The Ultimate Collectability Gift Guide: Five Watches For Holiday Giving Over 100k USD

Tis the Season and it’s crazy out there in the world of watches! In the spirit of the holidays, Collectability is pleased to offer five pieces that you literally cannot find anywhere else. These are the kind of gifts that will make memories for a lifetime and, more importantly, capture the heart of the Patek fanatic in your life. And for the watch collectors out there who find a piece or two on this list, all you need to do is forward this article to friends and family to give a gentle hint. After all, you don’t really want socks and sweaters again for the holidays, do you? So put on some seasonal cheer and check out these offerings from Collectability before it’s too late. After all, the clock is ticking …

First on the list is a watch that needs no introduction …. it is a grail of grails and a museum quality piece that deserves to be the capstone of an important collection: The Patek Philippe Steel Sector ref. 130A.

This example was made in 1938 and is one of 15 known examples with this dial configuration made during a short period of time in the late 1930s. It features a hand-engraved and enamel two-tone sector dial that has aged beautifully over time. Unlike other examples that have been on the market in recent years, the dial of this watch is unrestored and has aged to perfection for its 85 years of existence.

This is the original gentlemen’s sports watch from a time when sports meant race car driving and horse racing. It was meant to time success and the push of a chronograph button was the final word between winning and losing. For the man or woman that wants to own a time machine of the highest order, this is the dream watch. A complicated steel wristwatch from the beginning of the golden age of vintage wristwatch design. Price for the ref. 130A: 450,000 USD

In terms of the present mania for steel Nautilus, here is the reference that started it all: the ref. 3700/1A. Here we have a stunning example that is as complete as you can find today.

 

Original cork box, Certificate of Origin, numbered hand tag, Patek Philippe pouch, paperwork. So get into your time machine and go back to 1980 when this watch was made and first sold in 1981.

This ‘jumbo’ version of Nautilus was first launched in 1976 and today are some of the most coveted watches to own. Price for the ref. 3700/1A: On Request.

For a more modern offering, here we have a yellow gold Ref. 5101J from 2012 accompanied by its large format certificate wallet including, presentation box, and chronometer certificate.

The ref. 5101 was released in 2003 and in production until circa 2012. The yellow gold version was made in 2012 and made only in small quantities making it the rarest of all 5101s. Approximately 500 examples were made in platinum, and it is estimated that less than 50 were made in yellow gold. The yellow gold had a retail price of 331,000 CHF during its short production run. The massive, deco-inspired case housed the in-house, custom-built caliber TO-28-20 REC 10J PS IRM, is a masterpiece of modern watchmaking. The movement boasts a 10-day power reserve that utilized twin mainspring barrels that work in tandem. Service-sealed, this yellow gold is one of the last ref. 5101s to ever leave the factory.

 

Preserved mint with box and papers, it can now be purchased for a fraction of its original retail price representing incredible value. Price for the ref. 5101J: 200,000 USD.

The ref. 725 was the design inspiration for a long line of Patek Philippe perpetual calendars and perpetual calendar chronographs. This example of a ref. 725/2J features the coveted Tiffany & Co. signature with an exceptionally preserved silvered dial with perfectly raised hard enamel. The Arabic numbers and 5-minute dots are developing an attractive patina. The case is in equally impressive condition with crisp hallmarks. This is a superlative example of Patek Philippe’s incredible work from the 1950s. Fewer than a hundred ref. 725s were made in all configurations and fewer than 21 are known in yellow gold; only a couple are known with a Tiffany & Co. signature.

Five examples of the reference are now part of the Patek Philippe Museum, a testament to the watch’s importance to the Patek Philippe lineage. Now you can own this work of art for your own personal museum. Price for the ref. 725/2J: 125,000 USD.

 

Word on the street is green watches are the hottest thing out there! Green dial Nautilus watches that retail for 33,000 USD easily sell for over 400k USD on the secondary market. So let’s test the theory with a prized watch from Collectability’s corporate collection: The Andy Warhol Gumby Watch. This watch was famously autographed by Andy Warhol and given to Keith Haring between 1986-1987. This watch was sold by Sotheby’s directly from the personal collection of the late Keith Haring. For the original auction listing, click here:  https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/dear-keith-works-from-the-personal-collection-of-keith-haring/gumby-quartz-lcd-watch-signed-by-andy-warhol-circa For Hodinkee’s coverage of the sale of this watch, click here:  https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/gumby-watch-gifted-by-andy-warhol-to-keith-haring-at-sothebys

It is framed and ready for the wall of a lucky new owner. As the first non-Patek to be offered by Collectability, we will celebrate the occasion by donating a portion of the sale of this watch to the Make a Wish Foundation of America. Price for the framed The Andy Warhol Gumby Watch: 100,000 USD