Andy Warhol's Classic Patek Phillippe Watch Is Up for Grabs

Thomas Freeman/Mar 26, 2016

The king of pop art, Andy Warhol, ran with some rather eccentric characters. Standing out amongst the avant-garde scenesters of the Factory required serious style prowess. While Warhol took sartorial gambles with his leather biker jackets andsquare sunglasses, he kept his watch game classy and minimal.

Case in point, the folks at Christie’s Action House recently got their hands on a Patek Philippe worn by the former dean of downtown Manhattan nightlife, and it's a surprisingly sophisticated timepiece.

Warhol favored the Patek Philippe, Ref. 2503, circa 1952. It’s a textbook dress watch with a slim, rectangular shape, a yellow-gold case, and a black-calf leather strap. But, in typical Warholian fashion, there are some quirky add-ons. The oversized "bunny ear lugs" on the edges really showcases this watch's high style.

While the snazzy design holds court, this is also a great, ticking timepiece. The watch works with Patek Philippe’s manually wound Cal. 9-90 caliber, and its 18-jewel movement beats 19,800 vibrations every hour. Many forget that Warhol had also amassed an enviable collection of over 300 watches, so you can trust he wore only the best.

(Photo: Christie's Images LTD. 2016)

(Photo: Christie's Images LTD. 2016)

Christie’s is putting this up for grabs as part of an online auction, which also counts some Rolex sport watches and vintage Longines watches, among others. Below, check out some of our favorite lots:

Patek Philippe Bracelet Watch Reference 2540 

This is Patek Philippe’s first square watch with an automatic movement. This model was designed to come with a leather strap but it was bespoke for its original owner with a yellow-gold bracelet. It dates to 1958. 

Estimate: USD 6,000 - 9,000 
(Photo: Christie's Images LTD. 2016)

View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article

The auction ends on April 5, so make your move. Time is ticking.