START-UP ADVICE

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WATCHES
RARE PATEK PHILIPPE
FEATURE AT BONHAMS
The Fine Watches & Wristwatches sale on December
8 at Bonhams in New York will feature a wide
array of wristwatches, with fine examples of ladies
watches, vintage men’s sport watches, and men’s
modern complicated wristwatches.
Headlining the auction is a selection of Patek
Philippe watches. Leading the group is a reference
3970E (est. $50,000-$70,000), a perpetual calendar
chronograph produced in 2001, a classic model and
important reference in the lineage of Patek Philippe
perpetual calendar chronographs.
Also included in the sale is a rare and possibly
unique Patek Philippe “Top Hat” Reference 1450
with sapphire numerals, an integral textured
bracelet, and a textured dial (est. $20,000-$30,000).
The combination of these design features, along
with the original box and Certificate of Origin, and
being fresh to the auction market, presents a great
opportunity for collectors. Rounding out the selection
is a reference 3940, an automatic perpetual
calendar (est. $20,000-$30,000); and two modern
annual calendar references, 5035 in platinum (est.
$25,000-$35,000), and 5146 in yellow gold (est.
$20,000-$30,000).
Great examples of women’s watches from
Cartier, Patek Philippe, Piaget, and Harry Winston
are featured in the sale. A notable highlight is an
exceptional 1960’s bracelet watch from Cartier with
mesh bracelet sections connected by diamond-set
links that is estimated to fetch between $10,000
and $15,000.
This season’s vintage watches include a rare IWC
Portuguese model, Ref. 325 from circa 1945 (est.
$20,000-$30,000), where the large case size and
contemporary dial design has led to it becoming
a classic amongst collectors; a Longines military
wristwatch produced for the Czechoslovakian
Air Force (est. $3000-$5000); and a stainless steel
Rolex Daytona Reference 6239 from circa 1966 (est.
$18,000-$22,000). The auction will also contain a
fine selection modern wristwatches by the world’s
most renowned manufacturers, including offerings
from A. Lange & Sohne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse
Nardin, and Omega.
The sale will include a selection of American
watches from the “Masterpiece” collection, partly
dispersed at auction last June. These include a
comprehensive collection of precision watches produced
from the 1890’s to the 1920’s by Webb C. Ball
(1847 – 1922) of Cleveland for railroad service.
Called upon to investigate the ca
trous 1891 train wreck that was bla
timekeeping, Ball devoted the rest
developing an affordable, highly p
that is now known as the Railroad
forgotten today, he was honoured
the railroad industry for his work. T
used phrase, “on the ball,” is credit
lent reputation of his watches.
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