If there’s one thing to learn about luxury watches in 2026, it’s that the collector and vintage auction market remains bigger and better than ever before, with headline auction houses reporting record-breaking sales figures and sell-through rates. Popularity has shifted from soaring brand-new boutique resales to a space more carefully curated around watches with historical significance and stories from past owners.
The team at Christie’s is proud to give the watch world what it wants with the announcement of its ‘Important Watches’ live auction event, taking place on June 12th at Christie’s Rockefeller Center. It also follows Christie’s record-setting momentum out of Geneva, where a Cartier “London Crash” smashed expectations at over $2 million, setting a new auction record for the model and supporting Cartier’s grip on the collector market. 
Patek Philippe reference 3448G, one of only two known transitional 3448s to feature the rare “red dot” leap year indication
At the top of the catalog is the ultra-rare Patek Philippe Ref. 3448G “Red Dot,” a white gold grail with its unique leap year indicator and only a handful of known examples in existence. From modern Patek, the diamond-heavy Nautilus Haute Joaillerie Ref. 5980/1400G-010, while Richard Mille’s RM022 “Red” Aerodyne brings the brand’s signature futuristic style to the auction block. Buyers also get a strong selection of design-driven classics, like the Cartier Baignoire Allongée from 1970 and an Audemars Piguet 18K white gold jumping hour from the late 1920s, both showing how vintage has become even more collectible alongside modern pieces.
Cartier 18K Gold Tank Normale Gifted to David O. Selznick by Jock Whitney to Mark Gone With the Wind Premiere
Where this sale really hits another level is the original origin of these watches. A Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 570, once owned by Andy Warhol, stands out as a heavy hitter, tying Swiss watchmaking to one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. A 1939 Cartier Tank Normale from the Selznick family connects Hollywood history, Gone With the Wind, and old-school Cartier luxury, while presidential ties to Lyndon B. Johnson appear through two Tiffany-signed Patek Philippe Calatravas commissioned with the “Golden Rule” dial. Add in decades of watches from collectors like Todd Michael Glaser, and the sale becomes all about the stories these watches carry through time.
Richard Mille RM 022 “Aerodyne” Dual Time Zone in red Quartz TPT®
Source: Christie's
