Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 151

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 761735, case No. 687422, Ref. 2526 A, 2nd generation, completed in 1955, sold on December 14, 1955. Production of this reference started in 1953. Very fine and rare, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K pink gold gentleman's wristwatch with an 18K pink gold Patek Philippe bracelet especially designed for Ref. 2526, model A, composed of 17 oval links joined by triple links. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 140,000 - 180,000

EUR 91,000 - 117,000

Sold: CHF 157,500

C. two-body, solid, polished, screwed-down slightly domed case back, concave lugs. D. black enamel with inlaid pink gold baton indexes, auxiliary seconds dial. Pink gold "Dauphine" 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 Breguet balance-spring, micrometric regulator,18K "guilloché" yellow gold rotor.Dial, case, and movement signed.Diam. 35 mm.Approx. overall length 195 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3

Good
Dial: 3 - 01-

Notes

Ref. 2526 : 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, and became the ref. 3428. For reference 2526, Patek Philippe offered the choice of 9 different types of gold bracelet. In different colors of gold or in platinum, they were designated by letters from A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and K and were made by Gay Frères and Ponti Gennari. 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. Similar wristwatches are 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.