Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Oct 14, 2007

LOT 530

Ref. 1463/1563, ?Rattrapante ? Water-Resistant? Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 867196, case No. 657132, Ref. 1463/1563. Made in 1947, sold on June 30, 1950. Exceptionally rare, extremely fine and important, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button split-seconds chronograph, register and tachometer dial with luminous Breguet numerals and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives and the original fitted box.

CHF 0 - 0

C. Two-body, solid, polished and brushed, inclined and stepped bezel, dedicated screwed-down case back, concave lugs, winding-crown also for the stop and reunite functions of the split-second hand, dust protecting cap. D. Matte silver with luminous painted Breguet numerals, outer minute track and concentric fifths of a second divisions, Arabic five-minute/seconds numerals, outermost tachometer graduation, subsidiary seconds and 30-minute register dials. Yellow gold "lozenge" hands. M. 13"', rhodium-plated, "fausses cotes" decoration, 25 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with 8 adjustments, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator, visible split-seconds mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed, case punched ?Ref. 1463?. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Property of a European Collector Estimate:* * *


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Split-second chronograph wristwatches were the must of Patek Philippe technology and were generally made under the References 130, 1436, 1463 with water-resistant case, and Ref. 1563. Only one Ref. 2499 with water-resistant case is known to exist today. Split-second chronographs with waterproof case and round push buttons are extremely rare. Prior to Ref. 1463 and Ref. 1563, Patek Philippe?s split-second chronographs were not water-resistant. Only one Ref. 1463 - the present watch - is known to be water-resistant. Only two water-resistant Ref. 1563 watches are known; they are mentioned below. The most famous Ref. 1563 belonged to Duke Ellington and was bought by him while on a trip to Switzerland, at Patek Philippe's Geneva boutique. - Movement No. 862420 with pulsometer, Ref. 1563 - Movement No. 863791 case No. 630551 for Duke Ellington, Ref. 1563 - Movement No. 867196 case No. 657132 the present watch, with tachometer dial, Ref. 1463/1563

Ref. 1463 chronograph

Production of this reference started in 1940. The reference was produced in yellow and pink gold, and a few examples in stainless steel. The first models of Ref. 1463, made in the 1940s, had bezels which continued to the band. This was changed in the early 1950s, for a stepped bezel. This reference featured a water-resistant chronograph for the first time. The main characteristics are a water-resistant screw-down case back, round pushers and steel dust cover, which help make Reference 1463 one of the most sought-after models among Patek Philippe's classic water-resistant chronographs.

Ref. 1463/1563 split-seconds chronograph When comparing References 1463 and 1563, one notes that Ref. 1563 is an evolution of Ref. 1463. The necessity of fitting a split-seconds chronograph movement in the case led to a thicker case back and a thicker stepped bezel. Although the general lines of the case are similar to those of Ref. 1463, the diameter for example remains 35 mm, however a closer examination of the sides reveals a thicker case. This watch is unique because the Reference 1463 remains engraved on the case back, while the split seconds mechanism is that of a Ref. 1563. Also, as with military models, the dial of the watch features luminous Breguet numerals. Patek Philippe wristwatches with luminous numerals on the dial are extremely rare and very few were produced.

Some examples: - See Ref. 1591, an astronomic indirect center seconds, stainless steel wristwatch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, and luminous Arabic numerals, page 58, volume 1, ?Collecting Patek Philippe Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, 2004. - See Ref. 1463, a stainless steel military type wristwatch with black dial and luminous Arabic numerals, and round button chronograph, page 243, volume 1, ?Collecting Patek Philippe Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, 2004. - See Ref. 2526, a yellow gold wristwatch with luminous Arabic numerals, page 181, volume 2, ?Collecting Patek Philippe Wristwatches?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, 2004.