SPEND IT 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. 120
WATCHES TO uses of a disasmed on poor of his career to recise timepiece Watch. Largely in his lifetime by he commonly ed to the excel- The auction preview will be held from December 4 to 7 alongside the Fine Jewellery auction preview. A complete online catalogue for the sale will be available for viewing shortly at www.bonhams.com. 121
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