Entering April, it means that the “Spring Auction” in the auction world is officially coming. Earlier, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sotheby’s Hong Kong announced that it will present a single collector’s session in the spring auction at the end of this month, focusing on the most collectible – Patek Philippe – bringing up to 40 top historical timepieces, with a total estimated value of up to 78 million Hong Kong dollars, making it the highest-value single collector’s watch auction in Sotheby’s Asia’s history.
Named “Eternal Legend,” a single collector’s event will take place in late April in the form of an independent evening auction, featuring up to 40 top antique Patek Philippe watches that outline the development of the golden age of watchmaking from the 1940s to the 1980s. The highlight of this event will be a “Second Series” Ref. 2499 model made of precious Rose Gold issued by the renowned retailer Gobbi Milano, estimated to be worth HK$24 million to HK$48 million. With such a staggering estimate, this particular piece, produced in 1957, is one of only 9 known Rose Gold versions of the Second Series 2499, and it is the only one known to have both the retailer Gobbi Milano logo and Baton Numberals hour markers on the dial. This demonstrates how this timepiece has become the top highlight of this event.
Sotheby’s revealed that this legendary collector has been collecting watches for over 30 years, with an unparalleled passion for Patek Philippe’s classic timepieces. His personal favorite is said to be the brand’s most iconic perpetual calendar chronograph. During his peak, the collector owned 18 pieces of Ref. 2499 and 15 pieces of Ref. 1518, with a stock of up to 400 watches – not an exaggeration, almost every Patek Philippe model has been collected, making it an extremely comprehensive and rare example among collectors.
In addition, the auction house also pointed out that he has been active in the auction market for the past few decades. What is even more astonishing is that every time he buys or sells a watch, it always sets a new auction record, bringing peak after peak to the industry. Representative works include the sale of a special edition 2499 issued by Asprey in Geneva in 2018 for 3.9 million Swiss francs, and another rare 2499, the pink gold model issued by Tiffany & Co., which also sold for 23.5 million Hong Kong dollars at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in 2018. These two remarkable transactions have each set new auction records for any version of the 2499 and the pink gold version.
It is worth noting that Sam Hines, the international consultant of Sotheby’s watch department, said that this collector has always been very low-key, not known to the brand for many years, but has been behind the scenes leading the market and creating brilliant achievements for Patek Philippe watches over the years. Sotheby’s watch department Asia Pacific director, Elaine Lo, also shared that being able to bring this heavyweight private collection to Asia for auction this season will be a great honor for the auction house, collectors, and the Asian watch market.
In addition to the top flagship works mentioned above, Gobbi Milano will also present an amazing piece, the 1518 watch from the 1940s, known to have only 14 pieces in the market, commonly known as “Pink on Pink”; after 22 years, the rare “Second Series” 2499 luminescent example, of which there is only one in the world, will reappear; born in 1962, the 1463 watch with a stainless steel case, Breguet numerals, and preserved in perfect condition; originally owned by the late American renowned wildlife conservationist and philosopher Esmond Bradley Martin, released by Tiffany & Co. and sold to the former in 1958, is a unique yellow gold double-hair spring touch-sensitive minute repeater straight-line perpetual calendar pocket watch, model 655/1, each one of which is almost the top collection.
Can one person dominate the entire market, and how many achievements can this collector ultimately achieve in this spring auction season? Watch fans and collectors, don’t miss the Hong Kong Spring Auction in late April.
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of Sotheby’s Hong Kong
