Andy Warhol’s Vintage Patek Philippe Could Fetch $600,000 at Auction Next Month
Andy Warhol was quite the watch collector, amassing at least 313 timepieces in his lifetime. His collection, which included rarities by Rolex, Cartier, Piaget, and the like, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction shortly after he died in 1987. Fortunately, this fall, one of the world-famous pop artist’s prized Patek Philippes is returning to the auction block.
The coveted Perpetual Calendar, Reference 3448, will go under the gavel at Christie’s Important Watches auction in New York on December 5. The watch features a 39 mm case crafted from 18-karat yellow gold and a silvered dial by Stern Frères that was cleaned and restored in the mid-1980s. The dial showcases gold hour markers and hands, a starry moon display at six o’clock, and day and month windows at 12 o’clock.
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Unveiled in 1962, Ref. 3448 housed Patek’s first self-winding perpetual calendar movement. The model was reimagined over time with four different dial variations. Warhol’s example has a last series dial and is believed to be one of only 450 that were made. He bought it in 1978 before it was offered at the aforementioned auction in ’88. It remained with its original buyer until it was put up for auction at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2014.
Christie’s says the watch is in “superb overall condition, featuring an extremely attractive and well-preserved dial with perfectly clear markers and signatures.” As such, the lot is expected to hammer down for between $350,000 and $600,000 at Christie’s next month.
Other highlights of the Important Watches sale include a Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillion (estimate: $1.2 million to $2.2 million), an F.P. Journe Tourbillion Souverain (estimate: $500,000 to $1 million), and a unique Richard Mille RM 018 Tourbillion (estimate: $500,000 to $1 million). The watches will be showcased around the globe from November 2 to 5, before being displayed in New York’s Rockefeller Center from December 1 to 4.
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