Steel, not gold, is the rarest metal in Geneva this November. Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, will offer a 1945 Patek Philippe reference 1436 split-seconds chronograph in stainless steel at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV on November 7 and 8, 2026, with an estimate of CHF 2 million to 4 million, according to the Phillips announcement. The international preview tour has closed, and the watches return to Geneva for viewing from November 4.
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At a glance
- Sale: The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV, Phillips with Bacs & Russo, November 7 and 8, 2026, Hotel President, Geneva.
- Size: about 220 timepieces.
- Lead lot: lot 95, a 1945 Patek Philippe ref. 1436 split-seconds chronograph in steel, estimated at CHF 2 million to 4 million.
- Also notable: a Rolex Daytona ref. 6241 “John Player Special,” a Rolex ref. 6062 “Stelline” and a platinum F.P. Journe Résonance “Régence.”
- Viewing: Geneva preview from November 4 to 7 at the Hotel President.
What is the top lot at Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XXIV?
Lot 95 is a Patek Philippe reference 1436, a split-seconds chronograph, in stainless steel. Phillips says an extract from the Patek Philippe archives confirms the watch was made in 1945 and sold in 1949. The estimate is CHF 2 million to 4 million, the highest in the sale.
A split-seconds chronograph, or rattrapante, has two seconds hands stacked on top of each other. Both start together; one can be stopped to record an intermediate time while the other keeps running, then sent back to rejoin it. It is one of the most demanding complications to build by hand, and in a wristwatch of the 1940s it was a mark of real ambition.
The same sale offers a rare comparison. Lot 195 is a yellow gold ref. 1436 retailed by Tiffany & Co. in 1959 and carrying both names on the dial, estimated at CHF 400,000 to 800,000, The Hour Markers reports. The gap between the two estimates is the clearest lesson in the catalogue about what case metal can mean to a vintage Patek.
Why is a steel Patek Philippe 1436 so rare?
In the 1940s, Patek Philippe’s complicated watches were overwhelmingly cased in gold. Steel was a practical metal, and only a handful of clients asked for it on a watch of this complexity. The Hour Markers notes that fewer than 120 examples of the 1436 are believed to exist across all metals, and Haute Time has described steel examples as so rare that only two were known.
That Haute Time account covered a steel 1436 that Phillips sold in Geneva in November 2015 for CHF 3,301,000, a watch also made in 1945 and sold in the United States in 1949. The dates match those Phillips gives for lot 95, though the announcement does not say whether this is the same watch. In our view, it is a question worth putting to the specialists, because a documented auction history is part of what collectors pay for at this level.
On a vintage Patek, the humblest metal can carry the grandest estimate.
Which Rolex watches lead the sale?
Lot 20 is a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 6241 in 14k yellow gold, around 1969, known as the “John Player Special” for the black and gold livery of the racing cars that sponsor once backed. Its black dial is of the exotic type collectors call “Paul Newman.” Phillips notes it was last seen at auction in 2018, and the estimate is CHF 800,000 to 1.6 million. The Hour Markers adds that it is fitted on a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet with the retailer’s inventory number on the clasp.
Lot 129 is a Rolex reference 6062 in 18k yellow gold from around 1952, a triple-calendar Oyster with moon phase nicknamed “Stelline” for its small star-shaped hour markers. Phillips says it was recently discovered in Japan and acquired from its original owner, and estimates it at CHF 600,000 to 1.2 million. Original-owner watches are prized because their history is unbroken. For context, see our story on the Rolex 6062 at Monaco Legend and the Paul Newman Daytona 6241 result in Paris.
What else should collectors look for?
Independent watchmaking is well represented. Lot 7 is an F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance “Régence” from 2002, a 38mm platinum watch made for the retailer Les Ambassadeurs, estimated at CHF 1 million to 2 million. The Résonance uses two separate balances that come into step with each other, an idea Journe revived from 18th-century precision clocks. Lot 161, a titanium Résonance from a 12-piece Tokyo boutique edition of 2007, is estimated at CHF 400,000 to 800,000.
Lot 32 is a unique Roger Smith Series 1 in white and pink gold from 2020, fresh to the market and estimated at CHF 300,000 to 600,000; Smith trained under George Daniels on the Isle of Man. Lot 216, a unique Kari Voutilainen Vingt-8 Inversé in tantalum, is estimated at CHF 200,000 to 400,000. For historians, lot 91 is a 1790 marine chronometer No. 46 by Ferdinand Berthoud, estimated at CHF 100,000 to 200,000, and lot 61 is a silver flying tourbillon pocket watch by Richard Miklosch from around 1985, estimated at CHF 300,000 to 600,000. Two more Pateks complete the picture: a 1953 ref. 2497 with the Gumbiner retailer signature (lot 16) and a 1950 ref. 605HU “North America” world time pocket watch (lot 205).
How does Geneva’s November week shape up?
Phillips opens a crowded weekend. Haute Time’s November calendar lists Sotheby’s Important Watches on November 8 and 9 and Christie’s Rare Watches on November 9. We have already previewed Christie’s Geneva Rare Watches and Sotheby’s Original Owner Collection. With three major houses selling within days, Geneva will offer a clear reading of the vintage and independent market as the year closes.
For the Collector
- Auction estimates: CHF 2 million to 4 million for the steel ref. 1436, CHF 800,000 to 1.6 million for the Daytona 6241 and CHF 600,000 to 1.2 million for the 6062 Stelline. Estimates exclude the buyer’s premium; confirm terms with Phillips.
- Where to bid: through the Phillips sale page, in the room at the Hotel President, by phone or online; register in advance for high-value lots.
- What drives value: case metal, originality of dial and hands, archive extracts and an unbroken ownership history, all of which Phillips cites for its top lots.
- What to watch for: ask for condition reports, movement photographs and any earlier auction appearances, especially for watches returning to the market.
- Resale: past auction prices do not predict future value. Collect what you would be glad to wear.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XXIV?
November 7 and 8, 2026, at the Hotel President in Geneva, with a public preview from November 4.
What is the estimate for the steel Patek Philippe 1436?
CHF 2 million to 4 million, before buyer’s premium, according to Phillips.
What is a split-seconds chronograph?
A chronograph with two seconds hands, one of which can be stopped independently to time an interval while the other keeps running.
How many lots are in the sale?
Phillips says no fewer than 220 timepieces will be offered across the two days.
Sources: Phillips press release · Phillips, The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV · Haute Time, November 2026 auctions · The Hour Markers · Haute Time on the ref. 1436
