The Top Ten Lots of Geneva Watch Auction in May

Last weekend, May 13-14, the auction house Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo held in Geneva an auction named The Geneva Watch Auction: FIVE.
The amount raised during the two-day auction amounted to CHF 32,614,375. The absolute leader was the Rolex “Bao Dai” Ref. 6062, belonging to the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai-de. It was sold for CHF 5,066,000 – a record price ever paid for a Rolex watch at auction. Within eight minutes, ten bidders in the hall and another three by phone fought the bidding war for the Bao Dai. Eventually, the watch was bought by one of the phone bidders.

Here are the top ten lots of the auction:

Rolex “Bao Dai” Ref. 6062, manufactured in 1952.

Sold for CHF 5,066,000

This watch with a triple calendar and moon phases in yellow gold is one of just three currently existing Ref. 6062 watches featuring a black dial with diamond indexes. Moreover, it is the only specimen of all three with diamonds on even hour markers. The watch belonged to His Majesty Bao-dai-de, the last emperor of Vietnam. This is the most complex Rolex model in the Oyster case, showing the day, date, month and phase of the Moon. “Bao Dai” first appeared on the market in 2002, when the auction house Phillips sold it at price which was a record at that time, thus making it the most expensive Rolex watch ever sold at auction.

Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Daytona “Paul Newman” Ref. 6363, a.k.a. ‘The Legend’, manufactured in 1969.

Sold for CHF 3,722,000

Rolex-Ref6363 — Rolex ‘Paul Newman’ Ref. 6363

Chronograph in a case of yellow gold with a creamy-lemon dial, white marks and a bracelet. One of the three famous chronographs of Daytona “Paul Newman” series in a case of yellow gold with screw control buttons. It is considered the most valuable variant of the golden chronograph Rolex Daytona.

Rolex Ref. 6062, stainless steel case, manufactured in 1953

Sold for CHF 1,930,000

Rolex-Stainless-Steel-6062 — Rolex Ref. 6062

Incredibly rare stainless steel Rolex with triple calendar, two-color dial, moon phase indicator and bracelet. One of the most impressive stainless steel versions of the model 6062. Only a small number of such examples survived in their original state to this day, which only increases its rarity and value.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499, manufactured in 1960

Sold for CHF 1,570,000

Very rare model in yellow gold case on a bracelet, featuring perpetual calendar, moon phase indicator and chronograph, including Tiffany & Co engraving over 6 o’clock mark.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2523/1, manufactured in 1963

Sold for CHF 1,450,000

A rare gold model with two crowns and a time display of 24 time zones, also including Tiffany and Co. engraving.

Patek Philippe Ref. 530, manufactured in 1949

Sold for CHF 790,000

The only known to exist today model of Ref. 530 in yellow gold featuring a chronograph, silver dial and Breguet-style Arabic numerals.

Patek Philippe “Sydney Rose” Ref. 2497, manufactured in 1954

Sold for CHF 742,000

Patek-Philippe-Ref2497 — Patek Philippe ‘Sydney Rose’ Ref. 2497

Extremely rare model made of rose gold on a bracelet with perpetual calendar, moon phase indicator and central second hand.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “John Player Special Paul Newman” Ref. 6241, manufactured in 1969

Sold for CHF 730,000

Possibly the only existing Rolex chronograph in yellow gold, sold by Tiffany & Co. The name of the model first appeared in 1972, when the tobacco company John Player & Sons sponsored the Formula 1 team Lotus and put its logo on the cars. The latter were painted in black and gold to match the brand colors of the sponsor. Although these watches have nothing to do with the sporting event, their similarity with the design of the car is amazing.