It shouldn’t be surprising that a Patek Philippe holds the world auction record for a watch ($31.2 million for a Patek Grandmaster Chime, sold at Christie’s). Known for impeccable craftsmanship and some of the most complicated timepieces ever created, the brand is considered by many to be the height of fine watchmaking. Collectors simply love Patek Philippe watches.
The house was founded in Geneva in 1839 by Polish expats Antoni Patek and Franciszek Czapek. Czapek left the firm, and in 1845, Patek partnered with French watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Catering to the glitterati of Europe, the pair counted among their clients Tolstoy, Pope Pius IX and Queen Victoria, as well as Countess Koscowicz of Hungary, for whom they created the first Swiss-made wristwatch in 1868. They also had their eye on the American market and in 1851 entered an arrangement with Tiffany & Co. still in effect today.
During the Great Depression, brothers Jean and Charles Stern, who had previously supplied Patek Philippe with watch dials, bought the company, and it continues to be run by the Stern family today.
Under the Sterns, the house has developed some of its most famous models, including the Calatrava, an elegantly minimal dress watch introduced in 1932 and named for the Calatrava Cross (the company’s logo since 1887), and the Nautilus, the brand’s first sports watch, conceived by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 1976.
Despite the house’s longevity, it’s rumored that it has manufactured fewer than a million Patek watches, making each one all the more coveted. (The brand's pieces are understandably attractive to counterfeiters — make sure you know how to spot a fake Patek Philippe watch.)
Find authentic Patek Philippe watches, cufflinks, bracelets and more on 1stDibs today.
Wittnauer Stainless Steel High Grade Chronograph with Original Dial, 1950's
By Wittnauer
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Wittnauer Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Two Register Chronograph METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1950's DIMENSIONS ...
Vintage Girard-Perregaux Chronograph Cal 285 Hand Wind Men's Watch Ref 22405
By Girard Perregaux
Located in New York, NY
This striking chronograph from Girard-Perregaux, referenced 22405 and fitted in the rare “Enversteel” steel case, houses the high-grade manual-wind Calibre 285 column-wheel movement—...
Stainless Steel
$82,202
H 1.3 in W 1.3 in
Patek Philippe, Elegant & Rare 18k YGold Chronograph "Ref. 130" Wristwatch, 1947
By Patek Philippe
Located in Paris, FR
Patek Philippe’s reference 130 is one of the firm’s best-known vintage chronograph models and chronographs of the 20th. Few Patek Philippe references enjoy such an iconic status amongst scholars and collectors as reference 130 does. The present watch features an extremely appealing two tone silver dial with tachymeter, featuring Roman numerals at 12 and 6, and Gold batons indexes for the remaining hours. The case is in excellent condition and original hallmarks are still partly visible, which is rare for a 1947 watch...
18k Gold
Philippe Stainless Steel Art Deco Chronograph Manual Watch, 1930s
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE:Philippe Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Chronograph METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Manual Winding / 17 Jewels / Cal. Landeron 39 DIAL / HANDS: Original Art Deco Numbers / Leaf Hands DIMENSIONS: Length 42mm X Diameter 36mm ATTACHMENT / LENGTH: Alligator, 20mm / Regular Length WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement. LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT This classic Swiss...
Stainless Steel
Girard Perregaux Stainless Steel Chronograph from 1950's
By Girard Perragaux
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Girard Perregaux Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Chronograph / Reference 22209 METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1950's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 39m...
Stainless Steel
Patek Philippe Classic Chronograph 5070R
By Patek Philippe
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A stunning men's Classic Chronograph wristwatch, crafted in rose gold by Patek Philippe. Featuring a silver dial, applied arabic numbers with a tachymeter scale, a minute track on th...
Rose Gold
Forsythe Steel Chronograph with Original Unrestored Dial circa 1940's
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Forsythe Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Chronograph METAL / MATERIAL: Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's / 50's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 43mm x Diameter 34mm MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Manual Winding / 17 Jewels DIAL / HANDS: Original Silvered with Luminous Arabic Numerals / Blued Steel Luminous Hands ATTACHMENT / LENGTH: Leather, 17mm / Regular Length WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT Forsythe was a private label house working in Switzerland from the 1940's through the 60's. They produced watches for the neighborhood jewelers in America offering high quality...
Steel
$15,010 / item
Dm 1.38 in
Berthoud / Universal Genève Uni Compax Chronograph Wrist Watch, Rare Collectors
Located in Antwerp, BE
Extermely Rare Collectors Watch with Universal Genève Big Eyes Chronograph Caliber Universal 385 . Case : Stainless Steel, 35 mm
Steel
Girard Perregaux Vintage Steel Chronograph Valjoux 72, Swiss 1960s
By Girard Perregaux
Located in Queens, NY
Girard Perregaux Steel Chronograph Valjoux 72, with black dial, with rose gold hands, marked, and Arabic numeral indexes, sub-dials at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock for running seconds, 30 minu...
Steel
Chronograph Suisse Steel Chronograph with Original Dial 1940's
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Chronograph Suisse STYLE / REFERENCE: Two Register Chronograph METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 37mm X Diameter 32m...
Launched in 1932, the model has become emblematic of quality craftsmanship and timeless design.
A true icon of the much-coveted category of World Time watches, this rare model represents an important milestone in the history of one of the brand's signature complications.
