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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallA 1930s Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 448 found among jewellery during a house clearance in Camborne, Cornwall, sold for a reported hammer price of £59,000 on 25 August 2026. Hansons Auctioneers had estimated it at £5,000–£10,000, making the result nearly 12 times the lower estimate and almost six times the upper one.
How much did the Patek Philippe found in Cornwall sell for?
Hansons Auctioneers reported a £59,000 hammer price for the watch at its 25 August 2026 auction. That is the amount at which it sold before any buyer’s premium or other fees; it is not necessarily the buyer’s fee-inclusive total. Hansons’ pre-sale estimate was £5,000–£10,000. Comparing the reported hammer price with the bottom of that range gives 11.8 times the lower estimate; comparing it with the top gives 5.9 times the upper estimate.
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The result drew attention because it substantially exceeded the auction house’s guide, but it is one sale—not a general price guide for Patek Philippe watches or even all examples of this reference. Hansons’ report does not provide a comparable-sales dataset or broader market statistics. Hansons Auctioneers reported the estimate and result in its 27 August 2026 account.
What watch was discovered in the house clearance?
The auction house identified the watch as a Patek Philippe & Co Calatrava, Reference 448, dating to around the 1930s. Its case measured 28 mm. Hansons listed serial number 822731 and case number 610667, and described a stainless-steel case, a dial marked “Patek Philippe & Co Geneva” with subsidiary seconds, and a signed, numbered jewelled movement.
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These are the details Hansons published for the auctioned watch; they should not be used to authenticate another watch from appearance alone. Authentication and valuation require examination of the individual watch and its records.
Why did this particular watch attract such a high bid?
Hansons attributed the interest to the watch’s stainless-steel construction, rarity, family history and international competition. Those factors provide context, but the auction report does not quantify how much any one of them contributed to the final price.
Stainless-steel case and collector interest
Darren Ashley, senior valuer at Hansons Cornwall, said: “When I finally had the watch in my hands and was able to examine it properly, I knew we had something extremely rare.” He also said Patek Philippe produced very few stainless-steel watches during this period and that surviving examples are desirable to collectors. That is Ashley’s explanation as the auctioneer’s specialist, not a production figure independently established by the auction report.
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The watch had belonged to the vendor’s grandfather, passed to his daughter, and stayed in the family. Hansons reported that the family thought the grandmother might have bought it as a gift, but said the exact story may be lost to history. The possible gift is therefore family speculation, not a confirmed account of the watch’s origin.
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Hansons also said the owner had mentioned a valuable watch to her daughter and had written about an expensive timepiece in a 2011 diary. That recollection adds to the family history, but does not establish when or how the watch was acquired.
International bidding
According to Hansons, prospective buyers came from the United States, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia and the UK. The auction house described the final contest as one between a Japanese internet bidder and a Chinese telephone bidder; the telephone bidder won. Hansons said the watch was set to leave Cornwall for Hong Kong.
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How can you get an inherited watch valued?
If you find a watch among inherited possessions, arrange an assessment with a specialist in vintage watches or a reputable auction house before deciding what to do with it. Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said inherited possessions “should never be dismissed without expert advice.”
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Keep the watch and its accompanying material together. Preserve boxes, papers, service records and family notes. They may help a specialist understand the watch’s history.
- Record what you know without guessing. Note who owned it, when it was passed on, and any known purchase or service details. Mark family theories as uncertain.
- Ask for a specialist examination. A photograph or resemblance to a valuable auction lot cannot establish authenticity, condition or value. Hansons says its team examined this watch in person before assessing it.
- Clarify the valuation’s purpose and terms. Ask whether the assessment is for sale, insurance or another purpose, and what fees or sale costs would apply if you consign the watch.
The Cornwall result does not show that a similar-looking watch is genuine or worth £59,000. Its figure reflects this watch, its reported details and the bidding at one auction.
Source and sale details
The lot description, estimate, hammer price, provenance, bidding account and attributed comments are from Hansons Auctioneers’ report, “Jewellery box watch valued at £5,000-£10,000 sparks global bidding battle to sell for £59,000,” published 27 August 2026: Hansons Auctioneers.
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