Geneva watch auctions, May 2026 – impressions and results
Auctions · · by Christian Bissener
The Geneva auctions in May offered, as always, a mixed field in which the good pieces had to be separated from the rest. Our impressions follow, by house, with the results we noted.
It is encouraging to see pocket watches returning to the market and finally fetching the prices they deserve. Watchmaking history is considerably older than the year 2000, and for a long time more than three centuries of it were largely overlooked. We hope the trend continues, and that new buyers will follow the handful of major collectors currently active in the field once those collectors have completed their collections.
Sotheby’s
The Lange pocket watches did well. The Grande Complication sold for CHF 1,587,000 including premium, the Triple Complication for CHF 332,000 and the Chronometer Detent for CHF 70,400. The Rolex 6239J “Paul Newman” John Player Special, from the family of the original owner, sold for just under CHF 1.2 million, while the 6241 JPS, in less good condition and re-lumed, made CHF 640,000, all prices including premium.
Sotheby’s also showed the Steve McQueen TAG Heuer Monaco, offered in its New York sale. It is the watch he wore during the filming of Le Mans, and it comes with a substantial file of documents and photographs.
Phillips
A selection from the Phillips previews. Some of these watches sold in Geneva; others are offered in Hong Kong or New York.
This was a photograph we had hoped to take: five outstanding timepieces together. The unique Audemars Piguet Double Complications sold for just under CHF 1.1 million, which in our view remains good value for a landmark watch. The Charles de Gaulle Agassiz Worldtime pocket watch made just under CHF 1.5 million, again modest given its historical importance in the Second World War. The Patek Philippe 2523 with enamel South America dial sold for just under CHF 8 million to one of the leading collectors; we expect it to set records in a few years. The Patek Philippe 2499R, first series, Vichet, is to be sold in Hong Kong, and the Patek Philippe 1518R in New York. The 1518R is still a 1518R, but far from untouched.
Among the pocket watches, Karl Geitz sold for CHF 355,000, the Golay with equation of time for CHF 647,000, the Paul Ditisheim for CHF 1,270,000 and the Louis Audemars for CHF 2,516,000.
The independents also achieved strong results, some of which we understand better than others. It will be interesting to see over the next five to ten years whether such prices hold. Among the highlights were two Urban Jürgensen watches from the Derek Pratt and Peter Baumberger era: the Reference 2 prototype, which made CHF 508,000, and the Reference 6, which made CHF 152,400.
The François-Paul Journe results were very strong and confirmed the brand’s standing among collectors. The Résonance 18/00R made CHF 4,875,500, and the Octa Chronographe 021/01C with straight Geneva stripes CHF 1,714,500. The Haldimann H1 Tourbillon sold for CHF 482,600. The Lange 101.002, with only its original guarantee and no other accessories, sold for CHF 35,560.
Christie’s
Christie’s sold a further Urban Jürgensen, a Derek Pratt and Peter Baumberger Reference 2 in white gold, for CHF 152,400.
