My Dream Collection is a horological reference book by Singapore-based collector and entrepreneur Ali Nael, dedicated to a curated selection of rare and historically significant Patek Philippe timepieces. The volume documents Nael’s personal journey from contemporary watch collecting into the specialized world of vintage Patek Philippe, presenting a scholarly yet visually rich exploration of one of the most prestigious Swiss watch manufactures.
Spanning watches produced between 1858 and 1995, the book includes antique pocket watches, early officer-style wristwatches, complicated timepieces, chronographs, perpetual calendars, minute repeaters, and rare Calatrava references. Each entry provides detailed technical specifications, including movement numbers, case makers, dial manufacturers (notably Stern Frères), production dates, Extracts from the Archives confirmations, and historical retail information. The work places particular emphasis on rarity, originality, case preservation, dial condition, and documented provenance—key criteria in high-level vintage watch collecting.
The collection features important references such as early triple-complication pocket watches, rare retailer-signed examples (including Gübelin, Serpico y Laino, Gobbi Milano, Walser Wald, and Tiffany & Co.), and milestone waterproof and antimagnetic wristwatches. Many pieces are described as unique or among the earliest known examples of their reference.
Structured with historical timelines of Patek Philippe’s development—from its founding in 1839 through major patents, technical innovations, and auction world records—the book combines archival research with collector insight. Letters of endorsement from senior executives of Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and Antiquorum position the publication as both a collector’s catalogue and a horological study.
More than a photographic album, Patek Philippe: My Dream Collection serves as an encyclopedic documentation of vintage Patek Philippe watches, reflecting Ali Nael’s evolution as a collector and contributing to scholarship in the field of fine watchmaking and luxury timepiece history.
