Best 5 watches for under $5K at the Sotheby’s Important Watches auction
Nick KenyonAt the upcoming Sotheby’s Important Watches auction, you can browse the catalogue and find all manner of incredibly rare and important watches and clocks from all the best watchmakers in the world. There is everything you would expect, and more, including a possibly unique red dial Rolex Daytona, a factory gem-set yellow gold Rolex GMT-Master, a Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona, and a Patek Philippe chronometer tested tourbillon pocket watch, all of which serve to make the Patek Philippe 5711 on offer look rather dull.
But unless you’re so wealthy that the Panama Papers were of personal concern to you, almost all of these rarefied lots are probably beyond your reach, which left me wondering – are there any lots that might excite those of us who don’t speed because we can’t afford the ticket? As it turns out, there are some more modest lots on offer that have estimates below CHF 5000, the best of which I’ve put together below.
IWC REFERENCE 5510 A LIMITED EDITION YELLOW GOLD OPEN-FACE WATCH WITH DAY, DATE AND MOON PHASES, CIRCA 1980 – estimate: CHF 2999 – 4998
A charming 55.5mm yellow gold pocket watch that not only offers you the time, day and date, but also the phases of the moon via an attractive lunar graphic. Details here.
PATEK PHILIPPE PINK GOLD OPEN-FACE WATCH, MADE IN 1890 – est: CHF 2999 – 4998
In collecting circles, a topic that sometimes comes up is the cost of entry to buy into a brand. The cost of entry into the Patek Philippe club is higher than most, but this pocket watch offers a ticket at what could be described as “mate’s rates”. Details here.
MARTIN BRAUN NOTOS A LIMITED EDITION WHITE GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH EQUATION OF TIME, DATE, MONTH AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL DIAL, CIRCA 2010 – est: CHF 1874 – 3748
A white gold case, mother-of-pearl dial and equation of time complication — this Martin Braun offers serious bang for buck. Details here.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN PINK GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH SALMON DIAL, CIRCA 1960 – est: CHF 2499 – 3748
With a salmon dial, charming hour markers and lugs that would make this 30mm wristwatch wear significantly larger, this could be a great first vintage watch. Details here.
ROLEX DATEJUST, REFERENCE 67513 A YELLOW GOLD AND STAINLESS STEEL WRISTWATCH WITH BRACELET AND DATE, CIRCA 1989 – est: CHF 1999 – 2999
This list really has everything now that it has Rolex. A balanced no-date dial and Roman numerals, combined with the comfort of an oyster bracelet, makes this a watch that you could wear every day. Details here.