At the luxurious JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong this November, Phillips auctioneers will showcase more than 260 lots of rare timepieces. The sale includes various well-preserved and rare watches from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Philippe Dufour, Roger Smith, FP Journe and Cartier.

Since 30 September, highlights of the sale have been on an international tour to New York, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, London, Taichung, Taipei and Geneva.

The sale showcases an outstanding selection of watches by Patek Philippe, led by an exceptional Reference 2499 estimated at $1,000,000-$2,000,000, from the first series in yellow gold made in 1953, last presented to the public at auction in 1997. The yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch has moon phases, is encased in a Wenger case and comes with a certificate confirming the date of manufacture. Today it is known to be one of the best timepieces ever produced.

Another highlight of the sale are the vintage Rolex models with the “Paul Newman” dial, known for their unique dial layout and matchstick registers. They are up there with the most fashionable and desirable watches among Rolex collectors. The Reference 6239 estimated at $359,000-$487,000 is the first to feature the name “Daytona” on the dial and was the first by Rolex to have an engraved tachymeter scale on the bezel instead of the dial. With the majority of these releases having a silver or black dial, this one is extremely rare with a clean off-white dial with a developed brown patina due to ageing. This makes it a one-of-a-kind watch.

Phillips is also presenting a Cartier Crash estimated at $205,000-$410,000. There were only a handful made, meaning that it has become one of the most sought-after Cartier watches in the brand’s history. Cased in platinum, the watch features a white dial, with elegant Roman numerals in black, making the blue steel hands stand out. While its asymmetrical clockface is reminiscent of the iconic melting clocks in The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí, the cabochon crown immediately relates it to Cartier. The resulting combination creates an exceptionally unusual timepiece.

The Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction: XV takes place on 28-29 November 2022 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong; phillips.com