patek-philippe.watches-collection.com/It’s always interesting to follow the appearance of exceptional vintage Patek Philippe watches at the various auction houses. One of the latest is from Bonhams, which has announced the upcoming (June 10th) sale of a yellow gold Patek Philippe chronograph with perpetual calendar and moon phases. This model, the Ref. 2499, is interesting because despite its comparatively long production run of more than 35 years, only 349 pieces are known to exist.
Making this particular example even more coveted, is the discreet “Tiffany & Co” stamp on the dial. As is well known, Patek Philippe has maintained a long and fruitful relationship with the famous retailer, the roots of which can be traced back to the fateful 1854 meeting between Antoni Norbert de Patek and Charles-Lewis Tiffany. Tiffany & Co branded Patek Philippe wristwatches generate sizzle all their own among rabid collectors of the famous Geneva manufacturer. According to the catalog description from Bonhams, this yellow gold Ref. 2499 is only the fourth “3rd Series” example in yellow gold to come to auction bearing the Tiffany & Co signature.
Aside from the exceptional classic beauty of the Ref. 2499 (any example!), the provenance and nearly flawless condition of this particular one-owner specimen is sure to make collectors sit up and take note. The original owner acquired it from Tiffany & Co’s New York store in July of 1974, and since that time has only put it on for the odd special occasion. The watch is even accompanied by its original gold setting stylus for the calendar pushers, a strikingly well preserved Tiffany & Co box, and some original instructions on setting the chronograph.
Bonhams is estimating a sale price range of between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds, but I have little doubt this one could soar well past that. As we’ve seen innumerable times, Patek Philippes often tend to leave those conservative pre-sale estimates choking in the dust!
