ferdinand Berthoud's Marine Chronometer No. 46 from 1790 (CHF 100,000–200,000). Berthoud documented it himself, in the first 22 pages of his Traité des Montres à Longitudes. We told the background in «Marine chronometers».

Sotheby's: Lange and Daniels

Lot 96 is an A. Lange & Söhne from around 1914, a unique pink gold piece new to the market. It combines a perpetual calendar, quarter repeater, grande and petite sonnerie and moon phases.

A. Lange & Söhne, circa 1914, a unique piece. Estimate: CHF 500,000–1 million. © Sotheby's

Lot 80 is a George Daniels Millennium from 2001 in yellow gold, one of 48 made in this metal. It was commissioned for the Roscoe family, who have kept it ever since. It comes to auction in the centenary year of Daniels, born in 1926. In 2023, at the same house, the white gold Millennium signed by Daniels and Roger W. Smith reached CHF 2,177,500.

George Daniels Millennium in yellow gold, 2001. Estimate: CHF 300,000–600,000. © Sotheby's

Christie's: a sultan and a champion

The yellow gold Nautilus ref. 3700/1 was made in 1978 for Sultan Qaboos of Oman and bears the «Khanjar» emblem on its dial. Five such examples were known before it. It comes directly from its first owner, who worked close to the Sultan and received the watch from him.

Nautilus ref. 3700/1, 1978, with the «Khanjar» emblem. Estimate: CHF 500,000–1 million. © Christie's

The Patek Philippe ref. 1518 from 1948 belongs to the reference launched in 1941, the first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch. 281 were made up to 1954.

Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold, sold on 17 December 1948. Estimate: CHF 500,000–1 million. © Christie's

The five F.P. Journe watches from the Ruthenium collection, all numbered 92/99, belonged to Michael Schumacher and are sold as separate lots. Estimates run from CHF 300,000–600,000 (Octa Jour et Nuit, Octa Chronographe and Octa Calendrier) to CHF 650,000–1.2 million (Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance). In May 2024, also at Christie's, a single buyer took all five for over CHF 1.7 million.

The Vagabondage trilogy in pink gold, with the number 36/68 on all three watches. Estimate: CHF 400,000–800,000 each. © Christie's

The sale also includes about 20 watches donated in aid of ELA, the European Leukodystrophies Association. One is Zinedine Zidane's Cartier Pasha, the first watch he bought for himself, with his first salary as a player, in Bordeaux.

Antiquorum: the largest catalogue

With 603 lots, Antiquorum has the largest catalogue of the week. Its highlights include an F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier (CHF 400,000–800,000) and a 1977 Rolex GMT-Master given to Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (CHF 200,000–400,000).

In Lisbon, on 28 November

The market for old watches does not live in Geneva alone. Tempo Passado takes place on 28 November at the Lisboa Jupiter Hotel. Information about the fair is at www.tempopassado.pt.