Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 159

Patek, Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 866772, case No. 2807602, Ref. 935, enamel painted by G. Menni, made and sold in 1984.Magnificent and unique large 18K gold hunting-cased Grande Complication, astronomical, Grande et Petite Sonnerie Clockwatch with minute-repeating, split-seconds chronograph with instantaneous 30-minute register and instantaneous perpetual calendar with phases of the moon. Made to special order with two finely painted on enamel miniature portraits. Accompanied by original gold and enamel stand, original leather fitted box and certificate, Geneva Quality control certificate dated June 25, 1984, aninstruction manual.

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C.Four-body, "bassine", front and back finely painted on enamel with the miniature portraits of a young lady and a young gentleman, gold hinged glazed cuvette with sapphire glass, pushbutton for the split-seconds at 2 o'clock, chronograph safety bolt at 2:30, switch from petite to grande sonnerie at 6:30, silent/striking switch at 11:30. Heavy lyre-shaped gold and translucent brown enamel stand. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, outermost chronograph track, four subsidiarsunk dials for days of the week, date, months, phases of the moon and moon's age concentric with minute register, subsidiary seconds concentric with date. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 45 mm. (20'''), Cal. GC, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 44 jewels, adjusted to 5 positions, temperature and isochronism, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, "swan-neck" micrometric regulator, punched twice with seal of Geneva quaity mark, repeating on gongs by tripping a small slide in the band.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 60 mm.


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Case: 1
Movement: 1
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

In the 1980's Patek Philippe decided to make a very small number of "Grande Complication" watches the way they made them a hundred years earlier. No. 866776 was introduced by Patek Philippe in their 1993 catalogue, p. 28. Each piecewas slightly different, but all were based on the same 20''' movement. All are superbly finished and all bear testimony to the continuation of the famous Patek Philippe tradition of their capability to provide the best in highly complicated timepieces. The "Grande Coplication" hunting-cased watch was made in only two examples.The artist G. Menni has worked with Patek, Philippe on a number of occasions for special projects. He is known for seascapes, landscapes, and portraits, all superbly executed.The Seal of Geneva Quality mark is a trademark of the Office of Geneva Control of Watches. It was established on November 6, 1886, amended several times with the largest change incorporated on December 10, 1955. Its function was to voluntarily control watches made in the Canton of Geneva. Paragraph 3 of the statues states that the watches awarded the Seal of Geneva Quality mark must "after examination prove to have a perfect mechanism to ensure regular and durable functioning".