Featured Image: Left: Patek Philippe, ref. 2497, first series | Middle: Rolex, Daytona ref. 6264 | Right: F.P. Journe, Chronometre à résonance, pré-souscription No. 041/00R

Geneva – The Rare Watches live auction on 12 May will celebrate 50 years of stand-alone watch sales at Christie’s. Three watches by the most sought-after brands of today’s horology world – Patek Philippe, Rolex, and F.P. Journe represent  some of the key developments and highlights witnessed over the last 50  years of watchmaking: Patek Philippe ref. 2497 is one of only seven first series examples known publicly with a pink gold case by Emile Vichet; Rolex is represented  with a 14k gold reference 6264 Paul Newman ‘John Player Special’, the first of its kind ever to be presented at an international auction; while the F.P. Journe is the first wristwatch in the world to be created with a movement based on “resonance”. The first standalone Christie’s watch auction took place on 29 April, 1975 in Geneva, quickly becoming an unmissable event  in both the Spring and Autumn for collectors of exceptional timepieces.

Remi Guillemin, Head of Watches Christie’s EMEA and Americas commented: “2025 stands for many anniversaries in the watch world for very established brands as well as for independent watch makers. We at Christie’s are delighted to have been part of this world of horology for numerous decades, with stand-alone auctions over the last 50 years starting here in Geneva and today with  successful sale sites also in Dubai, Hong Kong and New York.”

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This formidable first series example is a true collector's piece, a superb rarity with its strong and generous case proportions. Most examples are cased in yellow gold and according to research, the present watch is one of only seven first series examples known to the public with a pink gold case by Emile Vichet. Reference 2497 was in production from 1951 to 1963, and over these 12 years only 115 pieces were made. The first series Vichet cases are identifiable from their longer, more elongated lugs which feature a prominent curve, while the case backs have a flat centre. In May 2023 Christie’s sold another ref 2497 in pink gold with only 1 serial number apart for CHF 1,497,000.

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Truly a world-class rarity, the 14k gold reference 6264 Paul Newman ‘John Player Special’ is almost mythical. While its existence was known, very few people have ever seen one or had the opportunity to study its characteristics. The first of its kind ever to be presented at an international auction, the 14k gold Paul Newman John Player Special is in a league of its own in terms of rarity and desirability as only two or three example through to publicly exist - so much so that it has almost never been seen or even photographed publicly. It is believed to have been made exclusively for the North American market, with only two or three examples thought to exist. Amongst all the Daytonas, reference 6264 is one of the rarest and was produced for only three years, between 1969 and 1972.

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François-Paul Journe’s early pieces have become highly appreciated as exceptional works of art, with a sublime patina that cannot be replicated and  only found on these early masterpieces. Officially, the model was launched in 2000 with a series of twenty ‘Souscription’ watches, engraved with the suffix 00R for the year 2000. These first twenty pieces were pre-ordered on ‘souscription’, whereby the prospective buyer paid upfront in order to provide enough funds for François-Paul Journe to construct and deliver each watch, an idea inspired by Abraham-Louis Breguet shortly after the French revolution. However, recent studies have shown that the official ‘Souscription’ watches are not the first Chronomètre à Résonance watches. Two distinct earlier groups of approximately 30 watches have been identified as predating the official ‘Souscription’ series; the ‘pre-production’ (with suffix 99R); and the ‘pre-souscription’ (with suffix 00R). The suffixes refer to the year that the case was made and the watch completed with the letter ‘R’ for ‘Resonance’. In common with all early F.P. Journe watches, these ‘pre-Souscription’ watches are fitted with rhodium plated brass movements. According to our research, only 21 ‘Pre-Souscription’ were produced in 2000 with only a fraction with a pink gold dial such as the watch coming for the first time to auction on 12 May in Geneva. In May 2023 Christie’s was the first auction house to hold a dedicated sale to celebrate Journe’s craftsmanship by holding “The Art of F.P. Journe” auction including sister timepiece which was sold for  CHF 1,376,000.

Between about 2001 and 2006, F.P. Journe produced five of its landmark models — the Octa Jour/Nuit, Octa Calendrier, Octa Chronographe, Chronomètre à Résonance and Tourbillon Souverain — with dials and movements coated in a hard white metal called ruthenium. Each model from the Ruthenium Collection was released in an edition of just 99. The auction will offer set nr. 5 as follows:

F.P JOURNE, OCTA CALENDRIER RUTHENIUM NO. 05/99, CHF 150,000 -250,000

F.P. JOURNE OCTA JOUR / NUIT RUTHENIUM NO. 05/99, CHF100,000 -200,000

F.P. JOURNE, OCTA CHRONOGRAPHE RUTHENIUM NO. 05/99, CHF150,000 -250,000

F.P. JOURNE, CHRONOMETRE A RESONANCE RUTHENIUM NO. 05/99, CHF300,000 -500,000

F.P JOURNE, TOURBILLON SOUVERAIN RUTHENIUM NO. 05/99, CHF300,000 - 500,000

(Press Release)