London – Bonhams will present the much-anticipated London Fine Watches sale on 11 June 2026, the curated 60-lot sale will feature a wealth of rare and collectible timepieces, showcasing horological craftsmanship at its finest. The live auction brings together coveted names including Rolex, Patek Philippe, F.P. Journe, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Breitling, A. Lange & Söhne and IWC.
Leading the sale is a rare Patek Philippe, reference 7000R-001, 18K rose gold automatic minute repeating wristwatch, circa 2017. Patek Philippe are renowned for presenting some of the most sublime horological masterpieces, the Reference 7000 occupies a distinguished place within this lineage, representing the brands first contemporary mid-size minute repeater, introducing a purpose-built minute repeater tailored to a smaller case size without compromising acoustic quality or mechanical integrity. The rare watch is offered with an estimate of £150,000-250,000.
Another notable lot is an F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier, circa 2010. The asymmetrical dial places the calendar elements of the watch to the left and the time on the right, allowing the wearer to subtly check the time when the watch is under a shirt cuff. The rare platinum automatic calendar wristwatch with eccentric engine turned white dial, is offered with an estimate of £100,000-150,000.
Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams Global Head of Watches, commented: "We are delighted to present an exceptional collection of rare and fine watches designed to excite a global audience of collectors. The sale brings together timepieces of remarkable technical brilliance and design, many of which have pushed the boundaries of horological craftsmanship. Highlights include a rare Patek Philippe minute-repeating wristwatch and the F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier, both exemplifying a sophisticated approach to complicated watchmaking. We are also delighted to bring to auction two exceptional examples of Rolex COMEX watches. Originating from the only diver known to have owned two COMEX Rolex watches from new, both were issued directly by COMEX and are accompanied by extensive archives of photographs and documents, representing a unique opportunity to acquire two remarkable pieces of living history. We are thrilled to offer such a rare opportunity to acquire some of the most sought-after and refined watch complications on the market today."
The Fine Watches sale includes two rare Rolex COMEX watches, a Rolex Submariner Reference 5514 and a Rolex Sea-Dweller Reference 1665, both originating from former COMEX diver Christopher Jeffers. After graduating from the inaugural Government Air Diving course at Fort William, Jeffers joined Sub Ocean Services before progressing into mixed-gas and saturation diving with Wharton and Williams, later known for recovering gold from the wreck of HMS Edinburgh. In 1980, after completing work for Shell, he joined COMEX, where he was presented with a new Rolex COMEX Submariner that he wore throughout his saturation diving career. A year later, in recognition of his work, Jeffers purchased a second COMEX Rolex, a Sea-Dweller reference 1665. Both watches will be offered alongside extensive archives of photographs, papers, diving logbooks and equipment.
• A Rolex COMEX Submariner, reference 5514, circa 1978. The stainless-steel automatic calendar bracelet watch is offered with an estimate of £60,000-80,000.
• A Rolex COMEX Sea-Dweller, reference 1665, circa 1981. The stainless-steel automatic calendar bracelet watch is offered with an estimate of £30,000-40,000.
Other sale highlights include:
• Rolex Submariner, reference 16800, circa 1984, stainless steel, automatic calendar bracelet watch made for the Royal Oman Police. In the 1970 and 1980s Rolex produced a limited number of watches for the Sultan of Oman. These watches featured the Emblem of Oman known as the Khanjar and were given as gifts to people of importance by his Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. Of these select watches there was also a rare commission of GMT Master Ref:16750 and Submariner Ref:16800s specifically for the Omani police force. Offered with an estimate of £80,000-120,000.
• A Rolex Milgauss, reference 6541/0, circa 1958. First introduced in 1956, the Milgauss is an ultra-rare vintage sports watch featuring a "honeycomb" textured dial, and a distinct lightning bolt seconds hand. It is a highly revered "grail" watch for collectors. The fine and rare stainless steel automatic antimagnetic wristwatch, recently serviced by the Rolex Atelier de Restauration, is offered with an estimate of £60,000-80,000.
• An Audemars Piguet, rare platinum manual wind minute repeating jump hour wristwatch, reference 25723, circa 1994. The Reference 25723 is the result of an ambitious four-year effort to create a minute repeater small enough to suit a more compact, elegant case. Produced for only around five years, it's believed that just 257 examples were made across all variants, reinforcing its rarity today. Offered with an estimate of £40,000-60,000.
The forthcoming sale also includes two sizes of the Cartier Bamboo Coussin, both dating from 1974: a smaller mid-size version and the classic design. The mid-size examples are notably rare and far less frequently encountered than their larger counterparts.
• A Cartier, Bamboo Coussin, circa 1974. First designed in the 1970s, it reflected the era's "back to nature" design movement through its organic, nature-inspired form. The case features a distinctive silhouette with a segmented bezel evoking bamboo canes. Its exotic bamboo striations recall the aesthetic of the Cartier Tank Chinoise, similarly blending Far Eastern influences with Parisian elegance and sophistication. The 18K gold manual wind wristwatch is offered with an estimate of £60,000-80,000.
• A Cartier Bamboo Coussin, circa 1974. The mid-size 18K gold manual wind wristwatch, is smaller and more delicate scale with refined proportions while still retaining the distinctive character of the model. Offered with an estimate of £30,000-50,000.
(Press Release)
