Christie’s Geneva, 12 May – the A. Lange & Söhne and Patek Philippe highlights

The sale at Christie’s in Geneva on 12 May contains so many rare Patek Philippe and A. Lange & Söhne timepieces that it is hard to know where to begin. We start with Lange and then turn to the Patek Philippe references.

A. Lange & Söhne

Tourbillon pour le Mérite. Already a rare watch, this one is the definition of rarity: the only example cased in white gold with a black dial. Lange made 18 in white gold with blue dial, 15 in red gold with black dial and 116 in yellow gold. Lot 392, estimate €130,000–210,000.

Lange 1 in steel. Lange introduced the Lange 1 in 1994. This very rare steel example was made in 1998 and sold through Rüschenbeck in Germany. In twenty years not even a handful of steel Lange 1 have been offered publicly, and this is only the fourth at auction. Lot 386, estimate €67,000–120,000.

Lange 1A. Limited to 100 pieces, this is number 100/100, made in 1998, in yellow gold with a beautifully guilloché yellow gold dial. Lot 387, estimate €34,000–50,000.

Time Zone. In platinum. A beautifully designed watch that, despite all the information on the dial, remains discreet rather than overloaded. Neither a limited nor a special edition, but an overall good-looking watch. Lot 385, estimate €21,000–29,000.

Patek Philippe

Reference 130, 1943. Yellow gold with Breguet numerals. Lot 313, estimate €34,000–50,000.

Reference 130, 1942. Very special: the dial has never seen cosmetic enhancement and the case is in perfect condition with very sharp edges. Lot 185, estimate €84,000–120,000.

Ref. 198’095, 1927. An important and probably unique platinum minute repeater made for Henry Graves Jr. The case is cushion-shaped, the dial has Breguet numerals and the coat of arms is engraved on the back. Lot 101, estimate €1,000,000–1,500,000.

Reference 565, 1945. In stainless steel, with a very special dial layout; only four other 565 with this layout are known to have been offered publicly. Lot 180, estimate €25,000–42,000.

Reference 565, 1954. In stainless steel, believed to be the only last-series 565 in steel retailed by Freccero. Lot 49, estimate €13,000–21,000.

Reference 570, 1950. This combination of steel case and dial layout is the only one of three known examples. Lot 50, estimate €25,000–42,000.

Reference 1463, 1958. With a dial never seen before and signed with the prestigious Hausmann signature. Lot 438, estimate €67,000–100,000.

Reference 1463, 1952. In rose gold with a two-tone dial, and in remarkably perfect condition. Lot 58, estimate €130,000–210,000.

Reference 1463, 1942. A very rare steel 1463, sold to Mr Caran d’Ache, as confirmed by a Patek Philippe letter dated 15 June 1995. Lot 181, estimate €150,000–250,000.

Reference 1463, 1969. A third-series 1463 signed Tiffany & Co., with a case that shows no signs of cosmetic intervention. Lot 281, estimate €130,000–210,000.

Reference 1518, 1942. An exceptional and highly important 1518 with the “CALENDRIER PERPÉTUEL” mark on the dial above the day and month window. Lot 376, estimate €410,000–650,000.

Reference 1579, 1952. A “spider lugs” example in the rare rose gold case and in very good overall condition. Lot 322, estimate €67,000–100,000.

Reference 2497, 1953. Acquired by the Swiss retailer Chronometrie Beyer, recognisable by the German calendar indications. Lot 54, estimate €84,000–120,000.

Reference 2499, 1963. A third-series 2499 in yellow gold, in perfect condition. Lot 326, estimate €170,000–250,000.

Reference 2499, 1976. A third-series 2499 in yellow gold, in good overall condition. Lot 100, estimate €150,000–250,000.

Reference 2526, 1955. Only the second known 2526 with pink dial and luminous numerals, which makes it extremely rare. Lot 96, estimate €42,000–58,000.

Reference 2526, 1954. One of two known 2526 that combine an enamel dial with Arabic numerals at 12, 3 and 9 and baton numerals; this one is in pink gold, the other in yellow gold. Lot 93, estimate €34,000–50,000.

Reference 2526, 1955. On a “Ponti Gennari” bracelet. Lot 51, estimate €17,000–25,000.

Reference 2597, 1958. A rare first-version “travel time” 2597 in very good condition. Lot 38, estimate €42,000–58,000.

Reference 3448/15, 1977. A very rare variation: the “/15” stands for the additional element soldered to the case and bracelet, and only nine are known. It is the only one of three with this “criss-cross” bracelet. Lot 190, estimate €67,000–120,000.

Reference 3448, 1972. A beautiful early-generation 3448 with pearl minute markers and smaller date numerals. The early examples are rarer than the later ones. Lot 62, estimate €67,000–120,000.

Reference 3450/4, 1983. The only example with this particular bracelet texture and this exact reference number; only four 3450 with an integrated bracelet are known. Lot 439, estimate €120,000–210,000.

Reference 3450 “Prototype”, 1981. An extremely rare 3450 without the leap-year opening and, unlike the standard 3450, with a thinner case: a prototype specially engineered and designed by Patek Philippe. Lot 440, estimate €210,000–290,000.