A Patek Philippe ref 2499 in 18k gold is up for auction at Christie’s Dubai on March 19.

The watch is one of only 349 examples of this classic design, which was manufactured between 1950 and 1985.

That’s an average of nine watches released per year.

Patek Philippe's ref 2499 series was issued in very small numbers

This example is from the fourth series, issued between 1980 and 1985, and has been kept in very good working order.

It’s valued at $400,000-600,000.

Christie’s said: “Widely acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest watch models ever created, reference 2499 has undoubtedly strongly influenced the designs of many of the most renowned watchmakers.

“Introduced to the market in 1950, it replaced the legendary reference 1518, the world’s first perpetual calendar wristwatch with chronograph made in series.”

Last year an extremely rare pink gold variant, one of only a handful ever made, sold for $2.5m at auction in Hong Kong.

A unique Boucheron diamond and white gold wristwatch in the shape of an eagle is expected to reach $250,000-450,000.

It’s encrusted with well over 700 diamonds of varying hue, while the bezel and crown are capped with rubies.

Boucheron is a high-end French jewellery house. It created the watch in collaboration with Swiss maker Girard-Perregaux, which provided the movement.

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