Christie’s Set to Auction Ultra-Rare Watch From Clapton

Luxury auction house Christie’s of Geneva have announced that 310 exclusive watches will go under the gavel on November 12, 2012. Experts have speculated that the auction could fetch as much as $15 million Swiss Francs (approximately $16 million US dollars), with a number of high-profile pieces already generating buzz among watch collectors.

The piece generating the most excitement is an ultra-rare Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph with platinum casing from renowned musician Eric Clapton’s personal collection (pictured above). This piece alone is expected to go for somewhere between $2.5 – $4 million Swiss Francs. The perpetual calendar model was launched in 1951, and although it was in production for nearly 35 years, only two watches with platinum casing were ever produced. Clapton acquired the piece after one of Europe’s most prominent collectors of vintage Patek Philippe watches bought it at the 1989 “The Art of Patek Philippe” auction.

Aurel Bacs, the International Head of Christie’s watch department described the criteria required for a piece to be chosen for the auction; “…a wristwatch has to standout by its historical importance, mechanical complexity, unmatched beauty, original condition, incredible rarity and superior provenance. This autumn we are proud to offer for sale examples which deserve to be placed on that list…[including] the highly important platinum perpetual calendar chronograph reference 2499/100 from the collection of Eric Clapton.”

Source and photos courtesy: Christie’s of Geneva