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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 94

Timekeeper with 1 ComplicationPatek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 861355, case No. 687686, Ref. 2524/1, retailed by Gübelin Lucerne. Production of this reference started in 1955.Important and rare minute-repeating, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with subsidiary seconds dial and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by an Extract from the Archives.

CHF 350,000 - 400,000

USD 220,000 - 250,000

C. three-body, solid, polished and brushed, dedicated back, concave lugs. D. matte silver with applied yellow gold bâton indexes, auxiliary seconds dial. "Dauphine" yellow gold hands. M. 12''' RM, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold isochronism and 5 positions, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator, repeater on gongs by means of a slide on the band.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 34 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Engraved on the back: "To N.B.C. from L.P.C. - L'amour toujoure - Dec. 25, 1957".Similar watches are published in "Patek Philippe Genève, Wristwatches", by Martin Huber and Alan Banbery, 1998, pp. 318-319, and in "Collecting Patek Philippe Watches" by M. and O. Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, Genova, 2000, pp. 314, 315, and 317.What is a Minute Repeater?A minute repeating watch tells the time both visually and audibly. A slide on the side of the case, usually near the 9, will activate two hammers in the movement. These hammers strike two gongs curled within the case. First one hammer strikes a gong of lower tonality; it will count out the hours. Then both hammers will strike both gongs alternatively to count out the quarter hours after that hour, and then the second hammer alone striking a gong of higher tonality will count out the minutes aftethat quarter hour. The repeating mechanism was developed by Daniel Quare. In 1687, he had patented a mechanism that sounded the hours and the quarter hours. The early repeaters used bells. At the end of the 18th century, two bent-wire gongs became the more popular mechanism. In 1892, the first minute repeater wristwatch was produced by Omega, a model with a round-shaped case.