Howard Hughes' Patek Philippe Up for Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Jun 3rd 2010 at 8:01AM

A 1949 Patek Philippe chronograph that belonged to Howard Hughes, the dashing movie mogul portrayed by Leo DiCaprio in The Aviator, is being offered in Christie's' Important Watches Featuring the Leo Collection sale in New York on June 16.

The gold wristwatch, Ref. 1463, with breguet numerals is estimated at $150,000 – $200,000. In the 1960s the increasingly-paranoid Hughes gifted the watch to a private detective who carried out a number of surveillance assignments for him, and it comes accompanied by a note from Hughes to that effect.

Also featured in the sale is Roy Rogers' Rolex, a stainless steel triple calendar chronograph Ref. 6036, manufactured circa 1952 and estimated at $40,000-$60,000, consigned from the estate of the so-called "King of Cowboys"; and a rare and extremely important platinum Patek Philippe Ref. 5016, estimated at $350,000 – $500,000.

Tags: Christies, chronograph, gold, Howard Hughes, Leo DiCaprio, New York, Patek Philippe, Rolex, roy rogers, timepiece, watch, wristwatch