The “Fine Watches” auction, held by Sotheby’s in New York on March 31, 2026, featured an exclusive selection of 174 timepieces from the world’s leading watchmakers, chosen for their condition, rarity, and quality. Total sale, including buyer’s premium: $3,187,584 USD, with 97% of the lots sold.
BEST RESULTS
Lot 20: Patek Philippe – A yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, leap year, and 24-hour indication sold for $192,000 USD
Lot 30: F. P. Journe – A limited-edition blackened aluminum automatic wristwatch with date, day/night and power reserve indication, made to commemorate French racing driver Jean Alesi’s participation in the Indianapolis 500, sold for $166,400 USD
Lot 32: A. Lange & Söhne – A limited-edition pink gold automatic wristwatch with power reserve indication sold for $89,600 USD
BEST PERFORMANCES
Lot 87: Patek Philippe Vers 1950 – Retailed by Serpico y Laino: A yellow gold rectangular wristwatch – 668% increase over the low estimate ($76,800 USD)
Lot 145: Value Swiss Vers 2000 – A unique pink gold wristwatch with erotic automaton – 604% increase over the low estimate ($28,160 USD)
Lot 120: Dunhill Vers 1926 – A yellow gold lighter with timepiece – 540% increase over the low estimate ($32,000 USD)
BREAKDOWN BY BRAND
PATEK PHILIPPE
Ranking first among the highest-selling brands of the auction, PATEK PHILIPPE achieved the highest total sales, reaching $829,440 USD.
ROLEX
Ranking second among the highest-selling brands of the auction, ROLEX generated total sales of $506,240 USD.
PIAGET
With a watch that sold for $51,200 USD, PIAGET ranked as the third best-performing brand of the auction, generating total sales of $432,384 USD.
Together, these three brands generated total sales of $1,768,064 USD, representing 55% of the total auction sales.
AVERAGE PRICE PER LOT
Based on a total of 174 lots, including 5 unsold lots, the average price per lot was $18,861 USD.
CONCLUSION
This auction once again demonstrated the strength of the auction market. The top three best-performing brands were PATEK PHILIPPE, ROLEX, and PIAGET.
