With the recent election of Pope Leo XIV (pictured above) as the first American pope, a rare opportunity arises to revisit one of the most intriguing intersections between horology and the papacy. Although much attention centres on Pope Leo XIII’s Jubilee in 1888 when Patek Philippe made commemorative watches for the occasion, the relationship between watchmaking and the Vatican stretches further back, rooted in the values and vision of Patek Philippe’s co-founder, Antoine Norbert de Patek.

A devout Catholic and Polish émigré, Patek viewed watchmaking not only as a commercial enterprise but as a moral and cultural calling. His personal faith and longstanding connection to the Catholic Church helped shape the company’s enduring ties to religious institutions, most notably the Vatican. This ethos of sacred precision and spiritual patronage would find material expression in a number of papal commissions, the most prominent of which emerged during the reign of Leo XIII.

Papal Precedents: The Watches of Pius IX

Before Leo XIII’s Jubilee, the tradition of papal horology had already begun to take shape under Pope Pius IX, a figure who, despite his polarising legacy, defined much of the Catholic Church’s institutional identity in the 19th century.

Born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti in 1792, he came from a devout yet intellectually open noble family in Senigallia. Ordained in 1819, he rose swiftly through the ecclesiastical ranks, eventually becoming Cardinal in 1840. His election to the papacy in 1846 ushered in a pontificate that would become the longest in Church history, lasting until 1878.

Portrait of Pope Pius IX by Giovanni Orsi (1847). Image – Wikipedia

Initially welcomed as a reformer, Pius IX’s early policies, including a general political amnesty and efforts to create a lay consultative council, stirred hope among liberals. But the revolutionary upheaval of 1848, which saw the assassination of his Prime Minister and the temporary collapse of papal governance, led to his retreat into conservatism.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 27033 (1866/1867). Image – Patek Philippe

After returning to power with French military support, Pius IX grew increasingly authoritarian, aligning with Austria and resisting the unification of Italy. By 1870, he had lost control of the Papal States and declared himself a “prisoner in the Vatican,” rejecting the Italian government’s offers of symbolic sovereignty.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 27033 (1866/1867). Image – Patek Philippe

Yet in spiritual and doctrinal matters, his influence endured. Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which famously codified the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.

He fiercely resisted secularism and liberalism, culminating in the publication of the Syllabus of Errors (1864), a sweeping condemnation of modernist thought. To his contemporaries, he was often seen as a “Pope of Reaction”, a deeply pious but doctrinally rigid figure who shaped the Church’s defensive posture against a rapidly modernising world.

No. 27033, (1866/1867) movement. Half quarter-repeating on two gongs. Image – Patek Philippe

Amid this turbulent backdrop, two watches offer a rare glimpse into his papacy. One notable example is a yellow gold quarter-repeating keyless pocket watch, manufactured in 1866 and presented to Pius IX in 1867.

This watch, later sold at Christie’s in 2019, features a white enamel dial with Roman numerals, a recessed subsidiary seconds display, and a polychrome enamel depiction of the papal coat of arms on the back. The cuvette is inscribed with the Latin dedication “Pater, Rex, Dirigas Intelligentias et Corda,” reflecting a blend of spiritual symbolism and papal authority.

The piece, with No. 27033, represents one of the earliest known instances of Patek Philippe’s engagement with papal clientele.

No. 52334, (1876) cal. 18”’, manual. Image – Christies

A second significant example is a silver open-face pendant watch, manufactured in 1876 and sold the following year.

It features Roman numerals, the papal coat of arms, and an engraved cuvette bearing the inscription “PIO IX.PP., HELVETI CATHOLICI DD, MDCCCLXXVII,” indicating that it was a gift from Swiss Catholics.

No. 52334, (1876) cal. 18”’, manual. Image – Christies

These early timepieces signalled the papacy’s growing engagement with precision watchmaking and laid the foundation for the more elaborate tributes that would follow under Leo XIII. They reflect how even a pope best known for theological declarations and political intransigence engaged, directly or symbolically, with the mechanical ingenuity of his age.

The Jubilee of Leo XIII and His Patek Philippe Watches

Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Vincenzo Pecci in 1810, ascended the papal throne in 1878 and governed the Church for twenty-five years until his death in 1903. Often referred to as the “Pope of Modernity,” Leo XIII sought to reconcile the Church with the intellectual and social realities of a rapidly changing world.

