Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Dec 02, 2003

LOT 128

Patek, Philippe & Cie, Genève,No. 170288, case No. 273599. Producedcirca 1912.Extremely fine, silver deck leverchronometer "EXTRA" adjusted for one of the Observa-toryTiming Contests with 36-hour power reserve indi-cator.Accompanied by a chain.

C. four-body, "bassine", polished, silver hinged cuvette.D. heavy solid silver, bold champlevé radial Roman numerals,outer champlevé minute track, champlevé up-and-down sectorat 12 o'clock, champlevé subsidiary seconds. Blued steel"Spade" hands. M. Patented Cal. 18,47 mm. (21'''), 20 jewels,straight line calibrated lever escapement, Anibal-brass Guil-laumebalance with "winged" arms, gold temperature adjust-mentscrews and platinum mean time ones, special alloyBreguet balance spring inner and outer terminal curves,diamond endstone, "swan-neck" micrometric regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 61 mm.Large movements with 18, and sometimes, but rarely, with18H calibers, were made to the highest possible standards.They were specially adjusted by masters such as Henri Wehrli,J. Golay-Audemars, F. Modoux, and C. Batifolier, who were thebest paid workers in the watch industry. Watches adjusted bythese individuals, especially those awarded prizes at Obser-vatoryContests, were often several times more expensivethan the regular ones. The present watch is exceptionally wellmade and adjusted for an Observatory Contest.