Patek Philippe

Christie's Geneva, 10 November 2013, lot 267

Patek Philippe’s entire lineage of perpetual calendar chronographs starts with the reference 1518 launched in 1941, produced during and after World War II, at the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel. The reference was not only Patek Philippe’s first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch, but the first of its kind from any brand, earning the reference its well-deserved place in horological history and setting the standard of haute horology for the decades to come.

In accordance with period tastes, Patek Philippe cased the majority of the 281 total examples of the reference in yellow gold, while only 58 examples believed to have been cased in pink gold. However, the present pink gold is fitted with a special two-tone silvered dial variant and is the only one known on any reference 1518. The inner circle, reserved for the chronograph scale calibrated for the 5^th of a second is more silver than the outer section with a tachymetre scale, but also the center of the dial with the applied pink gold Arabic numerals. Consequently, pending the angle of the light, the silver ring may shine lighter and darker than the other segments of the dial.

With the Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised gold hour markers in 1950 and its subsequent sale on December 16,1952, the present lot still retains its charismatic hard enamel signature and the case with strong hallmarks to the band and underneath the lug. This watch presents an incredible opportunity to own a well-preserved, rare and historic Patek Philippe wristwatch.