One-Off Wonders

Watchmaking's top players give their philanthropic best with unique creations for a worthy cause. Evan Rast reports on the recent Only Watch auction in Monaco

Patek Philippe
Reference 3939

Patel Phillipe's Reference 3939Selling for a whopping €1.4 million from a wish price range of €450,000 to €650,000 Patek Philippe’s Reference 3939 was the most successful watch sold at auction. The buzz about this piece started weeks before the actual event, given that the line was recently discontinued. The brand also revealed that the watch is the only reference 3939 in steel (the previous versions were all in platinum) and will be the last ever produced. The watch features a black enamel dial with small seconds, and the caliber R TO 27 PS minute repeater and tourbillon movement, in a 33.3mm case.

Piaget
Altiplano Skeleton

Selling well over estimates, Piaget’s Altiplano Skeleton is a unique piece at 40mm (the new Altiplano is 43mm), a white gold case housing an ultra-thin handwound movement and small seconds at 10 o’clock. Black PVD coating is applied to the case, the buckle and the skeletonized 838P movement, while the dial boasts a guilloché motif, and dauphine hands embellished with pink gold finishing. (Wish price €25,000 - €35,000, sold for €54,000)

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Written by Evan Rast

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