We’re back in the saddle again, riding the bucking bronco that is the auction market. But as a salve to the wounds of the usual suspects of whatever the market is hyped on these days, today we’re looking at the Monaco Legend Auction catalog, which takes place October 31 and November 1 in—you guessed it—Monaco. I won’t be there this time (though I am hoping to return in the future), but here’s my view from afar. I haven’t seen any watches in person, so I won’t go into depth on quality—do your own research—but hopefully this gives you a jumping-off point.
The Top Lots
Lot 50, Rolex ref. 6062, with an estimate of €1,000,000 to €2,000,000
As I like to do, I feel like I have to acknowledge some of the top lots. The auction feels more like a return to Monaco Legend’s older catalog, where much of it is super rare, but it’s not the loud, flashy stuff you’d find elsewhere. But to have your top watch be a very, very clean Rolex ref. 6062 in steel, carrying an estimate of €1,000,000 to €2,000,000, is a massive flex. The watch comes from the collection of Auro Montanari and, frankly, the estimate may be a bit conservative. Watches like this, especially in this condition, are rare, and the buyer pool is also thin. The watch could go for triple the low estimate without surprising me, as long as the right buyers don’t already have one.
Lot 208, Audemars Piguet Triple Calendar Moon Phase, estimate € 200,000 – 400,000.
Lot 181, Patek Philippe ref. 3974, estimate € 600,000 – 1,200,000
Lot 80, Vacheron Constantin ref. 4724, estimate € 500,000 – 1,000,000
Another watch that’s worth some extra attention is the platinum triple-calendar Audemars Piguet with Breguet numerals, for which the only knock is probably that it’s not an easy “flex” to those not in the know (which is unfortunately a big part of what sets prices). For flexes, there is, of course, a very nice Patek 2499 (apparently the first Patek-made case for a 2499), and one of my all-time favorites, a ref. 3974 perpetual calendar minute repeater (one of the greatest neo-vintage complications Patek ever made)—€700,000 to €1,400,000 and €600,000 to €1,200,000 respectively—but my eyes went toward Vacheron. It’s not often that you get super high-end Vacheron dominating the top of a catalog, but here, there’s a ton to choose from, starting with the beautiful polychrome enamel ref. 4724 time-only watch. Enamel feels like it’s getting more attention lately, and rightfully so. But that’s the tip of the iceberg.
Lot 149, Vacheron Constantin ref. 4178, estimate € 60.000 – 120.000
Two watches, both estimated at €200,000 to €400,000, are two truly incredible-shaped watches: a fresh-to-market ref. 4764 “Cioccolatone” in pink gold and a likely unique white gold jump-hour. That’s the kind of thing that makes you excited that there are still things to find in vintage collecting. But the highlight, for me, is this incredible two-tone pulsation dial, pink-on-pink ref. 4178, which is probably the nicest Vacheron chronograph I have ever seen in my life. It’s possibly unique, and it’s definitely amazing. The €60,000 to €120,000 range feels quite low for what it deserves.
Cartier Is Still Unbeaten For Design
Lot 131, Cartier Baignore Allongée, estimate € 80,000 – 160,000
There’s no doubt that Cartier is still the king of design-led watches. I mean, can that really change when they’re not making any more new vintage watches? I guess I’m in the realm of saying obvious nonsense, but there are only so many ways to introduce a topic you’ve talked about time and time again. Among my all-time favorites and top five dream watches is a Cartier Tank Cintrée in platinum on a bracelet. Well, we’re missing the bracelet here, but a 1950s Cintrée in this condition is hard to find. And while a Maxi Oval is kind of the king of oblong watches, this Baignoire Allongée from Montanari’s collection does the job well and carries a hefty estimate of €60,000 to €120,000.
Lot 57, Cartier Tank with enamel 24-hour bezel, € 60,000 – 120,000
There are a number of other heavy hitters from Cartier, starting with a London Parallelogramme for €100,000 to €200,000, which is such an impressive price for a delicate watch like this, but fair in a hot Cartier market. At €60,000 to €120,000 are the unique “Deck Chair” and the watch I am actually most partial to: an unusual square watch with a relief enamel 24-hour bezel. There’s also a charming Cartier Normale, with a less common dial. My tastes for Cartier are pretty divergent—I think you should either go for the most representative straightforward watch, like a Tank or Santos, or go for the most creative design, like any of these. They’re two sides of the same coin for the best representation of Cartier design.
Other Great Finds
Lot 90, Breguet Chronograph Triple Calendar, € 100.000 – 200.000
I won’t dig for affordable options like I have in the past, but if you’re a serious buyer looking for something truly special, there are a few other things you definitely need to consider. For example, this Breguet triple calendar chronograph belonged to Delphin Jean Gastellier, a watchmaker at Breguet for over 50 years, from 1922 to 1976. It’s not cheap, but it’s one of my favorite triple calendar chronographs I’ve ever seen. We covered one on Bring a Loupe this past week, but this one looks in far better shape. That Breguet script is just… oof.
Lot 63, Anderson Genève, Retrograde Perpetual Calendar, estimate: € 15,000 – 30,000.
I wanted to gatekeep this, but I’m doing this for you guys, so someone needs to buy this incredible Andersen Genève retrograde perpetual calendar offered without reserve. The tone-on-tone and silver accents are so charming, and the €15,000 low estimate would be a steal. Another steal (that for some reason sat unsold at Analog/Shift for a while, probably because it’s a little esoteric) is this super cool Audemars Piguet Disco Volante, double-signed by Gubelin. The bracelet is too small for me, but I’ve followed this watch as it’s traded hands for years. And a perpetual calendar chronograph from Breguet is basically as good as it gets from this era, so if this goes anywhere near the €30,000 low estimate, we’ll have to have some sort of come-to-Jesus moment for the watch market. I guess the amount of time spent talking about Breguet shows how strong it is right now.
Lot 147, Patek Philippe Gondolo, estimate: € 15.000 – 30.000
You want Calatravas, you say? Doesn’t matter if you did; I’m giving them to you. For €10,000 to €20,000, this pink gold Vacheron is something I’d actually bid on, if I didn’t spoil the party and tell you, knuckleheads. It’s a bit cheaper than a really beautiful platinum Patek ref. 1527, but different strokes for different tax bracket folks. Another watch that caught my eye was this rectangular Patek Gondolo signed Tiffany & Co., and if you want something more colorful, there’s this incredible medieval battle scene enamel dial on a Universal Geneve as well. What more could you want? Well, they probably have it, so dig into the catalog to find out more.
For Monaco Legend’s fall 2026 auction, visit their website.
