Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 18, 1997

LOT 635

Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, No. 760439, case No. 681486, Ref. 2526, circa 1953. Very fine waterproof, self-winding, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch.

CHF 16,000 - 20,000

C. massive, polished, screwed back. D. white enamel with applied gold indexes + auxiliary seconds dial. "Dauphine" gold hands. M. 12"'-600 AT Geneva Quality Hall Mark, rhodium plated, "fausses cotes" decoration, 30 jewels, lever escapement, Giromax balance adjusted to heat, cold isochronism and 5 positions, antishock system, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator, 18K gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good

Case: 1

As new

Movement: 1

As new

Dial: 21-51

Period

Partially reprinted

Notes

Ref. 2526 First launched by Patek Philippe in 1953, was the first self-winding wristwatch model ever made by the House. The very first wristwatch of this series is illustrated in the book by Madeleine and Osvaldo Patrizzi in Collecting Patch Philippe Watches, Guido Mondani Editore, Geneva, 1994, p. 111, pl. 167. It would appear that Patek Philippe produced the Ref. 2526 in 580 examples. - 20 examples in platinum. - 30 examples in pink gold. - 50 examples in white gold. - 480 examples in yellow gold. The Ref. 2526 is a most appealing wristwatch and highly sought after by collectors. There have been four generations of this model which have evolved as follows: - 1st generation: domed screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial with applied indexes. The enamel is flared around the holes which hold the indexes, the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand. - 2nd generation: domed screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial with applied indexes. The indexes are inlaid in the enamel surface; the enamel is flared around the holes which hold the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand. In this particular series, only very few examples were made with black dial and even fewer with Breguet numerals. - 3rd generation: identical to the 2nd generation but with practically flat screw back. Very few examples of this series were produced with black dial, and only one with black dial and Breguet numerals is known to date. - 4th generation: practically flat screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial with applied indexes. The indexes are luminescent and inlaid in the enamel surface; the enamel is flared around the holes which hold the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand.