A Historic Opportunity - Patek Philippe 1518 Stainless Steel in Private Treaty

Monaco Legend Group is honoured to present one of the most coveted and historically significant timepieces in watch collecting—a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 1518 in stainless steel. With only four known examples in existence, this masterpiece stands as one of the ultimate grails in horology.

A Watch with an Unparalleled Pedigree

Manufactured in 1943, this Patek Philippe 1518 in steel is the only one of the four known examples that was originally sold on a steel bracelet, as confirmed by its Extract from the Archives dated July 29, 1946. Beyond its rarity, it boasts a remarkable state of preservation and a clean, well-documented provenance, making it one of the most important wristwatches ever to appear on the market.

A Watch That Made History

The watch made its first public auction appearance on November 12, 1989, at the Orion auction in Monaco—a legendary sale that cemented Orion’s reputation for handling exceptional wristwatches and Ferraris.

Featured as Lot 166, it was described at the time as:

This stainless-steel piece is the only such example ever shown at an international auction.

This statement marked a historic moment in the watch world, as it was the first Patek Philippe 1518 in steel to ever surface on the public market.

A Journey Through Legendary Hands

The watch was consigned to the Orion auction by Gerolamo Etro, the Italian entrepreneur who founded Etro, the renowned luxury textile and fashion house. After the sale, it passed into the hands of an important Swiss collector—Ernst Schuster, a well-known Ferrari and watch enthusiast—who kept it until 1995.

In October 1995, the watch appeared once again at Antiquorum’s “Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks” sale in Geneva, under the direction of Osvaldo Patrizzi. Featured on the back cover of the catalogue alongside some of the most important Patek Philippe wristwatches, two of which were later acquired by the Patek Philippe Museum, this 1518 was already a watch of legendary status.

At this sale, it was acquired by Helmut Crott, one of the most respected watch dealers and Patek Philippe collectors of his era. In 2004, the watch found a new home with Davide Parmegiani, who featured it in his landmark book, The Collection (2005), which documented the most significant watches he had handled at the time.

The watch was later published again in 2010 in Patek Philippe Steel Watches by John Goldberger, cementing its place among the most historically significant Patek Philippe timepieces ever known. Shortly after, it was acquired by its current owner, who has carefully preserved it for the past 15 years.

An Opportunity Like No Other

The last time a Patek Philippe 1518 in steel appeared at auction was in 2016, where it achieved a record-breaking sale of over $11.5 million in Geneva.

Now, after years away from the market, Monaco Legend Group is privileged to offer this extraordinary timepiece for Private Sale.

For further info and quotation,
Please contact Davide Parmegiani at:
davide@Monacolegendgroup.com