Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 11, 2012

LOT 382

PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 1526 PINK GOLD & BLACK DIAL - FIRST TIME AT AUCTION Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 962255, case No. 653859, Ref. 1526, second series. Made in 1948, sold on June 15th, 1949. Very fine, rare and important, 18K pink gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, black dial with small Arabic numerals with an 18K pink gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

USD 75,000 - 95,000 / EUR 58,000 - 75,000

Sold: CHF 140,500

C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, concave bezel and lugs, snap-on back. D. Black with applied pink gold small Arabic numerals and dot indexes, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds dial, outer concentric graduation for the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. Pink gold feuille hands. M. Cal. 12???-120 QP, rhodium-plated, fausses-côtes decoration, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 34 mm. Thickness 11 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 2-52-01

Very good

Reprinted by the manufacture

HANDS Original

Notes

The pink gold case of the present watch as confi rmed by the Extract from the Archives is much rarer than the yellow gold for reference 1526. The very well refi nished black dial with small Arabic numerals further adds to the rarity of this watch. Ref. 1526. Produced in 210 examples from 1941 to 1952 with the caliber 12'''-120 QP, the majority of examples in yellow gold, more rarely in pink gold, and only one example in stainless steel is known to date. - First series: with indirect center-seconds, produced in a very few examples. One of these watches was sold by Antiquorum Geneva in the thematic auction ?The Art of Patek Philippe?, April 9, 1989, lot 203. - Second series: with concentric subsidiary dials for the seconds and the days of the month. The dials for the second series of this reference are known to date with three different designs: - the seconds division scale on the outside of the subsidiary date dial, quite rare. - the complete seconds division on the inside of the subsidiary dial. - the seconds division only on the bottom portion of the subsidiary dial, below the moon phase aperture. The applied gold upright Arabic numbers are of two kinds: - the larger type, more common; - the smaller type, much rarer.