Patek Philippe
Reference 5033-012 Gondolo | A platinum automatic 'Cathedral' minute repeating annual calendar wristwatch, Circa 2012
Auction Closed
September 15, 03:12 PM GMT
Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Reference 5033-012 Gondolo
A platinum automatic 'Cathedral' minute repeating annual calendar wristwatch, Circa 2012
Dial: black with guilloché center
Caliber: cal. R27 PS QA automatic, 44 jewels
Movement number: 3'718'000
Case: platinum, snap on sapphire display back
Case number: 4'484'119
Closure: platinum Patek Philippe buckle
Size: 51 x 39 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: yes
Papers: yes
Accessories: Patek Philippe winding presentation box with outer packaging, Certificate of Origin dated May 15, 2013, product literature in large leather portfolio, leather bi-fold, booklets, an additional sealed solid case back, sealed hang tag and setting pin
Patek Philippe produced their first minute repeating wristwatch in 1924 and have continued to impress with their innovative designs and craftsmanship since. Given the complexity and skill required to perfect these movements, it is little surprise that for many years from the late 1950’s thought the early 1980’s, no repeating wristwatch could be found in the Patek Philippe catalog. The acoustic quality of Patek Philippe wristwatches with minute repeaters is undoubtedly impressive, however, because wristwatches are generally small objects, their gongs are correspondingly small, limiting the richness of the chimes. It was with this in mind that in the early 2000’s, Patek Philippe developed a new movement with cathedral gongs. While traditional gongs circle the movement once, meaning their length is almost the perimeter of the movement, cathedral gongs are nearly twice as long. The result is the production of a richer chime, with a longer reverberation, and more musicality.
The Patek Philippe Reference 5033 was first introduced to the market in 2002 and remained in production until 2012. Encased exclusively in a platinum, the first 10 examples featured silver dials and painted roman numerals alongside a ‘unique’ example cased in titanium. In 2004, the reference was updated and the dials no longer featured roman numerals and instead sported applied drop hour markers. In 2010, it became available in black and around 20 pieces are thought to have been made, named the 5033P-012, such as the present lot being offered. According to scholarship, around 80 pieces of reference 5033P were produced in the various configurations.
Presented in excellent overall condition with a subliminal chime and further accompanied by the full set of accessories that came with the watch when it was purchased by the original owner, it is highly attractive. An incredible opportunity for collectors of minute repeating wristwatches to acquire an underappreciated and incredibly rare minute repeating wristwatch with an annual calendar complication.