The designers and watch makers thrive because there are so many people who are passionate about watches. There are watch collectors and what you call horology connoisseurs. When a rare piece surfaces on the auction market, there is a buzz around the world and aggressive biddings at the auction to acquire a rare time piece even if the bidding price goes up into millions of dollars. Christie’s are holding their Important Watches sale in Geneva next month and one of the rarest Patek Philippe models in existence is tipped to be the star of the show.
It is a one of a kind 18K gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases and tonneau-shaped case manufactured in 1943. The presales estimate puts the value of the watch in the region of $2.5 million. This particular time piece is important historically. It came to the notice of the horology fraternity when it was put on the block at an auction almost twenty years ago. Since it was discussed a lot in the industry at the time it started being referred to as ‘Patek Philippe’s large size, one-off perpetual calendar chronograph’.
There are 90 Patek Philippe timepieces being offered for auction. But according to Christie’s the perpetual calendar chronograph is the most important amongst the masterpieces as it is the forerunner of future generations of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches. And they are masters at creating watches with complications. In 1989, Patek created one of the most complicated mechanical watches ever made. Called the Caliber 89, it holds 39 complications and gives you the time of sunrise, the date of Easter and much more.
Via: luxist
