Inside Christie’s Geneva Rare Watches Sale: Quincy Jones’s Patek Philippe, A 1967 Cartier Crash & More

Christie’s Rare Watches sale returns to Geneva this May — and the lots say everything. The two-day live auction runs May 11–12, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, bringing together a selection that spans vintage icons and contemporary masterpieces, with several lots appearing at auction for the very first time. The preview opens Friday, May 8th, at 9:00 AM and runs through Sunday, May 10th.

The headline lot needs little introduction. The Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A, circa 2022, from the Estate of Quincy Jones carries an estimate of CHF 800,000–1,400,000 — and the provenance alone makes it one of the most talked-about watches to come to market this year. The Nautilus has long been the reference point for what a sports watch can be, and this example, with the weight of Jones’s legacy behind it, raises the stakes considerably.

The 1967 Cartier Crash is another lot that will stop serious collectors mid-scroll. Designed by Jean-Jacques Cartier alongside Rupert Emmerson as a deliberate break from convention, the original London-signed Crash is among the most sought-after watches in existence — it’s thought only about 20 were initially produced. The example on offer carries an estimate of CHF 500,000–1,000,000. For context, when Cartier Paris produced its own version in 1991, it was a 400-piece limited edition in yellow gold. The London original is something else entirely.

The auction’s sculptural thread is one of its most compelling angles. Christie’s has assembled a curated selection of watches from the 1960s through the 1980s — a period defined by daring experimentation in form and design — including the Rolex King Midas Ref. 9630, designed by Gerald Genta in 1962. Its bold asymmetrical case, inspired by classical Greek architecture and finished with a left-hand crown, became the heaviest and most expensive Rolex of its time. Elvis Presley owned a yellow gold version, now preserved at Graceland. Christopher Lee wore one on screen in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. The white gold example on offer, circa 1970, is estimated at CHF 20,000–40,000.

Among the rarest lots in the sale is the Audemars Piguet Coussin Tortue chronograph, no. 41,849, from circa 1930 — appearing at auction for the first time and estimated at CHF 200,000–400,000. The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Ref. T, no. 070/01T, from circa 2000, carries an estimate of CHF 500,000–1,000,000 and represents one of the most important independent watchmaking references of its era.

Further highlights include the Patek Philippe Ref. 3970 Platinum Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, estimated at CHF 500,000–1,000,000, the Patek Philippe 18K White Gold Nautilus Royal Khanjar Model Ref. 3700/1G from 1978 at CHF 400,000–750,000, and the Piaget Tiger-Eye bracelet watch from 1975 — a complete set originally given as a wedding gift, estimated at CHF 50,000–100,000. Each hand-crafted bracelet link is individually inlaid with tiger-eye panels, the dial fashioned from a single thin slice of the same stone. It is exactly the kind of piece that reminds you that watchmaking, at its best, is wearable art.

The Haute Minute

Christie’s will hold its Rare Watches live auction in Geneva on May 11–12, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. The sale features the Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A from the Estate of Quincy Jones, estimated at CHF 800,000–1,400,000, and a rare 1967 Cartier Crash signed “Cartier London,” estimated at CHF 500,000–1,000,000. Additional highlights include an Audemars Piguet Coussin Tortue chronograph from circa 1930 appearing at auction for the first time, an F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Ref. T from circa 2000, a Rolex King Midas Ref. 9630 designed by Gerald Genta, and a Patek Philippe Ref. 3970 Platinum Perpetual Calendar Chronograph estimated at CHF 500,000–1,000,000. The auction preview opens Friday, May 8 at 9:00 AM at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, Geneva.