In stark contrast to his predecessor Pius IX, whose long reign had been marked by conflict with secular forces, Leo XIII adopted a more diplomatic and reform-minded approach. He attempted to ease tensions with European governments, notably seeking rapprochement with Germany after the Kulturkampf and with England through outreach to Anglicans. He also encouraged political engagement from Catholics, especially in democratic societies, provided it was anchored in religious values.

Pope Leo XIII (painting by Adolf Pirsch) – Wien Museum. Image – Wikipedia

Doctrinally, Leo XIII took strong positions on issues of modernity while attempting to steer the Church through them. He condemned freemasonry and unrestrained liberalism in the encyclicals Immortale Dei (1885) and Libertas (1888), while simultaneously engaging with the social consequences of industrialisation.

His 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, addressing the rights and conditions of labour, marked the birth of Catholic social teaching and earned him the epithet “Pope of the Workers.” In education and philosophy, he promoted a revival of Scholastic thought, particularly through the 1879 encyclical Aeterni Patris, and opened the Vatican archives to scholars for the first time in 1893.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 56888 (1888/1901). Image – Patek Philippe

Amid this atmosphere of intellectual renewal and papal diplomacy, the Jubilee of 1888 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Leo XIII’s priestly ordination. The celebration prompted a wave of international tributes and ecclesiastical gifts, ranging from richly embroidered vestments to gem-set tiaras.

Swiss contributions, coordinated by a central committee, included both liturgical works and feats of horological ingenuity. Among these were at least two watches from Patek Philippe, each commemorating the pontificate.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 56888 (1888/1901). Image – Patek Philippe

The first is a watch preserved today in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. It appears to have been produced to mark the tenth year of Leo XIII’s pontificate in 1888. The hunting-case, keyless-winding pocket watch was made between 1888 and 1901 and is crafted in silver and rose gold.

Its case and cuvette incorporate a medal by Francesco Bianchi (1842–1918), a Roman-born medallist who served as official engraver at the Pontifical Mint from 1876 until his death.

Detail of Francesco Bianchi’s medal (1842-1918). Image – Patek Philippe

Bianchi was responsible for all annually issued papal medals across the reigns of Pius IX, Leo XIII, Pius X, and Benedict XV. A student of the Academy of San Luca and the son of engraver Giuseppe Bianchi, he had earlier collaborated on the famed Porta di Gaeta medal for Pius IX and sculpted the Confession of Saint John of Lateran for the Vatican in 1851.

Known for his refined relief portraiture and classical aesthetic, Bianchi’s work was particularly suited to religious commissions. The medal used on this watch bears a formal profile of Leo XIII and commemorates his pontifical milestone, seamlessly merging ecclesiastical symbolism with Genevan craftsmanship.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 56911 (1886). Image – Collectability

While the precise circumstances of the watch’s delivery remain unclear (with no documentation confirming whether it was officially commissioned, privately presented, or retained in Swiss hands) its rich iconography and liturgical overtones suggest it was conceived as a commemorative object, likely intended for Vatican display or formal tribute.

The movement was removed sometime after 1936, the date of its last recorded servicing. Today, the piece remains a centrepiece of the museum’s collection, embodying a rare convergence of horological artistry and papal history.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 56911 (1886). Image – Collectability

In recent years, a second Patek Philippe pocket watch commemorating Pope Leo XIII’s Jubilee surfaced at Collectability, the American specialist Patek Philippe dealer. This silver open-face pocket watch, measuring 50 mm in diameter, was crafted in 1886 and sold in 1888. Its design closely mirrors the example housed in the Patek Philippe Museum.

The watch features a hand-chased and engraved bezel, a chased silver dial with engraved and enameled Roman numerals, and gold Louis XV-style hands. A distinctive rose gold turban crown adds a subtle flourish, identical to the crown on the museum’s example. The case back also showcases a silver medal with a profile of Pope Leo XIII, fashioned from Jubilee medals commemorating the tenth anniversary of his pontificate.

Unlike the museum piece, which is missing its original movement, this watch retains its complete original movement, number 56’911. An Extract from the Archives confirms the movement and case numbers, as well as the ‘chiselled case band and bezel, Leon XIII jubilee silver medal’.

