No products in the cart.
Not long ago, I had presented a story about a rare steel Patek Philippe with reference 1518 that was heading to auction in Geneva, explaining why this particular watch was so important. That very watch turned out to be the star of Decade One (2015–2025), the landmark auction staged by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo. Organized to celebrate a decade of achievements, records and unrelenting collecting passion, the sale delivered yet another world record: 83,018,538 US dollars, or 66,815,725 Swiss francs, or 71,753,407 euros. Whichever currency one chooses, the fact remains crystal clear: this is the highest total ever achieved in a watch auction. With this performance, Phillips can now proudly claim all three top-grossing watch auctions of all time.
As mentioned above, the headline act of the evening, held at Geneva’s Hotel President on 8 and 9 November, was the steel Patek Philippe Ref. 1518, which sold for 14,190,000 Swiss francs (17,631,075 dollars / 15,238,641 euros). This result makes it the most expensive vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch ever sold at auction.
Decade One proved to be a true celebration of the global collector community that Phillips has cultivated over the years. Hundreds of watch enthusiasts travelled to Geneva to examine the timepieces up close and take part in the auction in person. For Phillips, watches have always been a means of bringing people together, sparking conversations, forging friendships, and creating memories in an atmosphere of energy and camaraderie. This is precisely why its auctions, for the past decade, have become a global meeting point where seasoned and new collectors gather around their shared passion for fine watchmaking.
The two-day white-glove sale achieved a 100% sell-through rate, reaching a total of 66.8 million Swiss francs and reaffirming Phillips’ leading position as well as the strength of global demand for rare and important watches. A total of 1,886 registered bidders from 72 countries took part, including 1,718 online participants, while nearly 800 collectors were present in the room. The average price per lot reached 322,000 Swiss francs, with 12 watches surpassing the 1-million-franc mark.
The 12 most expensive watches sold at the Decade One auction were the following:
Sold for: €15,238,641
Sold for: €3,832,749
Sold for: €3,572,865
Sold for: €2,404,388 (world record for a vintage British pocket watch)
Sold for: €1,818,650 (world record for an F.P. Journe Tourbillon)
Sold for: €1,753,679
Sold for: €1,493,795
Sold for: €1,480,801
Sold for: €1,428,824
Sold for: €1,363,853 (world record for Ferdinand Berthoud)
Sold for: €1,170,901
Sold for: €1,170,901
From historic Patek Philippes to today’s most innovative independents, Decade One captured the strength and maturity of the modern collecting community—and underscored the decisive role Phillips continues to play in shaping it.
