Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,Po...

New York, Mar 23, 2005

LOT 299

Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 762624, case No. 691288, Ref. 2526, third generation. Production of this refer-ence started in 1953. Very fine and rare, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K pink gold gentleman's wristwatch with a textured, 18K pink gold Patek Philippe link bracelet.

USD 55,000 - 75,000

EUR 43,000 - 60,000

Sold: USD 48,300

C. Two-body, solid, polished, screwed-down dedicated case back, rounded bezel, concave lugs.D. Off-white enamel with applied faceted pink gold indexes, subsidiary seconds dial. Pink gold "dauphine" hands.M. Cal. 12'''-600 AT, stamped with the Geneva Quality Hallmark, rhodium plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 30jewels, straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions,shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator, 18K gold rotor.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 35 mm. Thickness: 13 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

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, it became the Ref. 3428. The Ref. 2526 is a most appealing wristwatch and is highly sought-after by collectors. There have been four genera-tions 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. 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. For this reference, 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.