While it’s unclear whether Pope Leo XIII personally wore or presented this watch, its craftsmanship and historical significance make it a remarkable artifact of papal horology.

Patek Philippe & Co. No. 56911 (1886). Image – Collectability

These two watches demonstrate how Leo XIII’s pontificate inspired commemorative timepieces that blended ceremonial gravitas with intimate craftsmanship. Though similar in design and iconography, they reflect subtle variations in purpose and provenance, one likely conceived for formal presentation, the other privately commissioned yet equally rich in symbolic meaning.

Together, they encapsulate the intersection of religious sentiment, national pride, and mechanical sophistication that defined Patek Philippe’s identity in the final decades of the 19th century.

The Watch from the Jura: Irénée Aubry and the Vatican’s Recognition

While the Patek Philippe tributes reflected the pinnacle of Geneva watchmaking, another gift revealed the ingenuity flourishing in Switzerland’s rural horological culture.

Commissioned by the canton of Jura in 1887, Irénée Aubry developed an exceptional pocket watch to be presented to Pope Leo XIII on the occasion of his Jubilee by a delegation of pilgrims from the Franches-Montagnes, the region where Aubry was born. This watch, known as the Montre du Pape (the Pope’s watch), ran for forty days on a single winding, an unprecedented achievement at the time.

Irénée Aubry “Montre du Pape” (1887). Image – Haute-Rive

The gold case of the Montre du Pape features a portrait of Pope Leo XIII and an engraving of the Franches-Montagnes coat of arms. Its fluted gold bezel, a refined decorative detail, would later echo in Stéphane von Gunten’s Honoris I, with a 1,000-hour power reserve that draws a direct line of inspiration from Aubry’s mechanical ambition.

Aubry’s innovation extended far beyond this singular creation. On 10 January 1889, he secured Swiss patent no. 88 for a mechanism capable of running for eight days without rewinding.

His invention was acquired by Graizely Frères, who registered the famous brand name Hebdomas. With further refinements, including a visible regulating organ, Hebdomas pocket watches became a commercial and cultural success, manufactured in La Chaux-de-Fonds and recognised at World’s Fairs well into the 1930s. The firm eventually evolved into Schild & Cie, but the origin of its breakthrough traces directly to Aubry’s Jubilee contribution.

Irénée Aubry “Montre du Pape” (1887). Image – Haute-Rive

His accomplishment did not go unnoticed by the Vatican. In 1888, Pope Leo XIII established the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal to honour laypersons who had rendered distinguished service to the Church during the Jubilee. On 8 December 1888, Aubry received the award, accompanied by a personal letter from Cardinal Rampolla, the Vatican Secretary of State. The diploma commended him for his “distinguished contribution to the universal demonstration with which the sacerdotal Jubilee of His Holiness was celebrated.”

The medal, a gold or silver cross suspended from a ribbon of papal colours, served as both a mark of recognition and a reflection of the Church’s growing appreciation for technical innovation as an expression of spiritual and cultural devotion. Aubry’s decoration, preserved by his descendants, was housed in a diplomatic presentation box.

While the Patek Philippe watch spoke to the aesthetic and mechanical finesse of a grand maison, Aubry’s creation embodied the spirit of local ingenuity and independent excellence. One was the product of Geneva’s elite ateliers; the other, a singular act of mechanical creativity from the Jura. They remain complementary narratives, one of brand prestige, the other of inventive zeal, both testament to the way horology could serve as a bridge between craftsmanship and ecclesiastical ceremony.

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction encompasses excellent complications at a range of price points. Highlights at the top end include the controversial Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a massive Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon, a skeletonized Credor chronograph, and a special-order Patek Philippe that was presumably a gift from parent to son.

Also on the block are fine pocket watches for the Chinese market on the first day of the sale, while the second and third sale days include notable examples of independent watchmaking. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX takes place from May 23-25, 2025.

The full catalogue, and more, is available on Phillips.com.

Lot 913 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 ‘Senza Luna’

The ref. 3448 “Padellone” represents perhaps the best of Patek Philippe’s post-war watchmaking, at least in terms of perpetual calendars.

