70 Patek Philippe An impressively rare, higly collectible and limited edition to 20 pieces, perpetual calendar, moon phase, automatic wristwatch in platinum, made to celebrate the 200 years of Boodle & Dunthorne in 1998, with certificate of origin, reference 5049P.

Estimate: € 100.000 –⁠ 200.000

This Patek Philippe reference 5049P is, in every sense, a timepiece of profound rarity and discernment. Cased in platinum with a smooth, unembellished bezel—a feature that deviates from the norm with dignified restraint—it is one of only 20 pieces ever produced to mark the 200th anniversary of Boodle & Dunthorne, one of Britain’s oldest and most storied jewellers. The caseback engraving tells the story: “In celebration of 200 years – Boodle & Dunthorne – 1798–1998.” This example is number 6, one of the few known to have surfaced publicly, and is accompanied by its original Certificate of Origin dated June 1999, stamped by Boodle & Dunthorne. But what elevates this watch into a realm few others inhabit is its black dial, a dial colour incredibly rare for this reference, and indeed, scarcely found across Patek Philippe’s classic perpetual calendars from the era. The deep contrast of white script against the black background evokes the feel of a precision instrument cloaked in formal eveningwear. Under the dial lies the heartbeat of Patek Philippe’s long legacy in perpetual calendars, an area in which the maison has been unrivalled since 1925, when it introduced the world’s first perpetual calendar wristwatch. Reference 5049 may have lived quietly among its more famous siblings, but for those in the know, it occupies a truly rarefied space. The watch wears with an effortless grace, thanks to its compact, nuanced proportions, and yet speaks volumes through its engraving, its provenance, and its discretion.