Patek Philippe
Retailed by Asprey: Reference 4117/1G | A white gold and diamond-set bracelet watch with butterfly wings dial and bracelet | Made in 1973
Auction Closed
April 3, 04:38 PM GMT
Estimate
50,000 - 100,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: butterfly wing
Calibre: cal. 13.5 manual winding, 20 jewels
Movement number: 1'248'178
Case: 18k white gold and diamond-set, snap-on case back
Case number: 2'714'462
Closure: 18k white gold, butterfly wings and diamond-set Patek Philippe bracelet and locking clasp
Size: 25 mm diameter, bracelet circumference approximately 170 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: Patek Philippe travel pouch, extract from the archives confirming date of sale August 1973
Please note that Sotheby's is not able to assist buyers with the shipment of any lots containing restricted materials into the US. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or a sale's cancellation.
Patek Philippe ref. 4117/1G - Feathers of the Future
Just as no two stars in space are alike, no two dials are alike with the Patek Philippe 4117/G. As if plucked from the pastel hues of Neptune, this rarity takes a familiar face, the reference 4117, and diverts its design codes.
Going from galactic to extragalactic, a charismatic dial reveals previously preserved wings from the Morpho Menelaus butterfly. Regarded for its vivid wingspan, each intricately differing from organism to organism, these delicate planes transcend beyond the dial and continue into a diamond-set bracelet.
This cosmic creation was designed around 1973. Examples are few and far between – even more so for the ones signed by the British luxury retailer Asprey, known for offering some of the world’s most ethereal timepieces. Asprey provenance only makes this exotic timepiece even more thrilling. Where will this rare insect fly next?