Editor’s pick — Accessory quick take: key highlight (movement/specs for watches, materials/finish, limited run, pricing tier) in 1–2 lines.
After a brief break from the auction action in Monaco, I returned this fall to visit some friends and take a look at a few watches. I knew there were some great items on offer, but I didn’t expect that I’d witness a record for the Rolex ref. 6062 (taking down the famous Bao Dai). Bidding €4.25 million on a watch is something few people in the world will ever do, but attending an auction in person is a great way to learn bidding tactics and see who the major players are. It’s also a great way to see many watches—both those for sale and those on collectors’ wrists—and learn a lot in the process.
If you know those bracelets, you know the owner of the watch above. That’s Mr. A with a ruby and diamonds Rolex Day-Date ref. 18148
As has become tradition, before the auction I had breakfast with Auro Montanari, aka John Goldberger, and then made our yearly portrait.
He was wearing a Cartier Tank Rectangle from Paris on a beautiful 9 link bracelet.
A Cartier Tank Allongee “Steve McQueen” that Montanari was selling. I was tempted to purchase it, depending on how some auction lots played out, but by Sunday, it was already sold. A lot of business gets done not necessarily on the auction floor but also in the side rooms and on the terrace outside.
This year I took it a bit lighter on searching for photos. If you’ve followed Hodinkee, you’ve seen these auctions before, so we started on Saturday, with half a day for previews (after two full days prior) and half a day for auctions.
Checking out the auction catalog and making notes
Monaco Legend Group’s Deputy Chairman, Corrado Mattarelli, wearing his trusty Rolex ref. 6264 “John Player Special” Daytona. This is one of my all-time top five favorite watches, and it makes me happy to see Mattarelli wearing it every time I see him.
A very interesting Cartier Tank Normale with yellow gold hands.
A unique 18k gold oval-shaped with faceted crystal Universal Genève, 1955, picked up by Auro Montanari from Parisian dealer Philippe Colonna.
You might know Ross Povey (aka @tudorcollector). Well, this is his son Leo, who is still in school but working at the auction and helping find lots for people to preview.
He was wearing a customized vintage Tudor chronograph that had been PVD-coated.
Wouldn’t be Monaco without another Paul Newman Daytona (or two).
An IWC Destriero Scafusia or “Warhorse of Schaffhausen” in white gold with a diamond-set bracelet, made on special order for the Sultan of Brunei.
Checking out one of the two Patek ref. 1518s that was in the auction. This one had an unusual transitional dial signature.
Lots to look at, even on a small watch.
One of the collectors, who has become a friend over the past few years, likes to double-wrist complicated Pateks. We’ve seen him do it before with some wild watches, like a 2499 and 5970J with a Tiffany stamp. Here he is with a Patek 2523/1 on top and a most likely unique ref. 3448 with Breguet numerals and luminous hands/dots (which he bought in May at another MLG auction).
A closer look at that likely unique Patek ref. 3448 in white gold, which he bought for CHF 2.18 million.
And one of the coolest case shapes on a worldtimer, the Patek ref. 2523 with a case made by Antoine Gerlach.
A Rolex Daytona ref. 116588SARO worn by dealer Andrea Foffi.
Audemars Piguet “Jumbo” Openworked ref. 15204RO
Now for something completely different, the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph “Flamingo Blue.”
Watches of all makes and models are welcome, including G-Shocks.
As is tradition, MLG parked a car on the second floor outside the auction, this time a rare white Dino.
A rare Patek ref. 2554. Sometimes the front angle is great…
… but it’s only half the story.
Here’s one I haven’t seen before, a Neimann Marcus cuff watch.
And another bracelet watch made by Verger, which is a little reminiscent of the Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas.
Even more unusual, a strange Mido meant to look the the front of a vintage car. Well, the car wasn’t so vintage when the watch was made. The unusual combo of grey dial, rose numerals, and yellow gold hand and case made this quite interesting.
My friend Srðan Stević wearing a unique Piaget Beta 21 in white gold with a lapis dial and really interesting hatched finishing on the case. It looks like a mix of meteorite and herringbone.
