Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon, Reference 5002P

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

In one of my earliest articles on the French version of this network, I took it to the market of contemporary watches. Dominated by Patek Philippe, it is one of very few sectors of the art market where recent pieces can really achieve the highest prices. Provided however that their complication is a real technical achievement.

At that time I announced the sale by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on 10 April 2008 of a Sky Moon Tourbillon 5002P. This model is produced with only two copies per year since its launch in 2001. This was the first double-faced wristwatch created by Patek Philippe. With 12 complications and 686 components, it is still considered today as the most complicated watch ever made by that mark. It was sold $ 11.7 MHK including fees.

A watch of this model comes at Antiquorum in New York on March 4 and 5. We note without surprise that the estimate is of the same order of magnitude as the price obtained last year by Sotheby's: 1 MUS $. This copy was made in 2005.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This watch was not sold although it was proposed in its normal price range. At a distance, it is not easy to understand this result.

Several hypotheses are possible: a small defect, a reserve price higher than the low estimate, the fact that this copy has been proposed too soon after the sale of Sotheby's.

Otherwise, the sale was a success, with an excellent result at 630 K $ including expenses for a Patek Philippe made in 1927. Its first owner, Henry Graves Jr, was known for inciting the brand from Geneva to increase the complications of its models.