The Patek Philippe that Belonged to the Last Emperor of China

Provenance has become an exceedingly important part of watch collecting. Both for modern and vintage watch collectors, knowing where a watch you intend to add to a collection is something collectors ask about more and more. Even more importantly, telling the stories of where watches come from can often add importance to the watch. Possibly one of the most important watches of the year is coming up for auction, and it perfectly captures the importance of provenance.

Phillips recently announced the unveiling of artefacts that belonged to Aisin-Giro Puyi, the last Emperor of the Qing dynasty in China. One of these artefacts includes a watch, one that Puyi wore and it has an incredible story to it. The watch is an incredible Patek Philippe reference 96 in platinum with triple date and moon phase. This reference is only one of two known examples with the dial configuration with enamel Arabic “roulette” configuration. So the watch hits the mark on rarity as well as provenance.

Phillips create an entire video, The Imperial Patek Philippe, A Short Documentary, that details the story behind the watch, its life, and how the current owner came to own it. The watch will be sold in Hong Kong on 23 May, 2023. Phillips describes the story of the watch:

From the day it was sold in 1937, Puyi’s Patek Philippe Ref. 96 Quantieme Lune wristwatch was of immense value. It is one of only eight such timepieces known (five of them platinum, two gold). Phillips researchers have traced the watch to a sale in Guillermin, a Parisian luxury store then located on Place Vendome, home of some of the world’s leading jewellers.

The documentation is clear that Puyi brought this watch to a Khabarovsk prison camp known as Special Object No. 45 and gave it to Permyakov. This was where the deposed emperor and his entourage were held, along with Japanese officers and Manchurian ministers captured by the Soviet Red Army in 1945. Puyi, as well as the other ranking officials, was accused of being a war criminal.

On 31 July 1950, two senior officials approached the former emperor’s cell. As Yuyan recalled, Permyakov interpreted, ‘The Soviet government has decided to let you return to China. You must swiftly pack your belongings and get set now. Hurry up!’

Without hesitation, Yuyan removed and returned his cherished platinum watch to Puyi, who passed it to Permyakov, his translator.

The Russian slipped the watch into his pocket. Upon his death, he bequeathed the watch to his heirs.

They also describe the reference: Extremely rare, throughout decades only two examples with the exact enamel Arabic “Roulette” configuration have surfaced. Both cased in platinum bearing consecutive Victorin Piguet 11’’’ ebauche movements. These movements were produced during the downfall of the global economy in 1929, the beginning of the Great Depression, and therefore were never cased. With the game-changing unveiling of the Ref. 96 as a novelty in 1932, the movement was further upgraded by the manufacturer and fitted into the modernist platinum case of the Ref. 96 with Bauhaus influences. Movement numbered 198’297 with an English calendar, is now part of Patek Phillipe Museum collection, and movement numbered 198’298 with a French calendar was sold in 1996 to a private collector. Previously unknown, the present platinum Ref. 96QL is one of three of such example ever known to the market, and lo and behold, the only one that has not only a provenance, but an imperial one. All three examples date back to 1937 with consecutive movement numbers within close case number proximity. The present example bears a movement numbered 198’299 and a case number 294’462, one number following the example sold in 1996 and is fitted also with a French calendar.

Many would say the watch has it all. Rarity, an incredible story and documented history of the watches movements. Really, it is what almost all collectors look for in a watch.

Enjoy!