Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

New York, Jun 08, 2011

LOT 340

PATEK PHILIPPE - REF. 3448 - RETAILED BY HOWES Patek Philippe, Genève, movement No. 1119522, case No. 332890, Ref. 3448. Made in 1977, sold on October 18th, 1978. Very fine and rare, self-winding, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

USD 100,000 - 120,000

CHF 85,000 - 105,000 / EUR 70,000 - 80,000

Sold: USD 120,100

C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, inclined bezel, lapidated lugs, snap-on case back, sapphire crystal. D. Matte silver with applied yellow gold faceted baton and pyramidal indexes, outer dot minute division, subsidiary dial for the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. Yellow gold dauphine hands. M. Cal. 27-460 Q, stamped with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 37 jewels, straightline lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring, 18K yellow gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 37 mm. Thickness 11 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

This 3448 has remained in excellent original condition with little wear as displayed by the still visible 18k US gold stamp to the case reverse, similarly the Swiss hallmarks remain extremely crisp and the shoulders with good definition. Howes Brothers (later B.D. Howes and Sons) Founded circa 1880 in Clinton, Iowa, the brothers Edward and Benjamin Howes's shop specialized in Mississipi cultured pearls, jewelry, silver and watches. After Edward retired and embarked upon a career in politics, Benjamin moved to California and founded the B.D. Howes and Sons company. It developed to over 10 locations in California, Arizona and Hawaii.
Ref. 3448 Produced in 586 examples from 1962 to 1982, with the caliber 27-460 Q, the majority in yellow gold, rarely in pink or white gold. This series began with the serial number 1119000. Six watches of this reference are known to exist without the moon phases. During the 50's and 60's gold bracelets were fitted between lugs by means of a spring bar and were sold separately, thus not changing the reference of the watch. At the beginning of the 70's a new fashion was launched and more watches were proposed with an integrated gold bracelet. The Patek Phillipe reference then changed with an additional number after the four first digits, as follows: 3448/3, or 3448/15, and so on, depending on the bracelet design.