A Patek Philippe watch made for US banker Henry Graves Jr (1868-1953) achieved $1.3m at Christie's auction of luxury timepieces in Geneva earlier today (May 12).
Dating to 1927, the watch is among the earliest known examples to feature a minute repeater (Louis Brandt created the first in 1892).
 The watch was custom made for Henry Graves and contains an early minute repeater |
The mechanism chimes the minute and is one of the more difficult complications in the art of horology. Graves owned around 30 Patek Philippe watches, only four of which carry minute repeaters.
The cushion-shaped case is made from platinum with a silver dial.
Graves was undoubtedly the firm's most valuable and important client.
This is alluded to on the back of the case, which is engraved with Graves' family crest and motto ("esse quam videri" or "to be rather than seem to be"). The branding on the dial is also in English as opposed to the usual French.
Perhaps the best known of Graves' watches is the famous Supercomplication, which sold for $11m in New York in 1999.
As the name indicates, it features a staggering 24 complications, including a perpetual calendar and a star chart of the sky over New York City, and remains the most valuable watch ever sold at auction.
We have this Longines Men's Olympic Series watch available.
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