Among Cambi Auction House's most prestigious events, the Live auction dedicated to Wristwatches stands out for its exceptional selection of more than 170 lots. This collection ranges from the world's most renowned and desired brands, including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Cartier and Omega. However, there is no shortage of independent brands, which are increasingly appreciated by collectors for their uniqueness and innovation. Each piece in the auction has been carefully selected to offer attendees a variety of watches that combine elegance, precision and collector value, making this a must-attend event for watch enthusiasts.

The absolute top lot in the catalog is an important and rare Patek Philippe Ref 2499/100 wristwatch (lot 24) with perpetual calendar in yellow gold with moon phases (estimate: € 250,000.00 / 350,000.00).

In 1950, Patek Philippe introduced Ref 2499 to replace its first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch Ref 1518. Early examples of ref. 2499 retained very similar features to ref. 1518, such as the applied Arabic numerals and rectangular chronograph pushers for the first series examples. However, the case was completely new, with oversized fluted lugs. The launch of ref. 2499 remained the only perpetual calendar wristwatch on the market and maintained its status for nearly 3 decades. Extremely rare, Patek Philippe's most discerning collectors and vintage enthusiasts consider ref. 2499 to be one of the most perfect wristwatches ever produced, as it retains vintage charm along with practical modern upgrades such as sapphire crystal. The current example, to the best of our knowledge has never appeared on the market and is in excellent overall condition.

Another horological marvel featured in the auction is the rare and attractive Rolex Daytona (lot 165) ref 16589SACI in 18k white gold with pavé dial set with diamonds and sapphires, baguette-cut sapphire bezel, warranty and original box, NOS (estimate: € 100,000.00 / 150,000.00). The birth of the Cosmograph Daytona with a Zenith automatic movement modified by Rolex in 1988 initiated a completely new approach to the idea of the sports chronograph, adding jewels to the “Crowned” house. Starting with the diamond-embellished ref 6270 and 6269, Rolex began offering its iconic models without fear of extravagance. Each gemstone requires specific techniques and methods for cutting, polishing, and setting, and each watch is embellished with artistic talent and craftsmanship.

Among the most important lots is the valuable Patek Philippe (lot 169) chronograph ref 5980/A stainless steel flyback wristwatch with date, warranty and presentation box, sealed and never opened (estimate: € 60,000.00 / 90,000.00). Introduced in 2006, the reference 5980/1 was launched together with its sister time-only reference 5711. The same year that the entire Nautilus celebrated its 30th anniversary. At the time of launch, it was a completely new design, as the Nautilus model had never incorporated a chronograph function. Equipped with the CH 28-250 caliber, the manufacture self-winding chronograph. Discontinued in 2014, the reference 5980 is one of the best modern sports watches in its class, the present watch is preserved in its only sealed condition. Never exposed to any use, the watch offered is complete with all accessories suitable for discerning collectors. The present lot represents an important milestone for the entire Nautilus collection, the reference 5980 is now an icon for a generation of collectors of this Maison.