Phillips ends 2025 on a high

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo closed its 10th anniversary year with a record-breaking $43.5 million total at The New York Watch Auction: XIII. 

The event achieved a perfect 100% sell-through rate, with the standout performer being Francis Ford Coppola’s F.P. Journe FFC prototype. This unique 42mm platinum timepiece sold for $10.8 million after eleven minutes of global bidding.

The sale established both the world record for any F.P. Journe watch at auction, and the world record for any timepiece by an independent watchmaker.

It stands as the highest price achieved for a watch sold in the United States since the 2017 sale of Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona.

Collectors continued the trend of recent times by backing the authenticity of independent brands, with F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour securing nine of the top ten lots.

“These results reflect the unprecedented demand for rarity and the tireless dedication of our team,” said Paul Boutros and Isabella Proia of Phillips.

This blockbuster sale contributed to the auction house’s record ever year.