Few days ago we had the opportunity to get a firsthand look to the lots of the upcoming Monaco Legend Group auction that will be auctioned the next October 21st and 22nd 2023. Among the many incredible pieces we saw, two Patek Philippe watches caught our attention and left us quite breathless. Both the watches come from Patek Philippe’s Calatrava collection, and although they are simple at first glance, as they don’t have any complication, they share an incredible and worthy detail: both were commissioned by passionate individuals with a strong relationship with the Genevan brand. The connection to passionate collectors and their specific requests adds a unique and meaningful dimension to these incredible timepieces. In this article, we will discuss what makes these pieces unique, also analyzing the expected results they are anticipated to achieve at the auction.
Lot n°226: 1988 Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 3796 (100.000€ – 200.000€)
As first watch, we would like to introduce the Patek PhilippeCalatrava ref. 3796. This particular timepiece features a 31mm white gold case, an unusual mother-of-pearl dial with a subsidiary seconds sub dial at six o’clock, and the sole index on the dial is the number 10 in Breguet-style numerals. Beyond the watch’s beauty, what is truly fascinating is the story behind it. This watch was indeed commissioned by Alberto Ponzellini, a well-known entrepreneur from Bologna, to Patek Philippe in the late 1980s. The request was for 10 pieces to be given as gifts to his closest group of friends. The index number 10 and the engraving on the case-back have been designed to perfectly celebrate the friendship of this group.
As reported by Mr. Ponzellini, five of these pieces were produced with a mother-of-pearl dial, while the other five had an onyx dial. Although Patek was not accustomed to using mother-of-pearl dials for their watches due to their fragility and rarity, they accepted the request of the Italian collector, giving rise to truly exceptional pieces. The piece, number 6, which will be auctioned at the Monaco auction will be the first to appear at any auction. Due to the beautiful story and, more importantly, the rarity of such Patek Philippe piece commissioned in this manner, its price is estimated between 100.000€ and 200.000€.
Lot n°108: 1941 Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 530 (250.000€ – 500.000€)
The other commissioned Patek Philippe we’d like to talk about is a truly unique Calatrava reference, which in this particular configuration stands out as truly one-of-a-kind. The reference 530 is indeed known by many Patek collectors as an oversized chronograph measuring 36.5 mm, produced in the 1960s and still highly appreciated in the market today. However, the same reference, as confirmed by Patek in the early 2000s, was also used for a very limited production of Calatrava watches. The Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 530 differed from the more common 570 due to its larger size, approximately 2mm larger, and it resulted to be extremely oversized for that era so that they were produced in very small quantities. It is estimated that just 140 of these Calatrava watches were produced, with the majority being in yellow gold and very few examples in rose gold and steel, like the one in this instance.
What makes the watch that will be auctioned shortly unique is not only the steel case, which is indeed a rare feature for this reference, but especially the dial. Under the special request of a customer in the early 1940s, it features a black gilt lacquered dial and Breguet-style numerals in yellow gold, the same material is also used for the hour and minute hands and the small second sub-dial at six o’clock. The watch that will be auctioned comes directly from the personal collection of John Goldberger, one of the most renowned collectors in the world, who also featured it in his book “Patek Philippe Steel Watches.”
When such a unique and exceptional watch goes up for auction, it can indeed be challenging to determine its exact value due to its rarity. However, we can use as a reference the result of a similar watch sold during another auction in 2016. This watch, being in steel with Breguet numerals and showing a glossy dial as well, fetched an incredible sum of CHF 1,445,000.
Monaco Legend Group estimates the value of this watch within a range from 250.000€ to 500.000€, but given the unique and historically significant nature of this watch, it’s quite possible that wealthy collectors will engage in fierce bidding, potentially driving the final price significantly higher.
