Earlier this month, the watch world welcomed a whole new 2026 lineup of luxury timepieces from the biggest names in the industry, courtesy of Watches and Wonders. And while the latest-and-greatest in haute horology speaks to most collectors and enthusiasts, it's the vintage watch scene that continues to hold significance for those who appreciate early craftsmanship and a bit of a story behind the watches on their wrists. The team at Sotheby’s proved that the demand and popularity for vintage watches is higher than ever, setting six new world record sales over this past weekend as part of its Important Watches auction event in Hong Kong.
Now recognized as Sotheby’s most successful watch sale in its history, Important Watches brought in a total of more than $52 million and, along with several world records, showcased Hong Kong as the highest-achieving watch sale in Asia to date. Taking the top spot of the entire auction was a 1971 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ‘ Paul Newman John Player Special Cherry’ (Ref. 6264) in yellow gold that sold for a jaw-dropping $1,469,886. Other notable sales in the top ten came courtesy of historic Patek Philippe references, limited-edition F.P. Journe models, and even Tom Brady’s 1-of-1 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon “The Roast”.
The real story of the weekend was centered around Sotheby’s six new world records. In the world of Cartier, the watches that made headlines included a yellow gold 1987 Cartier London Crash (Sold for 15,616,000 HKD), a 1992 Cartier London Tank J.J.C. Allongée (Sold for $1,992,512), a 1973-74 Cartier London Baignoire (Sold for $620,618), and a 1967-68 Cartier London Tank Normale (Sold for $587,954). The other two record-setters were an A. Lange & Söhne Reference 701.007 (Sold for $1,322,897) and Patek Philippe ‘La Maison Platine’ Reference 2552 (Sold for $767,607). All in all, Sotheby’s Important Watches auction in Hong Kong proved to be its most successful watch auction to date, with an extremely diverse showcase that spanned every corner of the watch world.
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