Geneva, 6 April 2026 - Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will hold its first live watch auction of 2026, the Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII, on 9 and 10 May, presenting more than 200 exceptional timepieces that span over three centuries of watchmaking. At the heart of the sale stands a group of six extraordinary wristwatches devoted to calendar and astronomic complications, by Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin, each chosen to showcase the technical and artistic mastery these mechanisms demand.
From triple calendars and moon-phases to perpetual calendars and celestial displays, the six watches rank among the most intellectually compelling and technically demanding achievements in horology. Calendar watches offer a singular combination of mechanical sophistication and visual poetry, transforming the wristwatch into an instrument capable of tracking days, months, lunar cycles, and even the motion of the stars. Assembled from some of the most revered names in Swiss watchmaking, the group reaches across decades of history and gathers rare examples seldom seen together.
The most ambitious complication
The most technically ambitious of the group is a 2018 Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 6002G-010 (Lot 144, estimate CHF 2,000,000 to 4,000,000), one of the most complicated wristwatches ever created by the manufacture. It houses 12 complications within an elaborately hand-engraved 18k white gold case. Its front dial displays mean solar time alongside a perpetual calendar with retrograde date and moon-phase, while the reverse reveals a celestial chart of the northern sky, sidereal time, and the moon-phase and orbit. The present example is among the very few produced with a black enamel dial and marks only the second appearance of such a configuration at international auction.
Landmark Rolex calendars
Two landmark Rolex references anchor the vintage selection. A Rolex Ref. 6062 in stainless steel (Lot 88, estimate CHF 500,000 to 1,000,000), launched in 1950 as the first automatic Rolex wristwatch to combine a triple calendar and moon-phase within a waterproof Oyster case, was produced in extremely small numbers and stands as one of the most complicated vintage Rolex references ever made. The present example is especially remarkable for its exceptional preservation, with a beautifully balanced two-tone dial and a case retaining its original factory proportions. Alongside it comes the Rolex "Datocompax Killy" Ref. 6036 in 18k yellow gold (Lot 118, estimate CHF 500,000 to 1,000,000), introduced in 1951 and combining a triple calendar with a chronograph. One of only five such references ever produced by Rolex, it is regarded by collectors as the technical apex of the brand's vintage production, and the present watch is notable both for its rarity in 18k yellow gold and for its extraordinary state of preservation.
Rarities from the mid-century
Vintage collectors will also appreciate the 1942 Audemars Piguet Ref. 5503 (Lot 26, estimate CHF 400,000 to 800,000), an exceedingly rare triple-calendar chronograph produced during the early 1940s in only a handful of examples. Cased in stainless steel with 14k pink-gold accents, likely a reflection of wartime material restrictions, it features elegant teardrop lugs and a beautifully balanced calendar chronograph dial, with only five examples known. From the golden age of mid-century design comes the 1958 Vacheron Constantin "Cioccolatone" Ref. 4764 (Lot 225, estimate CHF 250,000 to 500,000), an oversized square wristwatch that pairs a triple calendar and moon-phase within the brand's iconic curved "Cioccolatone" case. Produced in only 47 examples across all metals, the reference is celebrated for its sculptural form and bold aesthetic, and the present example, cased in rare 18k pink gold, is among the finest preserved known.
Completing the group is one of the most celebrated perpetual calendar chronographs ever made, the Patek Philippe Ref. 2499/100 (Lot 220, estimate CHF 350,000 to 650,000). Produced from 1951 to 1985 in only 349 examples, the Ref. 2499 succeeded the legendary Ref. 1518 and remains one of the most desirable watches in collecting today. The present fourth-series example, dating to 1984, features a sapphire crystal and a beautifully preserved dial and 18k yellow gold case.
The six highlights
The sale and the house
The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII will take place at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva, with viewing from 6 to 10 May 2026, offering collectors an exceptional selection of historically important and rare timepieces. Ahead of the sale, a global highlights tour travels through New York, Milan, Singapore, London, Riyadh, and Hong Kong. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized US$74.5 million in 2021. The department's annual total for watch auctions exceeded US$290 million in 2025, marking the first time any auction house's Watches department has surpassed US$200 million in annual sales for five consecutive years. Its record-breaking results include Paul Newman's Rolex "Paul Newman" Daytona reference 6239 (CHF 17,709,894 / US$17,752,500), the highest result ever achieved for any vintage wristwatch at auction, and a Patek Philippe reference 1518 in stainless steel (CHF 14,190,000 / US$17,631,075), the highest result ever achieved for a vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch at auction.
Estimates do not include the buyer's premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer's premium.
(Press Release)
