At Sotheby’s New York auction on March 7th, 2023, one of Andy Warhol’s Patek Philippe 2526 timepieces sold for six figures.

While the number is not even close to what some Warhol paintings can go for, or Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona, it’s still a significant premium over what the watch originally sold for in 1988 (the year after he passed away) at Sotheby’s, and considerably more than what comparable examples — without the same provenance —  are on sale for currently.

Originally retailed by Serpico Y Laino Caracas, this circa 1955 Patek Philippe (Ref. 2526) first series comes in a 36 mm 18K pink gold case with an off-white enamel dial and stamped with “S&L” and “18K” and the screw-down caseback. Most notably, inside the small seconds counter the dial has been signed “SERPICO Y LAINO CARACAS” which was Patek Philippe’s exclusive retailer in Caracas, Venezuela at the time, and is a detail that on top of being owned by Warhol, certainly adds value now — and in the future.

Another interesting detail is the crown is signed with embossed “PP” for the first time, a nod to the 30-jewel caliber 12’600 AT automatic movement inside, which was the first automatic Patek Philippe offered, starting in 1953.

“Additionally, the dial on the present lot is known as a first series dial, which is distinguishable by the small dimples in the enamel surface that can be seen underneath the top and bottom of each baton hour marker. These early dials have these dimples since the hour markers are actually set into the dial themselves using pins while all later dials have hour markers glued to the solid enamel surface,” according to Sotheby’s.

This famous Andy Warhol-owned Patek Philippe 2526 Pink Gold Serpico Y Laino Caracas circa 1955, lot 63, with movement number 761’596, and case number 687’414, sold at Sotheby’s on March 7th, 2023 for $101,600.

 

Photos by Sotheby’s.