A 1946 yellow-gold Patek Philippe split-seconds chronograph sold for A$450,000 including buyer’s premium at First State Auctions in Sydney in November 2023, setting the Australian auction record reported at the time. That record was later surpassed: DMARGE reported that a Rolex Daytona sold in Australia in July 2026 for A$612,000 including premium.
What sold in Sydney in 2023?
The watch was a Patek Philippe reference 1436, a manual-winding split-seconds chronograph manufactured in 1946. First State Auctions sold it in Sydney during the week of 20–24 November 2023. Time+Tide reported the sale on 24 November; Boss Hunting reported that this example was sold in October 1949.
Time+Tide described the example as yellow gold and in “pretty tidy” condition, and reported that it had been serviced by Patek Philippe and came with an Extract from the Archives. Those are descriptions in contemporaneous coverage, not an independent inspection of the watch. Time+Tide also reported that the buyer was an anonymous Melbourne-based collector. Time+Tide’s sale report and Boss Hunting’s preview provide the reported sale context.
What did the A$450,000 figure include?
Time+Tide reported A$450,000 as the sale price including buyer’s premium. Boss Hunting reported an auction estimate of A$400,000–800,000. The A$450,000 total should not be confused with the hammer price, which is the bid before the buyer’s premium is added. DMARGE later described the Patek’s hammer price as roughly A$375,000; that is a later outlet’s estimate, not a verified auction-house figure.
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Why is the reference 1436 notable?
The reference 1436 combines a chronograph with a split-seconds mechanism, allowing the wearer to time an intermediate event while a chronograph continues running. It is also scarce, though published production estimates differ. Time+Tide reported fewer than 200 examples made, while Boss Hunting estimated about 140. These are attributed estimates, not a single confirmed production count.
International auction results show why the Australian price should not be read as a universal valuation for every 1436. Boss Hunting cited a May 2023 Christie’s Hong Kong result of HK$1,638,000 (reported there as US$320,884), a May 2021 Gübelin-signed example at HK$5,500,000 (US$916,850), and a November 2021 example once owned by Henry Graves Jr. at HK$13,450,000 (US$2,421,000). Time+Tide also described a 1939 example sold in Hong Kong earlier in 2023 for more than A$2.6 million. These reported outcomes differ in date, currency, provenance and signature; they are not like-for-like comparisons with the Sydney watch.
Does it still hold the Australian record?
No. The Patek held the reported Australian auction record when it sold in 2023, but DMARGE reported in July 2026 that a Rolex Daytona reference 126598RBOW sold through First State Auctions for A$510,000 hammer, or A$612,000 including the reported 20% buyer’s premium. On the reported totals, the Daytona is the later record-holder. DMARGE’s 2026 report is the source for that result; it is a report of the sale, rather than an accessed auction-house result page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare the results fairly
A record headline is meaningful only when the price basis and scope match. For these two Australian results, compare totals including buyer’s premium rather than setting the Patek’s all-in total against the Daytona’s hammer price. For other sales, check whether the claim is about an Australian auction record or an international result, and account for currency, date, condition, service history, provenance and any special signature.
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