Timely Good Deed

IT'S NO SURPRISE that Patek Philippe's Reference 5208T was the single biggest fund raiser at last Saturday's Only Watch biennial charity auction, accounting for over half of the total haul of 10.8 million Swiss franc (S$14.8 million). The money goes to research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - a genetic muscular disease that afflicts boys at birth.

Ref 5208T, which combines a chronograph, perpetual calendar and minute repeater, was tipped to draw huge bids not only because it's a Patek creation but, valued at CHF900,000 to CHF1,100,000, it's also t…