A rare Patek Philippe reference 2499 Serpico y Laino fetched a stunning CHF 3,252,500 (approximately $4.5 million AUD at current exchange) at a recent Christie’s auction.
It was expected to go for somewhere between CHF 1.5m and CHF 2.5m however it flew far beyond these expectations at more than 752,500 over the top estimate.
Made by the famed jeweller Serpico y Laino, founded in Caracas, Venezuela in 1925 by jeweller Leopoldo Serpico and goldsmith Vicente Laino, the watch is the only known reference 2499 across its complete 35-year production run to have ‘Serpico y Laino Caracas’ on the dial. If the Patek Philippe reference 2499 is considered the “holy grail timepiece” among watch collectors, then this particular gem must be the holy grail of holy grails.
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