Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 79

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 860183, case No. 4178996, Ref. 96. Made in 1937, sold on December 16, 1937. Unique and exceptional, astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman?s wristwatch with retrograde perpetual calendar and moon phases, with an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle, the first wristwatch with retrograde perpetual calendar ever created. Accompanied by the Extract of the Archives.

CHF 1 - 1

EUR 1 - 1

Sold: CHF 1,433,500

C. three-body, solid, polished and brushed, flat bezel, concave lugs D. matte silver with applied yellow gold Roman numerals and painted indexes, inner retrograde graduation for the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases, auxiliary seconds dial. Yellow gold hands and "Feuille" blued steel hands for the retrograde calendar. M. Cal. 11''', rhodium-plated, "fausses-côtes" decoration, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 30 mm.


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Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

This watch is highly important in the history of complicated wristwatches. It is the only Patek Philippe wristwatch known to be made with a retrograde perpetual calendar before the recent reintroduction on the market of such mechanisms. It is also one of the first Patek Philippe wristwatches fitted with a perpetual calendar. Patek Philippe produced their first wristwatch with perpetual calendar in 1925; it had three auxiliary dials, with a classic display and was adapted from a lady's pendant watch dating from the year 1898 and was sold on October 13, 1927. The present watch is of capital importance due to its perpetual retrograde feature. The retrograde system offers a larger circumference for the indications and therefore enhanced clarity. The idea of retrograde display was, however, abandoned by the firm because the return of the hands was not completely reliable. The idea was not reintroduced until 1989, with references 5013, 5016 and 5050, today?s more advanced technology finally permitting its application with sufficient precision. The resulting clarity is indeed striking. Recently, Mr. Philippe Stern, president of Patek Philippe, suggested that the present watch (whose case had undergone a number of restorations) be recased, in an exceptional and well-justified decision based on the watch?s great historical importance. The new case, No. 4.178.996, is identical to the original one, No. 294.824. It is for this reason that we are able to present this exceptional and unique watch, one of the milestones of modern horology, as it was originally created by Patek Philippe. This wristwatch is published in "Patek Philippe Wristwatches", by Martin Huber and Alan Banbery, 1998 Edition , p. 281.