Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 147

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, prototype, No. 863371, case No. 636292, Ref. 1518. Production of this reference started in 1941. This watch was sold on November 13, 1944. Unique and extremely fine, astronomic, "Empire" case type, 18K red gold gentleman's wristwatch, with perpetual calendar, moon phases, square button chronograph, register, tachometer with engraved dedication on the inside of the back cover and original 18K red gold Patek Philippe bracelet "à grosses mailles". Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 663,500

C."Empire", three-body, solid, polished and brushed, straight sloped lugs, dedication inside the case back. D. pink with applied pink gold dot indexes, auxiliary second- and 30-minute register dials, graduation for the days of the month, outer tachometer and concentric 1/5th second scales, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. Pink gold "Bâton" hands. M. Cal. 13''', rhodium-plated, "fausses- côtes" decoration, 23 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, 8 adjustments, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator.Engraved inside the case back: "MUSTAD CLARIN - c/o BENOIT SA - CH - 1820 MONTREUX - REWARD - RECOMPENSE".Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 35 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3

Good
Dial: 3 - 01-

Notes

To our knowledge, only two examples of reference 1518 with special case, were ever specially made on request. The first, with a “tonneau” case, was made in 1943 for the Henry Stern watch company in New York. This watch was sold by Antiquorum in October 1990, lot 474. The second is the present watch. It is also the only known reference 1518 to have a pink gold dial and pink gold dot indexes in place of the numbers. Only one other reference 1518 is known to have been made without number indications. This was the first example of the reference's second series, presented at the 1942 Basel fair and illustrated in its catalogue. The dial was silvered, with enameled hour indexes. The whereabouts of that watch are unknown today. Ref. 1518: Produced in 281 examples from 1941 to 1954, in yellow and pink gold, only four examples known to date in stainless steel.- First series with applied gold Arabic numerals from 1941 to 1954.- Second series presented at the Basel Fair in 1942 with enameled 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 "Bâton" indexes.