The legendary UK perfect replica Patek Philippe watches from 1971 have sold for 16,845,000 HKD (just over £1.6 million) at a Hong Kong auction last Thursday, April 24.
Sotheby’s sold the best fake Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watches as the star lot in their Important Watches sale with a 12,000,000 – 24,000,000 HKD estimate (about £1.5 million to £2.3 million).
The high quality copy watches were extensively documented, as most Patek’s are. It is a “possibly unique” example of a reference 2499 from the Swiss maker founded in 1839 by Antoni Patek and Adrien Philippe.
Its uniqueness is down to a particular set of variables including the pink gold case, a sapphire crystal and the signature from Italian retailers Trucchi, who sold the cheap super clone watches in 1972.
The reference was launched in 1950 and made until 1985.
All online replica Patek Philippe watches are limited – they still make only 60,000 watches each year.
Sotheby’s said: “Reference 2499 is arguably the most coveted vintage UK buy fake Patek Philippe watches on the market and even considered the most collectable vintage wristwatch, period.”
Just 349 of this reference were made, the vast majority in yellow gold.
This Thai 1:1 wholesale copy watches have been known to collectors since its 1999 sale for 672,850 Swiss Francs (about £600,000).
Patek Philippe are consistently the best performing marque at the very top end of the watch market, with 114 listed at over $1.5 million in a 2022 survey of market history.
Of history’s five most valuable watches four are luxury replica Patek Philippe watches, including the Grandmaster Chime that made $31 million in 2019 to become – and remain – the most valuable watch ever sold.
This Swiss made fake watches now join that list of the most valuable watches, with a sale that is worth around $2.2 million.