Patek Philippe
Reference 482 Gondolo | A yellow gold and sapphire-set square shaped wristwatch, Made in 1951
Auction Closed
December 8, 10:03 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 20,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Dial: silvered
Caliber: 10'''200 mechanical, 18 jewels
Movement number: 986'869
Case: 18k yellow gold and sapphire-set, snap on case back
Case number: 668'659
Closure: 18k yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle
Size: 33.5 x 25 mm
Signed: case, dial, and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming the year of Manufacture in 1951 and the date of sale on 18 March 1952
The alluring case design of the Reference 482, with its allusions to the Art Deco and Modernist movements punctuated by the square-cut sapphire indices, is a visual symbol of Patek Philippe's mastery of the intersection of art, design and mechanical engineering.
Possessing both form and function, the 482 was introduced in 1936 and ceased production in 1952. According to research, fewer than ten examples of this model have appeared at auction.
The case was crafted by none other than Markowski, Patek Philippe's case maker of choice for executing the most complex case architectures. Identifiable by the Geneva Key No. 8 stamped on the inside case back, our present 482 joins the ranks of other unusually shaped and beautifully crafted references such as the Gilbert Albert 3424 and the 1450 Top Hat.
For a similar example, see Huber & Banbery, Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Vol. 2, Second Edition, p. 156, pl. 234.