With sharp lines on the case and an uncluttered dial, the watch has a distinctive midcentury aesthetic that looks modern even today. The 37.5 mm diameter case has kept pace with contemporary sizing, making it even more compelling.

This example, however, is no ordinary ref. 3448, but is “Senza Luna”, Italian for “without moon”, as the dial lacks a the moon phase aperture. How a handful of ref. 3448s came to be without a moon phase aperture is unknown.

The moon-less dials are certainly real, but whether the watches originally left the factory in this configuration is less clear. There are five other “Senza Luna” examples like this, however, only one (case number “1’119’585”) has the moon-less dial explicitly mentioned in the archive extract.

There is precedent for moon-less versions of existing references, most famously the unique ref. 3448 made for former Patek Philippe sales head Alan Banbery had its moon phase removed in favor of a leap year indicator in 1975. And Tiffany & Co. sold a ref. 699 pocket watch with a power reserve indication instead of moon phase in 1960.

Unlike those watches with modified movements, the present lot still has a moon phase hidden underneath the dial, as the movement is identical to that of a standard ref. 3448.

The base movement is the automatic cal. 27-460 that was cutting-edge for the time, with a free-sprung Gyromax balance, overcoil hairspring, an unusually high 2.75 Hz beat rate, and bi-directional winding. Though technology has since advanced, it remains one of the best-looking automatics ever made.

This particular example also has another intriguing aspect to its history. The archive extract notes that the case was changed by the Henri Stern Watch Agency, Patek Philippe’s American distributor in 1978, possibly when the moon-less dial was added.

Patek Philippe was more amenable to customization in the past than today, routinely making changes to watches at the behest of important clients. For example, one specimen of the ref. 3448 had its yellow gold case exchanged for a platinum one, and another in platinum had a sapphire-index dial installed in 1997.

The “Senza Luna” with its dial confirmed by the archive extract sold for HK$10 million [US$1.3 million] at Sotheby’s in 2021. The present example has an estimate of HK$1.2-2.4 million [US$154,000-308,000].

Lot 990 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2

The brainchild of independent watchmaker Eric Coudray, who was then at JLC, the Gyrotourbillon was one of the first multi-axis tourbillon wristwatches. Originally launched in a round case, the second iteration Gyrotourbillon evolved into the Reverso format.

Its tourbillon is composed of two cages with perpendicular axes of rotation. The outer cage rotates once per minute, while the inner cage rotates once in only 18.75 seconds.

Inside is a free-sprung balance, made of gold to increase inertia while remaining compact, on a cylindrical balance spring. Note the use of an anachronistic stopwork to protect the delicate tourbillon from excessive torque. There is also a subtle 24-hour indicator (not a second time zone) to add visual interest.

While the extremely complex aluminum cages could only be developed using CAD tools and required a five-axis CNC mill to cut, there is still plenty of traditional watchmaking present.

JLC’s movement finishing, even on many tourbillons, is often quite industrial. That is not the case here, the movement has been painstakingly hand-decorated, with smooth rounded beveling, pyramide guilloche, and plenty of sharp interior angles.

The massive platinum case is also impressive, almost 16 mm in height, 36 mm in width, and 55 mm across the wrist. It’s even larger than the Reverso Quadriptyque, and the case has so much inertia that JLC found it necessary to add a locking slide to prevent it from flipping open during sudden wrist movements.

Reversing the watch lets you enjoy the tourbillon from a different perspective and reveals a power reserve indicator.

This landmark Reverso carries an estimate of HK$470,000-930,000 [US$60,300-119,000].

Lot 1006 – Patek Philippe Chiming Jump Hour Ref 5275

In 2014, Patek Philippe celebrated 175 years with six limited editions, only two of which were powered by entirely new movements: the Grandmaster Chime ref. 5175, limited to seven pieces, and the more accessible (relatively speaking) Chiming Jump Hour ref. 5275, limited to 175 pieces.

The Chiming Jump Hour is clearly inspired by ref. 3969, another jump hour in a similar case shape, launched to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary, which was in turn inspired by watches from the 1920s.

The platinum case has a floral pattern in relief along the flanks, which carries onto the (stamped) dial. It’s rather large for a shaped watch, as was the taste at the time, but was dwarfed by the Grandmaster Chime.

