On Nov. 9, Christie’s Auction House hosted the Important Watches auction in Hong Kong. The heated auction ended with over $13.3 million in watch sales and for good reason. Their sale featured beautiful and rare timepieces with stories from 1810 Russia to the 1972 Pontifical Swiss Guard. Check out our top five favorites from the event.

5. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar

This Patek Philippe is extremely rare and extremely valuable. This one was the priciest lot of the event and sold for $571,772. This piece was manufactured in 1950, sold in 1952, and had not reappeared on the market until this Christie’s auction. The piece was serviced regularly and is in pristine condition.

There are five models from the perpetual chronograph line, one of the enthusiast favorites from Patek Philippe. Reference 1518 is the first example of not only a Patek perpetual calendar, but of any perpetual calendar by any watchmaker. Only 281 were ever made, and this example is in the rarest gold color that can be found.

4. Piaget with Flying Tourbullion

This Piaget watch would almost pass as a jewelry piece if it weren’t for the tourbillon, which is also the thinnest tourbillon ever made. This piece is extremely rare and believed to be the first example of the Polo tourbillon offered at auction. The piece sold for $269,357.

The diamonds cannot go without mention and make this watch a truly extravagant and unique timepiece. The diamonds — all 671 of them — are very high quality. The white gold case is set with 462 brilliant-cut diamonds and 165 baguette-cut diamonds for a total of 25.42 carats. Finally, the clasp is set with 16 brilliant-cut and 14 baguette-cut diamonds.

3. Patek Philippe Nautilus from Rare Handcrafts Collection

This lavish watch is an outstanding example of craftsmanship from Patek Philippe. The piece is from the Rare Handcrafts Collection which demonstrates the decorative techniques of Patek Philippe. This dazzling piece is noteworthy in its unusualness from the conservative watchmaker. The piece sold for $437,580.

The piece is set with 1,648 pave diamonds for a total carat weight of 9.358ct, covering the bracelet, dial and case. The dial and bezel is enamelled in a beautiful dragon design. This watch is rare and remarkable in its unconventional design, especially for Patek Philippe.

2. Rolex Daytona with Panda Paul Newman Dial

This Rolex Daytona comes in a limited and very rare model which is called the “Paul Newman” by Rolex enthusiast. This Daytona model is only different in it’s dial with a slightly different font and other small difference. When the Paul Newman was first manufactured, it was in limited quantity. That particular version was not as desired, so purchase was halted. Then, the dial was made famous when Paul Newman wore it on the cover of an Italian magazine. The unofficial celebrity endorsement coupled with the rarity of the dial made this a highly-coveted Rolex. On top of that, this Rolex features a “panda” dial — the rarest of the Paul Newman Daytonas.

Rarity meets mystery in this particular Daytona. The back of the watch is engraved with an apparent Swiss cross in rope. The origins of this engraving remain a complete mystery. There are a small number of other Rolex watches from the same time that feature the same engraving, which is decidedly a Rolex engraving and a special order. Rumor would say that the watch was commissioned for the Pontifical Swiss Guard in Vatican City. However, this has been denied by the Swiss Guard and the truth is still unknown. The watch sold for $269,357.

1. Breguet Pocket Watch

This Breguet pocket watch was made for the Ottoman market with a very rare dial and an interesting history. Though the roots and official name of the watch point to Turkic markets, the piece was actually bought by Tsar Alexander I in 1810. In political context, the watch was actually a gift in the event of a peace treaty during the Russo-Turkish war, though it is unknown to which side the gift was intended — Sultan Mahmud II or his enemies. However, the Sultan did not wish for piece and the watch was returned to Breguet.

After the piece was returned, the piece was serviced, the dial changed and sold under a new name. It was then sold again in 1825 to the son of French Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse. The pocket watch exchanged hands a few more times, but primarily remained in important collections. The piece sold for $269,357.

Photo Credit: www.christies.com