“Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can…”

The Beatles were one of the most popular and influential bands of all time. Not often associated with brands such as Patek Philippe, but as we have discovered, they were quite the connoisseurs of haute horology.

John Lennon’s Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 2499

John Lennon and a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 2499, similar to the model that John Lennon owned

John Lennon is pictured with a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 2499 in 1980, the same year as his death. Although the tale of this watch is unsubstantiated, the watch was allegedly given to him by his wife, Yoko Ono, for his 40th birthday in New York City. There are just two photographs showing him wearing this timepiece.

For reference, a yellow gold Patek Philippe ‘Asprey’ Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 2499 sold at Sotheby’s in 2018 for 3,915,000 CHF. That same year, Christie’s sold another yellow gold Patek Philippe ref. 2499 for 3,234,905 CHF. Now imagine the price tag on the timepiece worn by John Lennon…

John Lennon’s Patek Philippe’s whereabouts are still unknown, and there is still insufficient evidence to prove that he even owned it outright. But one thing is for sure, this watch tops the list as one of the greatest missing timepieces of all time.

In general, the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 2499 is one of the most iconic, desirable, and valuable timepieces in the world – with less than 400 pieces made over its 35 years of production since 1950.

Ringo Starr’s Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref. 3448

Ringo Starr and his Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref. 3448

The Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar reference 3448 was the first perpetual calendar made by Patek Philippe with an automatic movement. First introduced in 1962, less than 600 examples were manufactured in its 20 years of production.

In 2015, Ringo Starr’s Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref. 3448 sold for $179,200 at a Los Angeles Julien Auctions auction, where Starr also sold off other items totaling $9.2 million. At the time of the auction, there were zero known photos of Ringo Starr wearing his Patek Philippe wristwatch. Thankfully, in the years to follow, many new images have surfaced with him wearing the coveted timepiece.

Paul McCartney’s Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167/A

Paul McCartney and his Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167/A

Paul McCartney has been wearing his Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5617/A in recent years. The Aquanaut is a cousin to the Patek Philippe Nautilus, which was designed by Gerald Genta in the 1970s. The Patek Philippe Aquanaut first debuted in 1997, and can be thought of as the minimalist version of the Nautilus, offering a more discrete version of luxury – one that’s more meant for actual water sports. Ringo Starr, Paul’s bandmate, can also be seen wearing a Patek Aquanaut in modern times.

While not much information is available regarding George Harrison’s timepieces, it is widely believed he wore the Cartier Baignoire gifted to him by his manager Brian Epstein. This seems likely, as in the photo below you can see George smoking with what appears to be the Cartier Baignoire on his wrist – distinguishable by its unique oval case.

The Beatles were notorious for their slack timekeeping – even being late for their first meeting with Brian Epstein after stopping for drinks a few hundred meters away. Punctuality was just one aspect of professionality that their new manager was going to instill in the group.

George Harrison and manager, Brian Epstein’s, Cartier Bagnoire which sold for ₤30,240

Brian Epstein’s watch, pictured above, was the Cartier Baignoire which was originally sold as a lady’s watch. However, Brian appreciated its elegant design when he bought one for himself in 1966, and then later for George Harrison and his mother Queenie. This was the watch that kept the Beatles on time.

By: Eric Mulder

Read more:

Ehrlich, Jake. “John Lennon Yellow Gold Patek Philippe Chronograph” Patek Magazine, October 9th, 2011, https://www.patekmagazine.com/2011/10/john-lennon-yellow-gold-patek-philippe.html#/page/1.
Besler, Carol. “Two Patek Ref. 2499 Watches Draw More Than $7.1 Million Combined at Christie's and Sotheby's.” Forbes, November 14th, 2018, https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolbesler/2018/11/14/patek-ref-2499-triumphs-sothebys-sells-one-for-3-9-million-christies-another-for-3-2-million/?sh=6610632d349b.
Ibarguen, Andres. “AUCTION REPORT: PATEK PHILIPPE’S 'ASPREY' PERPETUAL CALENDAR CHRONOGRAPH 2499.” Montres Publiques, March 6th, 2022, https://montrespubliques.com/auction-report/auction-report-patek-philippes-asprey-perpetual-calendar-chronograph-2499.
Doerr, Elizabeth. “Ringo Starr's Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 Sells At Auction For $179,200,” Forbes, December 22nd, 2015, https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethdoerr/2015/12/22/beatles-drummer-ringo-starrs-patek-philippe-ref-3448-sells-at-auction-for-179200/?sh=486dce2d3795.
Tong, Alfred. “Paul McCartney's Patek Philippe Aquanaut is as low-key as luxury gets.” GQ Magazine, June 18th, 2020, https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/fashion/article/paul-mccartney-patek-philippe-aquanaut.
“Lot 41.” Sotheby’s, https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/the-beatles/brian-epstein-cartier-wristwatch-1966.