Unlike the Grandmaster Chime, which returned as the regular production ref. 6300 a few years later, the movement in the ref. 5275 remains unique over a decade later. It combines jumping seconds, jumping minutes, and jump hours with a sonnerie au passage, which strikes once on the new hour.

Patek Philippe took four years to develop the cal. 32-650 HGS PS inside the ref. 5275, and its development put the brand’s investments in silicon technology to good use. Silicon was employed in several mechanisms, including the jumping seconds system, which was reused on the Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301.

With only 175 made, the ref. 5275 is an uncommon sight. The estimate is HK$2.3-3 million (US$295,000-385,000).

Lot 981 – Seiko Credor Skeleton Chronograph GBBL993

Long before the Micro-Artist Studio, and the Credor Eichi, Seiko already produced top-of-the-line mechanical watches with artisanal decoration, but available solely in Japan, and styled accordingly. As a result, they are rarely seen and even less known today. And unlike the current Credor flagship models that are Swiss inspired, these earlier watches are more distinctively Japanese in style.

One such example is the Credor Skeleton Chronograph ref. GBBL993, perhaps the ultimate serially-produced Credor chronograph. Igbt’s powered by the skeletonised, finely decorated, cal. 6S99, while the platinum case has straight lugs and a beaded edge to the bezel, a familiar element found on other Credor Signo models of the period.

The dial is sapphire, giving the illusion that the iridescent mother-of-pearl subdials are floating above the movement. The Credor signature printed on the underside of the crystal, the sharply inclined chapter ring, and skeletonized movement further accentuate the dial’s depth.

The manual-wind cal. 6S99 is the most upmarket version of the 6S chronograph family, which is based on the 9S family of movements used in the Grand Seiko brand. One of Seiko’s idiosyncrasies is that manually wound movements typically command a premium over their automatic equivalents.

The cal. 6S99 was one of the most elaborately decorated movements Seiko produced at the time, and even today it stands out. The bridges and plate are skeletonized and decorated with a distinctly Japanese “amoni wave” pattern while the chronograph levers carry a hand-applied perlage finish.

The steel springs, while comparatively plain-looking, are finely grained, beveled, and comparable to what you’d find on the best Swiss and German chronographs. The eye-catching blue screws done the traditional way, with a torch, as evidenced by their slightly inconsistent coloring.

Image – Phillips

The watch is freshly serviced. It is an interesting value proposition – with the platinum case and highly-decorated movement, it has an estimate of only HK$60,000-125,000 [US$7,700-16,000].

Lot 890 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3970EJ-029

The ref. 3970 was long an under-appreciated watch, living in the shadows of both what came before, and what came after. While the reference was officially discontinued in 2004, Patek Philippe continued to produce new watches as special orders for their most important clients.

This example is one of them. The watch was sold new in 2019, and the black dial has been customized – it features an applied Breguet “12” and tachymeter scale

In general, the ref. 3960 is a nostalgic watch; the mid-sized case and Lemania-based caliber can’t be found in the brand’s current catalog since the ref. 5004 was discontinued in 2011.

Complete with its all-important original certificate describing the dial, this example is not unique as another was sold just two years ago, but it is rare, with only a handful made. That is reflected in the estimate of HK$3,000,000-5,000,000 [US$385,000-641,000] that far exceeds a normal ref. 3970.

Lot 1054 – Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520P

Launched in 2019, this polarizing, octopus-like multi-complication is Patek Philippe’s idea of the ultimate travel watch. It combines the brand’s Travel Time complication with an alarm – that strikes on a gong rather than against the case – in a platinum-case, pilot-style package.

The aviation-inspired design language was controversial when it debuted on the Calatrava Pilot Travel time ref. 5224  back in 2015, but has since become a key part of the catalogue. There is some historical precedent to the design, as Patek Philippe does have a connection to pilots’ watches, albeit a modest one, in the form of two prototypes housed in its museum.

The Alarm Travel Time uses a unique, self-winding base movement not found in any other reference, and is one of the few complicated Patek Philippe watches with sweep seconds.

The alarm is one of the most advanced on the market, able to be set in 15-minute increments using a digital display. Unlike most alarm watches, it can differentiate between day and night.

