Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
Geneva, Oct 04, 2009
LOT 403
Ref. 2526 Patek Philippe, Genève, movement No. 762189, case No. 691229, Ref. 2526, 2nd generation. Made in 1955, sold on August 2nd, 1956. Very fine and rare, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives. To be sold without reserve
CHF 15,000 - 20,000
USD 14,000 - 19,000 / EUR 10,000 - 13,000
Sold: CHF 19,800
C. Two-body, solid, polished and brushed, screweddown case back, concave lugs. D. Off-white softenamel with applied yellow gold indexes, auxiliary seconds dial, outer minute division. Yellow gold dauphine hands. M. Cal. 12???-600 AT, stamped with the Seal of Geneva, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 30 jewels, straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted for heat, cold, isochronisms and five positions, shock-absorber, selfcompensating Breguet balance spring, swan neck index regulator,18K gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 11 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-24-01 |
Good Slightly chipped HANDS Original |
Notes
First launched by Patek Philippe in 1953, this was the first self-winding wristwatch model ever made by the company, with the caliber 12'''- 600 AT, bearing the serial number 760,000. It would appear that Patek Philippe produced the Ref. 2526 in 580 examples, mostly with an enamel dial. The latest automatic movement by Patek Philippe at the time, it became the Ref. 3428. The Ref. 2526 is a most appealing wristwatch and is highly sought-after by collectors. There have been four generations of this model which have evolved as follows: - 1st generation: domed screw back, 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, 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 a very few examples were made with a black dial and even fewer with Breguet numerals. - 3rd generation: identical to the 2nd generation but with a practically flat screw back. Very few examples of this series were produced with a black dial, and only one with a black dial and Breguet numerals is known to date. - 4th generation: practically flat screw back, 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. Similar watches are published in "Patek Philippe Wristwatches,? by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998, pp. 213-214 and 216-217.