SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
AuctionsMar 02, 2020
Watches from Jean-Claude Biver’s Private Collection Up for Auction
The timepieces, all from Patek Philippe, are part of Phillips’ May watch sale in Geneva.
The four watches from Jean-Claude Biver’s private collection that will be part of Phillips’ upcoming watch auction in Geneva are, from left to right, the Patek Philippe Ref. 96HU World Time, the Ref. 1518 in pink gold, the yellow gold Ref. 2499 and the platinum Ref. 1579.
Geneva—This spring, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is selling watches from the private collection of one of the most well-respected executives in the watch industry, Jean-Claude Biver.
The 70-year-old innovator and marketing maven has spent nearly five decades in the watch industry; Biver started his career with Audemars Piguet in the mid-1970s.
His long list of accomplishments include turning around Omega, reviving the Blancpain brand and building Hublot.
When LVMH acquired Hublot in 2008, Biver moved over with the brand and by 2014, he was running LVMH’s entire watch division, which includes Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith.
In September 2018, news surfaced he would step back from the day-to-day operations of the division due to health problems but would stay with the company as a non-executive president.
While Biver has a long history with myriad brands in the watch industry, the four timepieces going up for auction are from a brand for which he never worked—Patek Philippe.
Biver is a Patek collector and showed off his watches—including the four going up for sale—in a 2014 “Talking Watches” interview with Hodinkee, joking with Benjamin Clymer that opting to collect Pateks was both a good and a bad decision.
“It was a good one because they are the leaders in the classical, traditional watchmaking part. It was a bad one because you need a lot of money to collect a few, “ he said with a laugh.
Phillips estimates the four watches could sell for nearly $7 million total, with the high estimates for three of the timepieces set at $1 million-plus.
There is a Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in pink gold with a pink dial from 1948.
Introduced in 1941, the Ref. 1518 was the first perpetual calendar chronograph Patek Philippe ever produced in series. The watch company made only 281 examples, most of them in yellow gold, before stopping production of the model, Philipps said.
Pink gold Ref. 1518s mostly were fitted with a silvered dial; only 13 Ref. 1518 watches with a pink dial are known to exist.
Out of the four Biver pieces in the auction, the pink gold Ref. 1518 is expected to sell for the most, with its high estimate set at 2.4 million Swiss francs ($2.5 million).
Another rare watch is the Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 second series from 1957.
Launched in 1951, the Ref. 2499 was the direct successor to the Ref. 1518,
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
but with round, sportier-looking pushers and a larger 37.5 mm case.
Biver’s Ref. 2499 is yellow gold with applied batons, and Philipps said there are only 20 watches like this known to exist. The auction house expects his to sell for as much as 2 million Swiss francs ($2.1 million).
Phillips is also auctioning a platinum Ref. 1579 from 1946. It is one of only three vintage Patek Philippe chronographs with a platinum case, with Phillips noting the three watches have consecutive serial numbers and different dials, making each piece one-of-a-kind.
The platinum Ref. 1579 belonging to Biver was the last of the three made and has its scales and markers in blue. Phillips estimates it will sell for as much as 1.6 million Swiss francs ($1.65 million).
The final watch in the collection is a Ref. 96HU World Time.
The World Time complication is considered one of the hallmarks of the Patek Philippe brand. The company started making World Time watches in series in 1939, but Biver’s watch is from 1937 and is a pre-series prototype made, most likely, to test the market.
Only two are known to exist, and the other example is in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. Phillips estimates the watch will sell for as much as 600,000 Swiss francs (about $618,000).
Biver’s personal timepieces are being put up for sale as part of “The Geneva Watch Auction: XI,” scheduled for May 9 and 10 at Hôtel la Reserve.
Biver’s Ref. 2499 is yellow gold with applied batons, and Philipps said there are only 20 watches like this known to exist. The auction house expects his to sell for as much as 2 million Swiss francs ($2.1 million).
Phillips is also auctioning a platinum Ref. 1579 from 1946. It is one of only three vintage Patek Philippe chronographs with a platinum case, with Phillips noting the three watches have consecutive serial numbers and different dials, making each piece one-of-a-kind.
The platinum Ref. 1579 belonging to Biver was the last of the three made and has its scales and markers in blue. Phillips estimates it will sell for as much as 1.6 million Swiss francs ($1.65 million).
The final watch in the collection is a Ref. 96HU World Time.
The World Time complication is considered one of the hallmarks of the Patek Philippe brand. The company started making World Time watches in series in 1939, but Biver’s watch is from 1937 and is a pre-series prototype made, most likely, to test the market.
Only two are known to exist, and the other example is in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. Phillips estimates the watch will sell for as much as 600,000 Swiss francs (about $618,000).
Biver’s personal timepieces are being put up for sale as part of “The Geneva Watch Auction: XI,” scheduled for May 9 and 10 at Hôtel la Reserve.
More on Auctions
The Latest
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
CrimeOct 01, 2026
Police Looking for 4 Suspects in $600K Smash-and-Grab RobberyDubai Jewelers in Springfield, Virginia, was once again the target of an armed robbery.
Weekly QuizOct 01, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysOct 01, 2026
Rolex Ranks Among Most Recommended Brands in US, Survey Says YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report’s out, and a fast-fashion giant is sitting at No. 1 while Rolex is just shy of the top 5.
SourcingOct 01, 2026
Columbia Gem House Opens ‘Cutting Toward Change’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will benefit an organization working in India to combat silicosis, a lung disease affecting stone cutters.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes’ Championship Ring Reveals Hidden Hockey Puck PendantThe rings, crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills, celebrate the hockey team’s Stanley Cup win with design elements that honor its traditions.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: October’s Color Range This roundup of birthstone jewelry for October features vibrant tourmalines and opals with personality.
SourcingSep 30, 2026
Botswana’s President, De Beers CEO Say Diamond Demand Is RecoveringPresident Duma Boko spoke at back-to-back events in the city last week, touting Botswana’s stability and the diamond “bounceback.”
CollectionsSep 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman’s Holiday Book Is ‘A Living Archive’ The catalog showcases 112 new, one-of-a-kind pieces amid highlights from the jeweler’s historic archive.
SourcingSep 30, 2026
Gemfields Posts $98.5M Loss, Writes Down Value of Ruby MineIts Montepuez Ruby Mining operation in Mozambique, which is not yielding enough high-quality rubies, has taken a $125 million hit.
SurveysSep 30, 2026
Consumer Confidence Falls to 12-Year Low in SeptemberThose surveyed were worried about the present and the future, with write-in responses mentioning high oil and gas prices.
Events & AwardsSep 30, 2026
Jewelers of America, JA New York to Host Networking EventThe event will take place on the evening of Oct. 26 in New York City.
IndependentsSep 29, 2026
Christy Bromberg, Longtime Gift Buyer for Underwood Jewelers, Dies at 68She is remembered for her joie de vivre, upbeat personality, genuine interest in other people, and love of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Events & AwardsSep 29, 2026
Matt Stuller to Receive 2027 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementThe founder and executive chairman of Stuller Inc. is being honored for his impact on the jewelry industry at the 25th annual Gem Awards.
ColumnistsSep 29, 2026
Your Holiday Marketing Has a Bridal Blind SpotDecember is the most popular month to propose, and jewelers need to keep that in mind when planning their holiday marketing.
CollectionsSep 28, 2026
De Beers London Drops Water-Inspired High Jewelry Collection“Vibrations” features several firsts for De Beers’ high jewelry, including the use of chalcedony and diamonds sourced from artisanal miners.
CollectionsSep 28, 2026
Jessica McCormack Turns to Classic Motif for New CollectionThe “Bows” collection features three interpretations of the bow motif designed with Georgian and Victorian influences.
Events & AwardsSep 28, 2026
Guy Borenstein, Troy Underwood Among the Professionals Honored at AGS Conclave 2026The American Gem Society recognized industry members, one Guild, and a law enforcement official for their contributions to jewelry.
FinancialsSep 28, 2026
Instappraise, Jewelers Mutual Look to Simplify Jewelry InsuranceThrough a new system integration, customers can now receive instant personal jewelry insurance quotes at the time of appraisal.
WatchesSep 25, 2026
Smaller Rolex Watches Showing Strength on Secondary Market, Data ShowsFive of the 10 fastest-appreciating Rolex models on Bob’s Watches were Datejust 31 or Lady Datejust watches.
MajorsSep 25, 2026
Sherwood Family Buys Back Daniel’s Jewelers from Private EquityThe Sherwood family and AJS Creations CEO Tejas Shah purchased the jewelry chain back from Palladium Equity Partners.
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2026
Brilliant Earth Collabs with Elizabeth Taylor Estate on Jewelry Collection“The Elizabeth Taylor Collection” uses lab-grown diamonds and gemstones in contemporary designs inspired by the icon.
TrendsSep 25, 2026
A Peek at Taylor Swift’s Game-Day DiamondsThe artist wore Dana Rebecca Designs’ marquise diamond-set gold hoops at the Chiefs game last Sunday. Now they’re our Piece of the Week.
CrimeSep 24, 2026
From Conclave: Security Measures Jewelers Should Be TakingJSA and Jewelers Mutual shared advice on spotting suspicious behavior, combatting cell phone jammers, and staying safe at home.
