Patek Philippe

gilt movement with moustache lever and wolf's tooth winding, bi-metallic compensation balance, silvered dial, pink gilt chapter ring with black enamel Arabic and baton numerals, pink gold feuille hands, engine turned subsidiary seconds with blued steel hand, steel circular case, chamfered bezel engraved 'Taos 1935-1937', pink gold hoods to the T-bar lugs, large sunken crown, case, dial and movement signed, accompanied by Patek Philippe presentation case, Certificate of Origin and an Extract from the Archives

The accompanying Extract from the Patek Philippe Archives confirms that the movement of this wristwatch was manufactured in 1928, cased and completed in 1937, and sold on April 8th the same year.

The current lot is one of only three steel and pink gold reference 453 wristwatches identified from the market.  Under the case number an additional number '5' is stamped, this is usually an indication that the watch was produced as part of a small series, perhaps totalling no more than a few dozen.  

Reference 453 appears to have been made for a short period of time between 1935 and 1938. The rarity of the present lot is enhanced by its exceptional three-tone dial and the fact that it retains its original certificate and presentation case.

TAOS was an Association of American Indian Affairs between 1935 and 1937.