Phillips Decade One (2015-2025): Inside the Ernst Schuster Collection

Geneva – 28 October 2025 – This November, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will celebrate a decade of watch auctions with the Decade One (2015-2025) thematic sale at the Hôtel Président in Geneva. This landmark sale marks the successful first 10 years of the Phillips Watches department, reflecting on the remarkable watches, record-breaking results, and new scholarship that have shaped Phillips Watches since its inaugural auction in 2015.

Ernst Schuster lived many lives at once. Born in Würzburg, Germany, in 1946, he left his family’s farm at 19 and built a new life in Munich, where he became a gentleman racer, taking his Ferraris and Porsches to Goodwood, Le Mans, and the Targa Florio. He collected art with the same intensity, forming friendships with figures like Keith Haring, who once sketched on the caseback of Schuster’s Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in stainless steel.

Schuster began collecting watches in the 1960s, drawn to Patek Philippe, Rolex, and later Cartier. He bought instinctively during the Quartz Revolution, when few others cared about mechanical watches, seeking beauty and craftsmanship over speculation. Many of his watches were purchased directly from Patek Philippe and have remained with him ever since – rarely worn and preserved in exceptional condition. Decades later, he’s chosen to share highlights from that collection through the Phillips Decade One (2015-2025) sale in Geneva, with additional watches offered in The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XXI.

Together, they represent the vision of a collector who always saw what others missed.

Lot 105 - Patek Philippe | Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 2499/100 with Gübelin-Signed Dial, 1983

Estimate: CHF 400,000 – 800,000

Produced from 1951 to 1985 in only 349 examples, the Ref. 2499 is a cornerstone of Patek Philippe collecting. This final-series 2499/100, cased by Atelier Reunis, stands out for its superb preservation and Gübelin signature – one of only six known. Fresh to market and retained by Schuster since acquisition, the watch remains flawless, its case untouched and satin finish intact. It embodies the architectural elegance that defines the 2499 as one of the greatest wristwatches ever made.

Lot 106 - Patek Philippe | Split-Seconds Chronograph Ref. 1436 with Tiffany & Co.-Signed Dial, 1956

Estimate: CHF 150,000 - 300,000

The Ref. 1436 adds a split-seconds function to Patek Philippe’s classic chronograph design, blending elegance and technical mastery. Fewer than 140 examples were produced between 1938 and the 1970s, with later pieces – like this one – featuring the sportier co-axial crown pusher. Even rarer, its dial bears the Tiffany & Co. signature, with fewer than ten such 1436s known. This watch has been unseen since 1988 and retains its Tiffany stock number and “HOX” import mark.

Lot 15 - Patek Philippe | Chronograph Ref. 1579 'Anse a Ragno', 1952

Estimate: CHF 30,000 - 60,000

Distinguished by its faceted “spider lugs,” the Ref. 1579 remains one of Patek Philippe’s most distinctive chronographs. Produced from 1943 to 1964 with a 36mm Wenger case, it combines bold geometry with restrained elegance. Powered by the hand-finished calibre 13''', it balances mid-century design with modern presence, making it one of the most wearable and enduring chronographs of its era.

Lot 18 - Patek Philippe | 'Gilbert Albert' Ref. 3424/1 in Platinum, 1961

Estimate: CHF 100,000 - 200,000

Gilbert Albert brought avant-garde design to Patek Philippe in the 1950s and 1960s, blending horology and sculpture. This platinum Ref. 3424/1, from his Asymétrie series, is one of only four known gem-set examples. Fresh to market and preserved in remarkable condition, it was retained by Schuster since its original acquisition. Its radical geometry, executed by casemaker Markowski, represents the boldest expression of Albert’s vision and the artistic freedom that defined this remarkable period in Patek Philippe’s history.

Lot 14 - Patek Philippe | Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 3971 in 18k Yellow Gold, 1990

Estimate: CHF 100,000 - 200,000

A beautifully preserved second-series example, this Ref. 3971 retains deep hallmarks, sharp lugs, and a pristine dial. Fresh to market and complete with its original accessories, it was originally sold through Garrard & Co. in London. As the successor to the Ref. 2499, the 3971 continued Patek Philippe’s lineage of perpetual calendar chronographs, introducing the Lemania-based calibre and modern 36mm proportions that defined the brand’s late-20th-century design language.

Lot 102 - Patek Philippe | World Time Pocket Watch in 18k Yellow Gold, 1946

Estimate: CHF 25,000 - 50,000

Powered by a Louis Cottier-modified calibre 17-170, the Ref. 605 is among the rarest World Time pocket watches ever made, with fewer than 100 produced. This example remains exceptionally crisp, its rotating city ring functioning perfectly and its surfaces showing the original finish. Bearing Patek Philippe’s early “short signature,” it marks a transitional moment in the firm’s history and stands as a superbly preserved example of Cottier’s world-time innovation.

The Phillips Decade One (2015-2025) watch auction will take place on 8–9 November 2025 at the Hôtel Président in Geneva, offering collectors an unprecedented opportunity to discover and acquire timepieces that define Phillips’ first decade as well as the broader history of watchmaking.

For more information, please visit phillips.com