Patek Philippe Market and News
Patek Philippe News
Friday 12 March, 2010 - 08:00 am
Joseph Bonanno's Patek Philippe & Cie
Genève Watch
Joseph Bonanno, Sr. (1905-2002) Joseph Bonanno was born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Italy, to Salvatore Bonanno and Catarina Bonventre. In 1906, the 26-year-old Salvatore took his young wife and one-year-old son to the United States. At age 26, he became one of the youngest bosses of a crime family, as well as an influential member of the "Commission", a nation-wide organisation formed in 1931
Bonanno is said to have been one of the models for the character "Vito Corleone" in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather. Both Bonanno and Corleone wanted their sons to succeed them, and both allegedly wanted their crime families to stay out of the narcotics rackets (although many of the soldiers and associates of the Bonanno crime family were dealing in drugs, most known was later Boss of family Carmine Galante).
Joseph Bonanno’s Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève was given to Joseph Bonanno Sr. by Charlie “Lucky” Luciano in Palermo, Sicily, in 1957. It’s No. 966280, case No. 302352, Ref. 1516. It was produced in the late 40s. 18K yellow gold wristwatch with a 14K yellow gold brick link bracelet. The watch has been authenticated by Joseph Bonanno's daughter Catherine Bonanno Genovese, in a document included in the lot.
Joseph Bonanno, Sr. died in Tucson, Arizona on May 12, 2002 at the age of 97, of natural causes.
This watch was sold for $36,000 in the last Antiquorum’s auction in March, 4th and 5th in New York.
Possible Related Link:
[ Patek Philippe's Official Website ]
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Patek Philippe's Watches at Interwatches!
Monday 21 December, 2009 - 01:44 pm
NEW 2009 RELEASE: Patek Philippe Nautilus Dame
After three years from the last Patek Philippe Nautilus success, Nautilus Dame Success Arrived
(Patek Philippe Nautilus Dame)
Three years after the successful launch of the new men’s Nautilus collection that marked the 30-year anniversary of this cult watch, Patek Philippe created Nautilus Dame Line. Its about a sportive concept that continues with the previous one, but adding the characteristic feminine touch according to its dimensions and aesthetic details. The feminine Nautilus features a E 23 SC calibre with a case that can be white or pink, gold.
The latest interpretation of the feminine Nautilus comes in white or rose gold with a silvery white or charcoal grey dial. The exclusive dial design of the original Nautilus, the archetype of the casually elegant watch for go-getting people with active lifestyles, has been refined for even greater feminine appeal. The new case with the slightly enlarged diameter (32 mm instead of 28.5 mm of the original Ref. 4700 model) radiates contemporary elegance.
Quartz movement with date
Center sweep second hand
Caliber E 23 S C
Silvery white or charcoal gray dial, applied gold hour markers with luminescent coating
Gold bracelet with Nautilus fold-over clasp
Rose gold
Water resistant to 60 m
Case diameter (10-4 o’clock): 32 mm.
Wristwatch Refferences:
White Gold / Black Dial: Ref. 7010/1G
White Gold / White Dial: Ref. 7010/1G
Pink Gold / White Dial: Ref. 7010/1R
Pink Gold / Black Dial: Ref. 7010/1R
Patek Philippe Home Page]
Tuesday 15 December, 2009 - 02:37 pm
Vladimir Putin's $60,000 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch
Apart from the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar, he also owns a Patek Philippe Calatrava.
(Putin wearing his Patek Philippe)
Vladimir Putin is not only a Russian politician. He is the current Prime Minister as well as chairman of United Russia, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when President Boris Yeltsin resigned in a surprising move, and then Putin won the 2000 presidential election. In 2004, he was re-elected for a second term lasting until 7 May 2008.
Putin is not only the Prime Minister, he is also passionate according to action activities. Apart from being a judo black belt, a fervent explorer of volcanoes, dips in Siberian rivers and plummets deep down lakes in mini submarines, he is a luxury Swiss watches looms large lover. Among the Russian politicians, Putin wears the most expensive watches, such as a $60,000 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar watch and, also, he owns a Patek Philippe Calatrava. 
(Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar watch)
Price Realized $60,000
PLATINUM AUTOMATIC PERPETUAL CALENDAR WRISTWATCH WITH MOON-PHASE DISPLAY
Calibre 240 Q, 27 jewels, Gyromax balance, 22k gold minirotor, opaline-white dial with white gold applied hour markers and pearled minute divisions, two bevelled engine-turned subdials for the month with leap year and day with 24-hour indication, analogue date with integrated moon-phase display, two-part case, snap-on case back, platinum PP buckle, case, dial and movement signed.
