Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Auction kicked off, with the highlight session of the watch department “Eternal Legends” from a single collector ending successfully last night. All lots of the evening were sold, achieving a “white glove” result, with a total sales amount exceeding the expected HK$15 million, reaching HK$130 million. The highlight of the evening, and the leading masterpiece of this session, was a Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 Second Series in pink gold from 1957, issued by the renowned retailer Gobbi Milano, which set a new world record for the model family at HK$60.26 million, surpassing all other lots in the entire session.
Last night, the auction started, but due to one item being withdrawn from the series, what was originally planned as a presentation of 40 precious watches ended up with only 39 on display. The leading lot with the item number 2018 was initially auctioned off by the auctioneer at a starting bid of HK$18 million, and after 5 bids, it had already risen to HK$30 million. Eventually, after receiving 11 bids, the watch was finally hammered down by the auctioneer at a price of HK$50 million. Including the commission fee, this world-renowned timepiece set a historic record of up to HK$60.26 million, increasing nearly HK$30 million compared to a previous transaction in 2007, and once again breaking the world record for Ref. 2499 after 15 years.
Regarding this amazing piece, recognized as one of Patek Philippe’s most important works, the Ref. 2499, its production started in 1950 and was fully discontinued in 1985, with a production period of 35 years producing a total of 349 pieces, averaging only about 9 pieces per year. During this 35-year production period, the Ref. 2499 underwent four significant evolutions, and the one being auctioned this time is from the period between 1955 and 1964, focusing on the introduction of round chronograph buttons, making it the most sought-after and highest market value “second generation” (2nd Series) among the four generations.
And it was reported earlier that this “second generation” Ref. 2499 can achieve such an amazing valuation, the transaction price, originally this work is currently only 9 Rose Gold versions of the Second Series 2499 known, and, moreover, it is the only one known to have both the retailer Gobbi Milano logo and Baton Numberals design on the dial. It can be seen that the watch has always maintained a very original state, the logos on the outer side of the lugs and on the strap are still very clear, and the grooves on the lugs are intact, with extremely high recognition. As for the dial, a very warm copper green can be seen, making its “ivory white” saturation more perfect; the signatures and scales carved from hard enamel are well raised, and the perfect antique bronze color on the back of the watch further confirms its best evidence of being placed on the movement plate for over half a century.
As for the publisher Gobbi Milano, it was founded as early as 1842 by Raimondo Gobbi in Modena, Italy. In just ten years, Raimondo Gobbi was granted the title of “Royal Watchmaker” around 1852, and the company later moved to Milan in 1896, opening a studio on Vittorio Emanuele II Street. By the 1930s, the third generation of the family, Aldo and Gastone Gobbi, began expanding the business and became the leading Swiss watch business in Italy. Today, Gobbi Milano has spanned six generations of the Gobbi family and has been in operation for over 170 years.
This time, Sotheby’s will auction this antique watch in a very original condition, and the auction house is also pleased to once again bring this extraordinary and important piece of history to the market. With the increasing popularity of Patek Philippe’s Ref. 2499 in recent years, the appearance of this Gobbi Milano can be said to be the most collectible antique watch in the world today.
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of Sotheby’s
