The Patek Philippe Ref 96 Quantieme Lune was owned by Aisin-Gioro Puyi and is a time capsule of historical importance.
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While the origins of wristwatches can be traced back to the 1800s and are mainly worn by western societies, their ubiquitousness has crossed the vast oceans and found its way into Asia. Fast forward a century and you can discover wristwatches accompanying some of the more affluent classes of society ? aristocrats, royals and rulers. One example is this extremely rare Patek Philippe Ref 96 Quantieme Lune, once owned by China?s last emperor Aisin-Gioro Puyi.

This extraordinary timepiece is set to go under the hammer later this year, but it has a packed tour schedule before it is bought over. For starters, it will be displayed at auction house Phillips? Asia headquarters in Hong Kong before travelling to other cities like New York, Singapore, London, Taipei and Geneva. It is estimated that the Ref 96 will be fetching a price in the millions due to its rarity and provenance.
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For those not acquainted with the history of China, Puyi was the heir to a throne that went back 4,000 years. He was the final ruler of the Qing Dynasty when he ascended to the throne at the age of two in 1908. Puyi?s reign lasted until 1912, when the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the imperial family, and he ...