Words: India Gladstone
When a secret bidder won a frenetic 30 minute battle at auction for an incredibly rare rose gold 1968 Patek Philippe 2499 earlier this week, he made modern horology history. The watch cost the gentleman an eye-watering £1.7 million. We all know the connotations with a Patek Philippe: luxury, timeless, generational and elegant. And with most of their timepieces costing upwards of £14,000, they certainly come at a pretty penny. As any watch enthusiast or luxury-minded gentleman will tell you, you truly can’t put a price on a rare a beauty as this – but what makes it so special?
To say that the 2499 is rare is a total understatement: this is one of the most unique watches to ever be produced by any watch brand, let alone Patek Philippe. Between its (very limited) production years of 1951 and 1988, there were only ever 349 models released and only 5 of those were rose gold. It’s also worth mentioning that this exact shade of rose in this exact style could even be the only one of its kind. There are also various pieces of more intricate detailing that you have to get up close and personal to admire, namely the moonphase complication that on other models has a semicircular indentation, but on this is totally flat.
So is the watch worth it? Probably, to the right person. There’s no doubting the incredible beauty of a timepiece such as this, a piece that will be passed down generations to come and that will, inevitably, only get more valuable as time goes on. So if you’ve got the money gentlemen, invest now in the rarest beauty you can find because Lord knows how much it might be worth 50 years from now.
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