Christie’s will auction King Farouk’s Patek Philippe Reference 1518 wristwatch as part of the Dubai watch auction on March 23, 2018.King Farouk, of Egypt and Sudan, ruled for 16 years until he was overthrown during the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The pre-sale estimate of the watch is currently in the region of $400-800,000. Being sold alongside King Farouk’s watch is the Patek Philippe extract from the archives, which confirms the production details of the watch and its subsequent sale in 1945.King Farouk, an avid collector of luxury timepieces, had the watch specifically crafted to fit his design criteria. The Patek Philippe Reference 1518 watch was commissioned in 1941 and was one of only 281 watches of its kind to be created. The watch is a bespoke model with an intricate engraving on its case. Emblazoned on the metalwork is the royal crown of Egypt with its crescent moon and star, alongside the letter ‘F.’ The Reference 1518 model was the first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch to be produced in a series by any watchmaker.
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