Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, Oct 15, 2006

LOT 432

?Yellow Gold Ref. 1518, 1st series? Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 868098, case No. 668389, Ref. 1518, 1st series. Made in 1951, sold on December 3, 1952. Very fine and very rare, astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with square button chronograph, register and tachometer, perpetual calendar, moon phases, and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 250,000 - 300,000

EUR 160,000 - 190,000 / USD 200,000 - 245,000

Sold: CHF 311,400

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, concave bezel. D. Matte silver with applied gold Arabic numerals and dot indexes, subsidiary second and 30 minute register dials, graduation for the days of the month, outer tachometer graduation, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phase. Yellow gold feuille hands. M. 13???, rhodiumplated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 23 jewels, lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance adjusted to 8 positions, self compensating Breguet balance spring, micrometer regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 14 mm.


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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

This is one of the finest examples of a Ref.1518, that has come to auction for many years. Ref. 1518 is a masterpiece among watches with perpetual calendar and chronograph. It inspired the famous fourth series of reference 2499, the 2499/100, then references 3970 and 3971, and the newcomer, reference 5970.

Ref. 1518
Produced in 281 examples from 1941 to 1954, in yellow and pink gold, only six examples known to date in stainless steel. - First series with applied gold Arabic numerals from 1941. - Second series presented at the Basel Fair in 1942 with enamelled hour indexes, the 12 in applied gold Arabic numerals. - Third series with applied gold indexes, the 12 in applied gold Arabic numerals. - Fourth series with applied gold baton indexes. A similar watch is published in "Collecting Patek Philippe Wristwatches" by O. Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editor, Geneva, 2004, Vol I, p. 137.