Archive · 10 Nov 2025
Rare 1943 Patek Philippe Stainless Steel Watch Sells for $17.6 Million
Imagine a very special and rare watch made by a famous company called Patek Philippe way back in 1943.
This particular watch is super rare because it's made of steel, and only four like it were ever made.
It was so special that it broke a record for being the most expensive watch ever sold at an auction in 2016.
This weekend, it was sold again for even more money, about $17.6 million!
Even though other watches have sold for more since then, this steel Patek Philippe is still considered one of the most important and amazing watches ever created.
The auction was exciting, with many people wanting to buy it, and it sold quickly to someone who called in to bid.
A 1943 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Reference 1518 made of stainless steel sold for $17.6 million.
This stainless steel model is one of only four known to exist, making it highly sought after.
The watch previously set a world record for the most expensive wristwatch sold at auction in 2016.
The auction, conducted by Phillips in Geneva, attracted five bidders and lasted just under nine and a half minutes.
The total sales for the two-day Phillips auction exceeded 66.8 million Swiss francs, marking a record for a watch auction.
- Who
- A telephone bidder
- What
- A 1943 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Reference 1518 wristwatch made of stainless steel
- When
- This weekend
- Where
- Geneva
- Why
- Rarity (one of only four known stainless steel models), historical significance, design mastery, mechanical innovation, and its status as the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1518
Other High-Value Timepieces
Record Setting
Patek Philippe Ref. 1518
The 1943 Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in stainless steel set a record for the most expensive wristwatch sold at auction in 2016 and again this weekend, reaffirming its status.
Other High-Value Timepieces
While the Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 set records, its previous record from 2016 was surpassed by a Paul Newman Rolex Daytona in 2017 and then a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime in 2019, indicating a shifting landscape of watch auction records.
- Watch Model
- Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Reference 1518
- Year of Manufacture
- 1943
- Material
- Stainless Steel
- Number of Known Stainless Steel Models
- 4
- Previous Sale (2016)
- 11 million Swiss francs ($11 million)
- Current Sale Price
- 14,190,000 Swiss francs ($17.6 million)
- Auction House
- Phillips
- Auction Location
- Geneva