A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF ALAN BANBERY
Patek Philippe 3940J / Credit: Antiquorum
The stories of the unsung heroes who have brought us the timepieces we admire today are an integral part of Montres Publiques. One such employee is Alan Banbery, known today for his book on Patek Philippe and for the 'Unique Patek Philippe ref. 3448'. He worked at Patek since 1965 and was instrumental to numerous developments at the company for nearly 50 years!
When Banbery joined Patek as Director of Sales for English-speaking markets in 1965, he already had significant experience in the watch industry. Banbery was born in London and studied watchmaking at the Watchmaking School of Geneva, after a brief stint working on the Compax and Tri-Compax for Universal Genève, he was called to service in 1956 to fight in Egypt. Upon his return to England, he opened a jewelry and watch shop east of London and eventually accepted a job offer from Garrad & Co., a renowned jeweler established in 1735. From Garrad he gained the attention of Henri Stern, who made him Director of Sales in 1965 and Curator of Patek’s private collection in 1970.
Banbery’s position as Curator of Patek Philippe’s private collection made him a very important figure in the watch auction world. Known to have been at many important auctions, always in the exclusive private rooms reserved for auction houses' most important clients. Banbery bought back some of Patek’s most prestigious timepieces, notably a one-of-a-kind Calatrava sold for $1.7 million by Antiquorum in 1996. Banbery was even known for his rivalry with another noted collector, Seth Atwood, who he dined with in Geneva and who sold Henry Graves’ Supercomplication watch. Banbery was one of the final bidders for the Graves watch, sold for about $11 million in 1999 when Banbery’s limit was $10 million. The watch sold again for nearly $24 million in 2014. Ultimately, Banbery was responsible for one of the most important watch collections in the world, and instrumental in opening the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. His impact on the world of horology will surely outlive him many times over.
By: Andres Ibarguen