Not seen in public for twenty-two years, the present watch is the only known example of a 2nd series with luminous dial. Of all 349 reference 2499 made over 3 decades there are only 5 luminous examples known. 1 1st series, 2 3rd series, 1 transitional model and the current example. The rarity of the present example is enhanced further by the presence of the original Certificate of Origin dated 8^th March, 1958.

Retained in wonderfully well preserved condition, the dial shows a large area of yellow tarnish around the signature which is caused by the radium material inserted into the hands. This would indicate the hands have sat in a stationary position for a very long time indeed. Luminous dial vintage Patek Philippe watches are extremely rare. When one considers the number of luminous examples that exist within vintage complicated Patek Philippe, these examples can be counted in very small numbers. The luminous material still rendered on the present example reacts well to UV lighting and gives a very high reading on the Geiger counter.

The case is nicely preserved with very good fluting to the lugs, sharp hallmarks to the outer lug at 10 o’clock and between the bottom pusher and 5 o’clock. When this watch was first seen public in the year 2000 at Sotheby’s New York, the watch was consigned by the family of the original owner and passed to the current owner, with no use since the date of the original sale.

Reference 2499 is the second serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moonphases model launched by Patek Philippe. Introduced in 1950, it succeeded reference 1518 that was produced from 1941 to 1954. Both the 1518 and 2499 share the same 13 lignes chronograph calibre.

The first examples of reference 2499 date back to 1949/1950, and the reference was discontinued in 1985. The total production adds up to 349 pieces in yellow and pink gold, and 2 examples in platinum.

The 2499 is divided into 4 series. The first with tachometer scale and square chronograph pushers. The 2nd series, with tachometer scale and round chronograph pushers. The 3rd series without tachometer scale and round chronograph pushers and the 4th and last series is fitted with a sapphire crystal, no tachometer scale and round chronograph pushers.

20 年間未出現過市場，這枚型號 2499 是已知唯一備夜光物料的 2nd Series。型號 2499 在三十年間生產了 349 枚，當中只有五配備夜光物料。一枚 1st Series，兩枚 3rd Series，一枚過渡期範例，以及此錶。她附帶原廠證書，日期為 1958 年 3 月 8 日，更顯珍貴。

此錶品相超乎想象，錶盤於標誌附近有一部分呈現出黃色氧化痕跡，相信由指針内的放射物料導致。可推斷，指針在固定位置停留了好長的一段時間。備夜光錶盤的 vintage 百達翡麗時計絕無僅有。此錶的夜光物料仍然對紫外光作出反應，而在蓋格計數器上的讀數依然非常高。

錶殼保存得相當完好，錶耳上的坑槽輪廓分明，於錶耳 10 點外側及下按鈕 5 點位置的印記非常清晰。此錶在 2000 年於蘇富比紐約年初現拍場，由前任錶主的家族委售，到現任錶主手上還未曾被使用過。