Important Watches and Wristwatches

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Lot 44
  • 44

Patek Philippe

Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 CHF
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Description

  • retailed by Le Palais Royal, Havana, 1945, no.863.591, ref.533; a fine and very rare pink gold chronograph wristwatch with two-tone dial, register and telemeter
  • diameter 33mm
18k, damascened nickel lever movement, 23 jewels, mono-metallic compensation balance, 8 adjustments, precision regulator, silvered two-tone dial signed for the retailer Le Palais Royal, Habana [sic], applied arabic and baton numerals, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30-minute register, outer scale calibrated for telemeter, circular case with flat polished bezel, down-turned lugs, case, dial and movement signed, accompanied by an Extract from the Archives.

Catalogue Note

THE TELEMETRIC DIAL

Of the major vintage reference Patek Philippe chronographs (refs. 130, 530, 533, 591 and 1579), all are usually found with outer tachymetric scales. Patek Philippe chronographs with telemetric scales are exceptionally rare. Indeed, to the best of our knowledge, the present wristwatch is the only reference 533 known with only a telemetric scale and not combination scales.

The rarity of the dial is further enhanced by its silvered two-tone finish. The outer brighter dial tone holds the telemetric scale. At the base of the dial, an unusual retailer's name (Palais Royal, Habana [sic]) is signed.

EXTRACT FROM THE ARCHIVES

The accompanying Extract from the Patek Philippe Archives confirms that this wristwatch was manufactured in 1945 and sold on May 15th, 1946.

Production of reference 533 began in 1937 and ceased around 1957.