Christie’s is organizing a Patek Philippe selling display that’s historic in scale. Over 300 vintage Patek Philippe watches will be available for purchase in New York City at Rockefeller Center for just 11 days, July 13-23. Exceptionally rare watches, including many new to market pieces, will be available for instant purchase priced from $5,000 USD to well over $5M USD. Here we have a Q&A with John Reardon, curator of the event and International Head of Watches for Christie’s.
What is your Patek Philippe Vintage Watch Selling Exhibition?
The concept for the Christie’s display is quite straightforward. With thousands of Patek Philippe vintage models replica watch Collectors and enthusiasts converging on New York in July, it is the best time to observe everything Patek Philippe and offer collectors the chance to see and buy exceptional museum quality watches. The requirement for buying vintage watches is currently higher than previously and this exhibition offers buyers the chance to own a piece of Patek Philippe’s background at all price points.
Imagine visiting the Patek Philippe Museum and being in a position to ask the purchase price of every watch, try on several bits, and even possibly go home with a few cherished acquisitions. Obviously this isn’t possible at THE museum but Christie’s is pleased to offer people the experience of seeing, assessing, and purchasing a very large selection of vetted and authenticated Patek Philippe classic watches from the mid 19th century through the late 20th century within their very own NY galleries.
What is your favorite part of this Christie’s display?
I have always wished to see the entire verticals of Patek Philippe vintage gondolo replica watches introduced in a way that one may compare and see the development of key complications. The capability to view firsthand the’family tree’ of Patek Philippe elaborate watches is something that many only dream of visiting but it will finally be possible during our exhibition. This is absolutely my favorite portion of curating this exhibition. To get chronographs, visitors can observe the development in the 20th century by the 130 moving to the 530, 533, 591, 1579, 1463, and the divide seconds 1436. For endless chronographs, we have four 1518s and then a broad choice of 2499s with illustrations in each series.
I invite visitors in NYC to attend the’Patek Philippe Art of Watches Grand Exhibition’ in Cipriani. This exhibition isn’t to be overlooked and will open the world of Patek Philippe vintage ellipse replica watch ‘s historical and modern production. After seeing the Grand Exhibition for a few hours, I suggest a trip to our selling exhibition (a brief walk away) to see Christie’s offering of timepieces lavishly presented throughout the galleries of 20 Rockefeller Plaza.
What are the watches offered for the personal sale?
All but approximately two dozen of these watches on our exhibition will be available for sale. Some collectors and some households won’t forego their own watches/heirlooms at any price and I am forever thankful that we’ve had the honor of taking some bits on loan that few people have ever seen before. The walking stick includes a Patek Philippe watch embedded onto the silver knob of a walking stick with a movement that is engraved with Packard’s name. The ring also has a motion and case bearing James Ward Packard’s title. Other’unicorn watches’ which aren’t for sale comprise a Patek Philippe two tone’Reverso’-cased wristwatch, a mention 3448 in white gold instance’Senza Luna’ with a verified extract from Patek Philippe vintage pocket clone , and a unique group of early Patek Philippe minute repeaters.
The 300 watches offered for personal sale are from various sources around the globe, many purchased from Christie’s decades past and many in the original owners or families. In a world where collectors dream of owning a new to market watch in as-found condition, the offerings of the sale will not disappoint.
Can you discuss some of the highlights in the online auction that is concurrent?
At the exact same period of the exhibition we will be introducing the Patek Philippe only online market on view at Rockefeller Center. The highlights of this 85-lot sale include an impressive assembly of pocket watches, enamels, time-only watches, and a remarkable, fresh-to-market example of a benchmark 2438 endless calendar with an estimate of $150,000 USD to $250,000 USD.
If money was no object, what could you purchase?
This is a fantasy question and I was just talking with a collector friend this’issue’ For the same money, I would have a tough time deciding between buying a complete vertical of Patek Philippe vintage ladies fake watch perpetual calendars (1518, then one of each of the four series of 2499s) or the Stephen Palmer Grand Complication from 1898 that we have available for sale. I’d select the Palmer.