Patek Philippe & Co., Genève

18k, damascened nickel lever movement, 23 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, 8 adjustments, precision regulator, pink matte dial, applied pink gold arabic and disc numerals, apertures for day and month, three subsidiary dials indicating constant seconds, 30-minute register and date combined with phases of the moon, outer ring calibrated for tachometer, circular case with concave bezel and down-turned lugs, case, dial and movement signed, accompanied by an Extract from the Patek Philippe Archives.

The accompanying Extract from the Patek Philippe Archives confirms that this watch was manufactured in 1948 and sold on March 19th the following year.

For a note on the reference 1518 see lot 104.

Produced in yellow gold, pink gold and stainless steel, the reference 1518 most often appears in yellow gold.  Very difficult to find in pink gold, the current example's rarity is heightened by the incorporation of a pink dial and its remarkable condition which is highly unusual for a watch of this vintage. A similar example bearing movement number 867.368 (7 numbers prior to the present watch) and also dating to 1948, was offered at Phillips Geneva, May 13th, 2002, lot 162. Both watches were sold within a month of each other. A further very similar example is illustrated in Negretti, G., De Vecchi, P., Patek Philippe, 1999, pp.108-109.   

"Today this model [1518] is one of the most sought after and highly valued collectors wristwatches of all time." Huber, M., Banbery, A., Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Vol.2, Second Edition, p.73.