Fine Watches

Fine Watches

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 383. Montre de poche en or jaune |  Yellow gold open-faced pocket watch     Vers 1892 |  Circa 1892.

Property of the family of the original owner

Patek Philippe

Montre de poche en or jaune | Yellow gold open-faced pocket watch Vers 1892 | Circa 1892

Lot Closed

March 28, 01:34 PM GMT

Estimate

3,000 - 5,000 EUR

Lot Details

Description

Patek, Philippe & Co

 

Montre de poche en or jaune |

Yellow gold open-faced pocket watch

 

Vers 1892 |

Circa 1892

 

Cadran: blanc

Calibre: cal. remontage manuel, rubis

Numéro de mouvement: 2474, 581

Boîtier: or jaune 18K (750°/00), cuvette articulée et fond

Numéro de boîtier: 34'581

Dimensions: 41 mm

Signé: boîtier

Ecrin: non

Papiers: non

Accessoires: aucun

 

Dial: white

Calibre: cal. manual winding, jeweled

Movement number: 2474, 581

Case: 18k yellow gold, hinged cuvette and back

Case number: 34'581

Size: 41 mm

Signed: case

Box: no 

Papers: no  

Accessories: none

 

Poids brut 59.10 g |

Gross weight 59.10 g

This Patek Philippe has an extraordinary history.

It is presented on behalf of the Philippe family, which has been preciously looking after this treasure until today.

Instead of the usual signature, the enamel dial bears the name Louis Bénassy.

Since the work was not recorded, an Extract from the Archives could not be delivered for the watch. However, this does not detract from the hugely important provenance of this timepiece.

Furthermore, the case is signed and the three last digits of the case numbers are repeated on the movement, which is finished at the typical Patek Philippe's standards, including wolf tooth wheels.

 

Louis Antoine Adrien Bénassy was born on August 23rd 1880 and was the second child and the first son of Joseph Antoine Bénassy and Louise Philippe.

Louise was the daugther of Adrien Philippe, co-founder of Patek Philippe and Joseph Antoine Bénassy replaced Antoine Norbert de Patek as commercial director of the company after he passed away.

As the eldest son, Louis was raised as the future heir of his father.

According to family documents, he went to school to the catholic college of Champitet in Lausanne.

He was also a highly skilled painter and poet writer.

While he had a bright future ahead, he sadly passed away at the age of 20. After the Fête de l'Escalade, a highly popular festival taking place every year on December 12th since 1602 as a memory and celebration of proud defence of Genevans from the attack of Duke of Savoy's army, he contracted a pulmonary tuberculosis and died a few months later.

This tragic episode, that changed the history of Patek Philippe, most probably explains the reason why this watch was kept so preciously within the family, as it was the most precious belonging of the young and beloved Louis.

The cuvette of the watch is engraved 'Louis Bénassy 1892'. At that time, Louis was 12 years old. That date corresponds to the year of his communion.

It was considered as an important step in life and a watch was, already at the time, the perfect present to celebrate it.

The young age of Louis when he received the watch explains the contained 41mm diameter of the piece, which could be translated as a 'boy size' in the wristwatch vocabulary.

At that time, his father was the commercial director of Patek Philippe and his grand father, Adrien Philippe was still present, and most probably, even from distance, still looking after the company he co-founded. One can easily imagine him sharing the story of how he developed the keyless system with his grand son after he received this fabulous present equipped with that technology.

 

A dial personalized with a name, instead of the Patek Philippe signature, is something truly exceptional. It is hard to think of any other piece like this one.

It demonstrates the importance of this watch to the Philippe-Bénassy family.

It also evokes that one day, Louis should have had been in charge of the company, if life did not decide otherwise.

Coming with an incredibly important and crystal clear provenance, this extremely rare watch is of historical and museum importance.

 

Sotheby’s is grateful to the descents of the family of the original owner of this timepiece for their precious assistance and sharing family archives and documentation.

On the last picture, Louis at the age of 18, second from the right, with his siblings, posing in the garden of their family house that was built built by his grand father in Champel, Geneva.