Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

New York, Sep 24, 2003

LOT 242

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 761621, case No. 687391, Ref. 2526, third generation. Production of this reference started in 1953.Very fine and rare, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K pink gold gentleman's wristwatch. Accompanied by a fitted box and Extract from the Archives.

USD 27,000 - 32,000

EUR 24,000 - 29,000

Sold: USD 34,500

C. two-body, solid, polished, screwed down case back, concave lugs.D. off-white enamel with applied pink gold indexes, auxiliary seconds dial. "Dauphine" pink gold hands. M. Cal. 12-600 AT stamped with the Geneva Quality Hallmark, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 30 jewels, straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock-absorber, self-compensating free sprunng Breguet balance spring, micrometer regulator, 18K gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 36 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

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 enamel dial. The latest automatic movement by Patek Philippe at the time, it became the Ref. 3428::-20 examples in platinum.-30 examples in white gold.-50 examples in pink gold.-480 examples in yellow gold.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, 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 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, 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.The very first wristwatch of this series, Ref. 2526, which is also the first self-winding wristwatch ever made by Patek Philippe, is illustrated in "Collecting Patek Philippe Watches", by Madeleine and Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, Genova, 2000, p. 127. Similar watches are published in "Patek Philippe Wristwatches", by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998, pp. 213-214 and 216-217.