The ‘Important Watches I’ auction, organised by Sotheby’s in Geneva on 11 May 2025, featured an exclusive selection of 123 timepieces from leading watch brands, chosen for their condition, rarity and quality. Total sales, including fees: $8,098,789 USD, representing 77% of the lots offered.
BEST RESULTS
Lot 72: Patek Philippe – Diamond-set steel wristwatch with date and bracelet. Sold for $442,807 USD
Lot 69: Patek Philippe – A limited-edition openwork dual-time zone wristwatch with date and day/night indicator. Sold for $404,634 USD
Lot 70: Patek Philippe – White gold flyback chronograph wristwatch, limited edition, with date and bracelet. Sold for $396,999 USD
BEST PERFORMANCES
Lot 53: Cartier Circa 1960 – Yellow gold wristwatch with eagle-beak lugs. 294% difference between the low estimate and the final result (USD 94,669)
Lot 43: Cartier Circa 2010 – Limited edition yellow gold wristwatch, set with diamonds and emeralds. 281% difference between the low estimate and the final result (USD 68,711)
Lot 47: Cartier Circa 1995 – A limited edition platinum wristwatch. 205% difference between the low estimate and the final result (USD 36,646)
BREAKDOWN BY BRAND
Patek Philippe
Topping the list of the highest prices achieved at the auction, Patek Philippe recorded the highest total for the sale at $422,651.70 USD
Rolex
Ranking second in the list of the highest prices achieved at the auction, Rolex recorded a total of $1,252,075.00 USD
Audemars Piguet
With a watch that fetched $229,038 USD, Audemars Piguet was the third best-performing brand in this sale, achieving a total of $780,257 USD.
These three brands accounted for a total of $6,258,849 USD, representing 77% of the total sale.
AVERAGE PRICE PER LOT
Given the total number of lots, 123 in total, including 28 unsold lots, the average price per lot was $85,250 USD
CONCLUSION
This sale has once again demonstrated the dynamism of the auction market; the top three brands were Patek Philippe, Rolex and Audemars Piguet.