A gold Omega Dynamic
Patek ref. 1450 “Top Hat”
A Cartier Santos Octagon in yellow gold with diamonds and Onyx dial.
A Rolex ref. 4652 Cellini with mahogany dial.
Let’s revisit the hero image of the photo report. It’s rare to see two white gold ref. 3448 Pateks in one day, but two on bracelet is another thing entirely. Claudio Salvati is often wearing a Patek 3448 and this time he had one on the factory bracelet. Who cares if the day window hasn’t fully rolled over? It’s amazing.
Where it all started for the Royal Oak perpetual calendar, the ref. 25554ST.
A Gübelin triple calendar. This was sold off this wrist right after the photo. The exchange went: “Gübelin?” ‘Yes.” “Okay, put it on my invoice.”
A pink gold Vacheron Constantin Ref. 4240L (L for Lune, or moon in French).
Look at that case shape and the mix of brushing and polishing.
A Rolex ref. 6542 GMT-Master in yellow gold.
All but ignored by most collectors, the wonderful Rolex Prince Imperial pocket watch.
One of the hardest shots to make in watches, the four arm group shot.
Let’s look at them individually. We’ve got Mido, Movado, and…
A Rolex Bubbleback.
There’s also a Cellini and Day-Date.
This Longines Mystery Dial had a cool bracelet that, while not original…
… expanded in a really interesting way.
Gerald Genta.
I wasn’t expecting to see this duo from Japan. A Naoya Hida.
And an Otsuka Lotec.
Here’s an oddity. A Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date Perpetual Calendar prototype. Yes, they made such a thing, kind of. It was a prototype that should have never left the factory, but due to some legal quirks, it did end up on the market.
An Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar with a starry aventurine dial.
And a different kind of star dial, the Rolex ref. 6098 “Galaxy”.
A possibly unique Rolex ref. 6090 “Bombay,” with an unusual dial configuration. The “Bombay” got its nickname for its twisted bombé lugs.
There’s something about a marble dial Rolex Day-Date that feels very Italian.
A very tropical Rolex Daytona ref. 6239.
And an early ref. 6241 Daytona in gold.
How about a Rolex “Hawk” Daytona for the U.A.E.?
And another Paul Newman Daytona.
Rolex Daytona “Eye of the Tiger” ref. 116598TBR.
A Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116578SARU (sapphires and rubies).
A lapis dial Rolex Day-Date.
A very striking teal blue dial on a Rolex Day-Date.
Robin Mann wearing a Patek ref. 1527 with tropical dial.
Roberto Caso with an incredible and unique Patek Philippe ref. 3990.
Not all Nautilus have to be big to be great. This looks just perfect.
A wonderful Patek ref. 570 with Breguet numerals.
Another highlight for me, a really wonderful Patek ref. 1463 signed by Serpico y Laino.
A tiny little top-crown Patek with sector dial, signed by Cucco.
A gorgeous steel Patek ref. 565 with a lot of great details. The multi-tone dial has Roman numerals and a nice long signature.
A rare and nearly new-old-stock variation of the Patek Philippe ref. 5004P. Platinum 5004s are more often seen with black dials featuring Arabic numerals.
Some more Gerald Genta action, this time with some bling.
Richard Mille 67-02
The RM 27-03 Rafael Nadal Tourbillon in Red and Yellow Quartz TPT.
When you’re in good standing with the auction house, on special occasions, you can pick up your lots before the auction is over. This collector normally buys … well… you can guess. But this time he picked up this Patek Philippe ref. 5207P at the auction.
Forget the watches. Dogs are where it’s at. But Mr. A had a special idea with a color-coordinated watch.
Getting a dog to wear a watch is not easy.
But it can be done.
Two vintage sub-seconds Tanks are incredibly rare.
Finally, Roberto Caso again wearing a Patek ref. 130 signed by Tiffany.
Source: www.hodinkee.com — original article published 2025-10-24 17:00:00.
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