The spring auction season is just around the corner and the big four houses are jostling to outdo each other with headline-grabbing timepieces.
Christie’s star of its 254-lot Rare Watches Auction, which takes place in Geneva on May 13, is a pink gold Rolex reference 6062 “Stelline” triple calendar with moonphase and, importantly, the star dial.
The watch, which has a pre-sale estimate of CHF 1 million to CHF 2 million, is thought to be one of only 50 made in pink gold by Rolex and only ten with the star dial.
Introduced at the Basel Fair in 1950, the reference 6062 is one of only two Rolex models from the period to feature a calendar complication with moon phase. The other is the reference 8171 Padellone.
Unlike the ref. 8171, the ref. 6062 was housed in the Rolex oyster case, which protects both movement and dial from moisture and dust.
Speaking of the Padellone, Christie’s has one of those, a reference 8171, up for auction as well with an estimated of CHF 250,000 to CHF 450,000.
Patek Philippe is also represented at the sale, particularly in the form of two world-class vintage perpetual calendar watches – the reference 2499 third series from 1977, estimated at CHF 500,000 to CHF 800,000 and the reference 2497 dating from 1954, estimated between CHF 160,000 and CHF 260,000.
In total, the Christie’s Rare Watches Auction expects sales in the region of CHF 12 million from the 254 timepieces in the sale. Estimates range from CHF2,000 up to CHF 1,000,000.