The alarm hammer strikes a gong, as was the case with Patek Philippe’s historical alarm watches, rather than against the case, as is the case on more pedestrian alarm watches. It also uses a near-silent centrifugal governor, as found on the band’s minute repeaters and clock watches, to pace the chimes; the result is a very pleasing sound.

Despite its rarity, the ref. 5520P can still be had for under its retail price, which is high due t its complexity. In this case the estimate is HK$950,000-1.5 million [US$122,000-192,000)].

Lot 839 – A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split

In 2004, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Double Split, a chronograph with both split-seconds and split-minutes–a feat previously only accomplished in pocket watches. Never one to stand still, Lange added split-hours into the mix with the Triple Split in 2018.

The case is the brand’s typical fare, with distinctive stepped-out lugs, and continues its tradition of placing the split-button in the case band, rather than in the crown, as is the convention for wristwatches. This rose gold variation, of which only 100 were made, is matched with a handsome blue and silver dial.

To create the Double Split, Lange built on the landmark L951 movement of the Datograph, adding a pair of rattrapante mechanisms, one for seconds and the other, minutes. From there, Lange added an hour totalizer and a third rattrapante to the dial side of the movement, creating the Triple Split.

When a rattrapante is engaged, friction between the split-second lever and heart cam steals energy from the balance; the issue compounds with two rattrapante mechanisms in the same movement, and even more with three.

To solve this, Lange added isolators to each rattrapante, similar to the systems used by Patek Philippe and Frederic Piguet, which results in the balance amplitude marginally increasing when the chronograph is split, rather than significantly decreasing.

Despite the isolators, Lange still increased the strength of the mainspring to deliver even more torque, and a Triple Split is noticeably and impressively stiffer to wind than a Datograph.

The estimate is HK$650,000-1 million [US$83,300-128,000].

Lot 857 – Patek Philippe ref. 5004G-013 – Single Sealed

When launched by Patek Philippe in late 1994, ref. 5004 was the brand’s first serially produced rattrapante wristwatch in decades. The 5004’s case wears larger than the 3970, which has no doubt contributed it its popularity. This “single sealed” example is still encased in plastic, which is fantastic.

Image – Phillips

Image – Phillips

The 5004 enjoys a few advantages over its successor. For instance, the day, date, month, and moon phase can all be advanced in sync using one pusher, and the 2.5 Hz beat-rate means the 1/5 second graduations on the dial match the frequency of the movement. Normally, the limited torque of the Lemania movement would rule out the possibility of adding a rattrapante. To address this, ref. 5004 uses a unique isolator system designed by Jean-Pierre Musy that uses an “octopus wheel” on the rattrapante column wheel to engage the isolator.

Image – Phillips

The most common metal by far was platinum, followed by rose and yellow gold, with white gold being the rarest–excluding the stainless steel swan-song models. However, white gold remains less desirable than platinum; the estimate is HK$1,500,000-3,000,000 [US$192,000-385,000].

Lot 933 – Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5970P-013 Double Sealed

Like the ref. 5070, the ref. 5970 was initially viewed as a stop-gap measure to keep up with enlarging case sizes during the early 2000s until a new chronograph movement could be deployed. However, the ref. 5970 has managed to outshine both its successor and predecessor, with its balanced 39 mm case size, well-proportioned dial, and charismatic Lemania caliber.

Image – Phillips

To make a much-loved watch even more interesting, this platinum ref. 5970P was a special order. Instead of the black dial found on the standard model, this has a dark metallic grey dial with contrasting red hands.

Image – Phillips

And on the back, “A Mon Fils”, which translates as “to my son”, printed on the sapphire window. Notably, this particular watch was one of several special-order Patek Philippe watches with the same grey-and-black livery.

Image – Phillips

The watch remains double sealed, so it has never been touched since it left the factory. The estimate reflects the unique nature and unworn condition of the watch, HK$4-8 million [US$513,000-1,030,000].

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will occur at Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Preview
Open daily May 16-25, 2025, from 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
May 23 – 6:30 pm (Evening Session I lots 801 – 816)
May 24 – 2:00 pm (Session II lots 817 – 933)
May 25 – 2:00 pm (Session III lots 934 – 1058)

(All times are local to Hong Kong, GMT+8.)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

For the auction catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Phillips.