Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 98

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 921373, case No. 626625, Ref. 1526, 1st series. Production of this watch and of the reference started in 1941. Extremely fine and probably unique, astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, special dial, and by an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives and by a Patek Philippe letter of explanation.

CHF 1 - 1

EUR 1 - 1

Sold: CHF 223,500

C. three-body, solid, polished and brushed, concave bezel and lugs. D. matte silver with applied yellow gold indexes and Arabic numerals, auxiliary seconds dial, concentric, inner graduation for the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. "Feuille" yellow gold hands. M. Cal. 12'''-120 QP, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 18 jewels, lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

This watch is probably one of the earliest examples of Ref. 1526 produced by Patek Philippe. The movement was entered in the registers on June 26, 1941, cased and ready for sale on December 23, 1941. It appears that what is regarded as the first series of Ref. 1526, comprising 6 watches (with movement Nos. 921'614 to 921'619), was made seven months after the present watch, and these movements were entered in the registers on January 31, 1942, cased and ready for sale on October 3, 1942. Then followed approximately 200 further examples of this reference, produced between 1942 and 1952. The design of the dial of this first watch is somewhat different from that of the other watches produced between 1942 and 1952. The auxiliary dial with the moon has an outer seconds ring and an inner date indication. The rectangular window openings for the day and the month are larger and so too, therefore, is the printing of the days and months on the disks. This type of dial is very likely unique. A photograph from the archives from this period illustrates a watch that is in every way similar to the present watch. This document is illustrated in "Patek Philippe Wristwatches", by Martin Huber and Alan Banbery, 1998 edition, p. 283, pl. 438. Another particularity which adds to the rarity and collectability of this piece is the fact that the case is 1 mm. thicker than any other. 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. - Second series with concentric auxiliary dials for the seconds and the days of the month. The dials for this reference, second series, are known to date with three different designs: - the seconds division scale on the outside of the auxiliary date dial, quite rare. - the complete seconds division on the inside of the auxiliary dial - the seconds division only on the bottom portion of the auxiliary dial, below the moon phase aperture. The applied gold upright Arabic numbers are of two kinds: - the larger type, more common; - the smaller type, as in the present lot, much rarer.