Some watches become famous through decades of public admiration, while others spend generations tucked away from the eyes of collectors. An ultra-rare Patek Philippe that has remained with the family of its original owner for 65 years is now preparing for its first public appearance, with Christie’s offering the timepiece at its Important Watches auction in New York during December Luxury Week. The Patek Philippe Dual Time Ref. 3452/1 carries an estimate of $800,000 to $1.6 million and will be offered on December 4. Acquired in 1961, the 18-karat white and yellow gold watch has remained in the family across two generations, preserving a piece of watchmaking history that was previously unknown to much of the collecting world.
According to Maxim, the watch is the last of just seven known examples across references 3452 and 3452/1 to emerge, and the first example of the reference to reach the market since 2006. Christie’s Global Head of Watches, Remi Guillemin, discovered its significance alongside specialist Henry Ishikawa before traveling to New York to meet the owners and learn more about its history. Guillemin described the discovery as one of the most intriguing finds involving vintage complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches in recent years, noting that the watch had remained under the care of the original owner’s family for 65 years. The reference itself was already known, but this particular two-tone example had remained outside the public eye.
A rare dual-time mechanism by Louis Cottier
The story behind the watch goes back to master watchmaker Louis Cottier, best known for his work on the world-time system. The first prototype of the Ref. 3452 is believed to date to 1954, with the seven known examples produced between 1960 and 1963. Two were reportedly made in 1960, two in 1961, including the auction watch, and three more by 1963. Each differs in at least one design detail, making the small group a collection of individual interpretations rather than identical watches from a conventional limited production run.
Its mechanical construction is particularly unusual for a watch of its era. Cottier modified Patek Philippe’s automatic Caliber 27-460 to power two separate time displays through a single movement, avoiding the need for two independent mechanisms. A pusher at 2 o’clock works with the crown to adjust one time indication independently, allowing the wearer to track a second time zone. At a time when other watchmakers often relied on separate movements for dual-time watches, the arrangement offered a more integrated solution to the challenge of keeping two time displays in step.
Two-tone gold and a distinctive vintage design
The watch’s design is just as distinctive as its mechanism. Its 39mm case combines white and yellow gold, while the integrated two-tone bracelet gives it a substantial presence on the wrist. The dial features contrasting gold details, with Roman numerals on one time display and Arabic numerals on the other, alongside a gold plaque carrying the Patek Philippe name. Christie’s believes the bracelet was almost certainly made by Jean-Pierre Ecoffey, a respected Geneva bracelet maker, although the attribution remains qualified.
The reference also has a documented connection to royal commissions, with Christie’s reporting that two examples were made for Middle Eastern royalty. One pink-gold Ref. 3452 was described in a 1994 Antiquorum auction catalog as having been made for Kuwait’s royal family, although there is no evidence that the watch now coming to auction had a royal owner. After spending 65 years in private hands, the newly unveiled example will offer collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a watch that combines unusual engineering, distinctive design, and a remarkable family history.
