The Patek Philippe in question, lot number 125, features a 35-millimetre stainless-steel case and simple leather strap – so it’s far from the most striking piece set to be auctioned by Phillips on 10 May 2015. However, for racing fans, the watch is one of the great highlights of the sale: it once belonged to the American racer, designer and sailor Briggs S. Cunningham II, who was active in the 1950s with his own sports car at Le Mans and Sebring. The Patek Philippe 565 dates back to 1949, and should bring in between 45,000 and 65,000 Swiss Francs, according to the auction house.