Patek Philippe"s calibre 240 Q is the most splendid illustration of the manufacturer"s confident style and technical skills. It features 275 miniscule parts in a compact marvel incredibly thin due in part to the integrated off-centred 22k gold minirotor.
[Source: Patek Philippe]
Putin"s picture: AFP
Wednesday 18 November, 2009 - 11:30 am
Patek Philippe: Trossi Leggenda
Carlo Felice Trossi’s priciest possession
A wristwatch belonging to an Italian mogul, who takes pride in having won Grand Prix races and was also president of Ferrari, generated sales of £1.1million against its pre-auction estimate of $1.9 million after selling off his gold Patek Philippe timepiece at Sothey’s Geneva auction house.
Count Carlo Felice Trossi’s priciest possession was called the “Trossi Leggenda”. Described as “really revolutionary” by experts, he was a highlight amidst of other 200 timepieces. Trossi, by profession, was a racing driver, pilot and speedboat racer whose motor-racing triumphs count the 1947 Italian Grand Prix. Besides this, he possesed a precius Rolex known as “Oyster Daytona Paul Newman” that, dating back to 1980, was sold for £76,000 almost two-fold of its pre-auction estimate of £25,000 to £40,000. The watch was christened after the Florida car race and for the American actor who helped promote this style.
Count Carlo Felice Trossi was born in Biella, Italy, April 27, 1908 and died in Milan, May 9, 1949. Trossi was an Italian race car driver and auto constructor. During his career, he raced for two teams, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo. He won the 1947 Italian Grand Prix and the 1948 Swiss Grand Prix. He died when he was 41 years old as a consequence of a brain tumor.
Trossi backed one of the most unusual Grand Prix cars, the Trossi Monaco of 1934. This car featured a 16 cylinder, two stroke cycle, two row radial, air cooled engine and an aircraft-like body designed by Augusto Monaco. The car was a spectacular failure and never raced in a Grand Prix event.
Source:
[ Sotheby's Official Web Site ]
Possible Related Links:
[ Patek Philippe's Official Web Site ]
[ Mercedes Benz' Official Web Site ]
[ Alfa Romeo's Official Web Site ]
[ Formula 1's Official Web Site ]
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Wednesday 23 September, 2009 - 11:30 am
Henry Graves' Platinum Minute-Repeater
Patek Philippe's Wristwatch.
(Platinum Minute-Repeater - Patek Philippe)
Henry Graves was an American banker descended from John Graves of Concord, Massachusetts born in March 11, 1868 in Orange (New Jersey) and died March 21, 1953 in New York City. He married Florence Isabel Preston on January 21, 1896.
Born into a prominent banking family, Mr. Graves was a very passionate watch collector; Graves was a patron of Patek Philippe, competing with James Ward Packard, the famed automobile manufacturer, for ownership of the most complicated watch in the world. In 1927, Packard commissioned the world's most complicated watch but not to be outdone, Henry Graves surpassed his rival in 1933 to become the owner of the most complicated watch ever made, spending 60,000 SF, nearly five times the price paid by Mr. Packard. It took over three years, and the most advanced horological technique, to engineer this truly one-of-a-kind timepiece; only one watch was ever built. Called "the Supercomplication", this pocket watch was held in the Museum of Time near Chicago, IL for years until it was sold for a record-breaking $11,002,500 to a secretive anonymous bidder at a Sotheby's auction held in New York City on December 2, 1999. The watch currently resides in the Patek Phillippe Museum in Geneva, Switzerland, and is the most expensive single piece on display.
One of the timepieces commissioned by Henry Graves Jr is the Patek Philippe Platinum Minute-Repeater that was made for Henry Graves, Jr. in 1927 and sold on August 16, 1928. It has been kept in private collection for over 50 years.
The 1927 platinum minute repeater is the second-most important Graves wristwatch ever offered at auction, following the Graves tortoise-shaped minute-repeater sold in an Antiquorum sale in 1989. This magnificent timepiece is a very fine and extremely rare cushion-shaped, minute-repeating, platinum wristwatch. Which estimated price was between $250,000–$ 350,000.
Henry Graves’ wristwatch was of a great significance during the sale. It was the Patek Philippe Henry Graves' unique platinum minute repeater sold for an impressive $630,000.
Platinum Minute-Repeater Sold to Henry Graves Jr. Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 198095. Made for Henry Graves Jr. in 1927. Very fine and extremely rare wristwatch. It featured a tonneau-shaped, a minute-repeating system. Platinum wristwatch.
Possible Related Links:
[ Patek Philippe's Official Web Site ]
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Patek Philippe's Watches at Interwatches!
