Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

New York, Sep 30, 2014

LOT 117

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 3979 MINUTE REPEATER POSSIBLY UNIQUE BREGUET DIAL WHITE GOLD Patek Philippe, Genève, Minute Repeater, No. 1904054, case No. 2963009, Ref. 3979. Sold on 23rd, 2002. Very fine and very rare, minute-repeating, self-winding, 18K white Chronometer wristwatch with Breguet indexes dial and a 18K white gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by a Certificate of Origin, fitted mahogany presentation box, instruction booklet, additional hands and enamel dial

USD 290,000 - 450,000

HKD 2,250,000 - 3,500,000 / CHF 270,000 - 410,000

Sold: USD 351,750

Three-body, solid, polished, transparent case back, inclined bezel, concave lugs, sapphire crystals. Silver with applied white gold Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds dial. White gold Breguet hands. Cal. R 27 PS, stamped with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, rhodium plated, fausses côtes decoration, 39 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung flat balance spring, 22K gold micro-rotor, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 1*

As new

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 33 mm. THICKNESS 11 mm. Ref. 3979 This series was made in yellow gold, white gold and platinum. Production began in 1989 for the 150th anniversary of Patek Philippe with the calibre R 27 P.S., featuring 342 components and bearing the serial number 1904000. Fabrication of this reference ended in 2002: it was replaced by Ref. 5979. It is a technical exploit incorporating a micro-rotor oscillating mass plus minute-repeating mechanism in a 12 1/2''' movement. Almost exclusively made in yellow gold, this watch bears the serial number indicating it was the 54th model produced in the series. Amazingly, considering this example was made in the last year it was produced, it means that over the 13 years production span, only about 6 to 8 pieces were being made per year. This particular watch bears 2 distinctive features: firstly it is the first known white gold example to appear at auction (on the 25 publicly known watches sold at auction, 21 were yellow gold and 4 in platinum) but its possibly unique feature was that the client ordered a special metal dial featuring Breguet numerals confirmed by the certificate of origin. The client also kept the usual Roman dial usually found on this model. A unique opportunity to buy one of the last examples of the reference produced in outstanding condition, never seen at auction with a beautiful custom-ordered dial confirmed on the certificate.