The next Sotheby’s New York watch auction, which occurs Thursday, December 10th, will offer a Ref. 3448 wristwatch made by Patek Philippe in 1966 with an unusual twist. Twenty years after it was made, the owner requested–and received– a second gold case (more about this later). In addition to this featured piece and several other rare Patek Philippe and Rolex watches, the auction will also offer an unusually broad set of complicated 21st century watches as well a wide range of timepieces listed for less than $10,000.
That previously unknown ‘convertible’ Patek Philippe originally was manufactured in a white gold case in 1966. In 1986 Patek Philippe granted the owner’s request for a yellow gold Ref. 3450 case, which was sent along with a new Ref. 3448 dial with yellow gold indexes and accompanying hands and crowns. The movement was granted official permission to float freely between the two cases, Sotheby’s reports, essentially creating a ‘convertible’ watch that can be worn in either white or yellow gold. Sotheby’s estimates it will fetch between $300,000 and $500,000.
Several other notable Patek Philippe pieces will join this Ref. 3448 at the December 10 auction, including a yellow gold Ref. 1518, made in 1949, and estimated at $250,000 to $350,000. The Ref.1518 was the first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch ever produced in series by Patek Philippe.
Also available is a yellow gold perpetual calendar minute repeating split seconds chronograph with moonphases and register (Ref. 767/3) from 1904, sold in 1965. According to Sotheby’s, in the 1960s Patek Philippe sold a celebrated but small group of what would later be referred to as ‘Modern’ pocket watches after a number of complicated movements from the early 20th century were discovered in the firm’s vaults. These were housed in unusual cases. This Ref. 767 is one of only seven known examples of this reference, and the only known Ref. 767/3.
Collectors of historic 19th century pocket watches will bid heavily for a Breguet gold split seconds stopwatch (No. 3168) originally sold in 1822 (estimated at $150,000 to $250,000). This watch is one of only four split-second stopwatches ever made by Breguet, illustrating his experiments with different techniques to record elapsed time with chronographs.
Additional historic pieces include a number of Art Deco clocks. One piece (lot 184) called The Mythical Dragon was made in 1926 (estimated at $150,000 to $250,000) and draws inspiration from Chinese mythology. It showcases the talents of Vacheron Constantin (movement) Verger Frères (case) and Makovsky (dial).
An impressive selection of modern complicated wristwatches is also on offer at the auction. Watches from Audemars Piguet, F.P. Journe, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Panerai, among others, are included. One notable piece in this category is a Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a watch that combines a sky chart, minute repeater and tourbillon fixed to a rotating dial to create a complication that appears to orbit the axis of the watch.
Finally, look for a selection of vintage sport models, including a gold Rolex Ref. 6241 ‘Paul Newman’ Cosmograph Daytona, circa 1968 (estimated at $80,000 to $120,000). Happy hunting.
If your interesting in previewing the pieces set for the December 10th auction you are invited to stop by Sotheby’s New York showroom on York Avenue this Saturday starting at 10 a.m. For more information about the watches in this auction, see here.
The post ‘Convertible’ Patek Philippe, Historic Rolex & Breguet Highlight Sotheby’s New York Auction appeared first on iW International Watch Magazine.