Patek Philippe

Prior to 1949,  Cloisonné decoration on dials was usually reserved for pocket watches.  However, techniques improved to such a degree that they could be fitted to a wristwatch.  Each dial was constructed by laying a pattern of thin gold filaments onto the dial. 

Crushed colored enamel would then be added into the sections where appropriate and fired at a temperature of 1800F until fused. Patek Philippe produced a variety of high quality wristwatches with brightly colored dials.  The present lot is no exception.  The tropical dial as it is famously known was a particular  favorite  theme and only a handful today are known. The dials made by Stern Freres, see  Dr. Helmut Crott, Le Cadran, pp. 239-247, for a Stern Freres drawing of a Tropical see Op.Cit., p.245    Of particular note is that no two dials were identical. The differences are nuances of placement of the elements. For examples of other Patek Philippe wristwatches with Cloisonné dials showing similar scenes see Patek Philippe Museum, Patek Philippe Watches, Vol. II, 2013,Vol.II, p. 363.

Patek Philippe used the ref. 2481, also known as “King Size” was used for the majority of their cloisonné dialed watches.  The reference was launched in 1950 at the same time the cloisonné dial emerges. Measuring at 37 mm, it was the largest watch produced by Patek Philippe at that time. The watches were fitted with the caliber 27 SC and was considered the best sweep seconds watch on the market at the time.