A Rolex Daytona Paul Newman with “Panda” dial combination and the Patek Philippe worn on the wrist of one of the most influential and charismatic men in Post-war Italy, Eni’s founder Enrico Mattei, are the highlights of Aste Bolaffi's upcoming Watch Auction, which will be held in Milan on Wednesday September 30th at the Grand Hotel Mandarin Oriental with a catalogue of 136 lots from important private collections.
The top lot is the most iconic Rolex ever produced, a Rolex Daytona reference 6262 Paul Newman with a rare “Panda” dial combination (circa 1970). Among the most coveted models of all collectible wristwatches, often worn by celebrities all over the world, the lot is proposed at a starting price of 120,000 euros. The exceptional state of preservation makes this chronograph, the last with manual winding, even sought-after by investors looking for the “blue chip” of watches. The very rare two-tone white dial with black seconds track and registers (instead of a black dial with white seconds track and registers) gives the dial the characteristic name “Panda”.
Condition, rarity, historical importance, and provenance are the features that make a collector's watch special. If these factors combine, the watch in question becomes unique. This is the case of the gold Patek Philippe reference 2526, first series – a milestone in the history of watchmaking  –  owned by Eni’s founder Enrico Mattei, at auction from a starting price of 25,000 euros. The dial, produced by the famous dial maker Stern Frères, is made of enamel with gilt writing, and represents another element of watchmaking savoir faire. A paragon of understatement, the 2526 truly embodies one of Patek Philippe's most complete achievements, in terms of design (the case), craftsmanship (the dial) and mechanics (the movement). However, what makes this timepiece unique, in addition to its extraordinary condition considering that more than 65 years have passed since it left the Patek Philippe workshops, is the fact that it was worn on the wrist of one of the most influential and charismatic men in recent Italian history, Enrico Mattei, who received it as a gift in 1954 from “Dirigenti e laureati Agip Mineraria”, as engraved on the caseback. Accompanied by Patek Philippe box and Extract from the Archives, money clip formerly owned by Enrico Mattei, and a letter certifying their authenticity, signed by Enrico Mattei's nephew Pietro.
The auction catalogue includes watches from the most renowned brands and of various periods and styles to satisfy all collectors. Among the other pieces that left their mark on watchmaking history are the timeless tool watches like the Rolex Submariner 5512 “Tulip Crown” (starting price 14,000 euros), the Rolex 3055 “Piccolino” with black dial (9,000 euros), the Longines 13ZN (10,000 euros), and a chronograph Audemars Piguet from the 1940's (10,000 euros).
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