The historical timepiece, Ref 96 Quantieme Lune, once owned by the final emperor of China, Aisin-Gioro Puyi, was sold at a great auction in Hong Kong, fetching over $6 million.
The Patek Philippe wristwatch, known for its unique moon phase feature resembling a crown, symbolizes the legacy of China’s last ruler from the Qing dynasty.
Puyi’s complicated legacy, from his ascension to the throne at the mere age of two in 1908 to his capture in 1945 following Japan’s defeat, is known worldwide largely through Bernardo Bertolucci’s film “The Last Emperor.” As a puppet leader in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Puyi was interned in a Soviet prison camp post his capture.
Phillips, a British auction house, presented documents verifying that Puyi had the watch with him in the prison camp. The auction saw fierce bidding for the watch, which was anticipated to cost around $3 million. The final price, however, amounted to HK$40 million ($5.1 million), and after including the buyer’s premium fee, the total reached about $6.2 million.
Phillips’ head of watches in Asia, Thomas Perazzi, was ecstatic about the auction, which set several records, including “the highest result of any Patek Philippe reference 96 ever sold,” according to a press release. The Ref 96, revered for its subdued design, signified Patek Philippe’s first mass-produced “complication wristwatch.” Presently, there are only three known examples of this watch globally.
The timepiece held sentimental value for Puyi, as his nephew, Aisin-Gioro Yuyuan, recounted in his memoir. Puyi entrusted it to his Russian translator, Georgy Permyakov, for preservation when he left the prison camp. The watch, unknown in its worth to Permyakov, resurfaced after decades, and journalist Russell Working compared its discovery to finding a treasure chest washed ashore.
The auction also included a red paper fan bearing a poem by Puyi dedicated to Permyakov. It sold for over $77,800, six times its pre-sale estimate.
Despite its historical significance, Puyi’s watch did not top the list of the most expensive watches ever auctioned. A Patek Philippe “Grandmaster Chime,” recognized as the brand’s most complicated creation, sold for an astonishing $31 million in 2019
