Patek Philippe & Co.

Despite The Great Depression, the 1930s saw a revitalization of Swiss watch making and design with many interesting case shapes that continued into the 1940s and 50s. The Swiss Precious Metal Act of 1933 solidified consumer protection and supply chain control in the watch industry by requiring all jewelers and case makers to file their Poinçons de Maître (maker’s marks) Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. Genevan Poinçons de Maître were registered as a pictogram of a key. Each number in the key corresponded to a different case maker in the city.

One of the case makers behind many of Patek Philippe’s rare and collectible designs from the period was Markowski, represented by Geneva Key No. 8, who along with our present Reference 1450, was responsible for crafting the Reference 3424 Gilbert Albert, and the Reference 2442 Marilyn Monroe. The cases that came out of Markowski’s workshop are noted to have been exceptionally executed in terms of the complexity of the design despite simplicity in form.

The Reference 1450, lovingly referred to as the Top Hat by collectors, was first introduced in 1940 and produced until the 1960s. The distinguishing factor of the Reference 1450, are the hooded lugs which resemble a geometric top hat. Interestingly, some Italian collectors refer to the 1450 as ‘Cinesino’ because of the case’s resemblance to a Pagoda. Indeed, one can kind of see the slight resemblance to the Tank Chinoise with both models bearing their iconic hooded lugs. The case architecture coupled with its dome-shaped crystal is a symbol of Patek Philippe’s creativity and mid-Century design that tips its hat to geometric art deco aesthetics that preceded it.

The Reference 1450 was cased in yellow, white, and pink gold, and in platinum. Approximately 425 examples of the Reference 1450 are believed to have been crafted in pink gold, out of which only about a third is accompanied by the highly coveted salmon colored dial, making this 'Pink on Pink' example extremely rare and desirable.