Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe

Reference 942/2

A unique and massive yellow gold two-train grande and petite sonnerie minute repeating perpetual calendar split seconds chronograph openface clock watch with moon phases, 24 hour, leap year indication and enamel dial, Made in 1993

Dial: white enamel, Roman numerals, blued steel hands, subsidiary dials indicating moon phases combined with 30-minute register, month in French combined with leap year indication, constant seconds combined with date, day combined with 24 hour indication

Calibre: cal. 20''' Grande Complication two-train nickel lever movement, bi-directional winding, cut bi-metallic compensation balance, striking and repeating on two steel gongs, stamped with the Seal of Geneva, 44 jewels

Movement number: 866'783

Case: 18k yellow gold, chamfered stepped bezels, strike or silent selector, grande and petite sonnerie selector, minute repeater slide, chronograph button in pendant and split seconds button with corresponding lock, hinged cuvette

Case number: 2'837'636

Size: 60 mm diameter

Signed: case, dial, movement and cuvette

Accessories: Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin, setting pin, product literature, instruction manual, portfolio, presentation stand and presentation box. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1993 and its subsequent sale on 7 June 2012

The Reference 942/2 is among the very few modern complication pocket watches produced by Patek Philippe in the 1980s. This series was a re-edition by the late honorary president Philippe Stern, based on an important vintage pocket watch from the museum. The entire series produced about 15 pieces, with movement numbers ranging from 866'770 to 866'784. All movements are Cal. 20''' GC, "20" denotes the calibre size, approximately 45 mm in diameter, while "GC" stands for Grand Complication. Generally, “GC” includes a perpetual calendar, split seconds chronograph, and minute repeater, but the Cal. 20''' GC further enhances its appeal with a sonnerie function, which is considered one of the most complex complications in horology.

After the 1940s, due to high production costs and the rising popularity of wristwatches, the sonnerie function completely disappeared from watch catalogues. It was not until 40 years later that Patek Philippe, through the Cal. 20''' GC, brought this important complication back to public attention. To this day, the Cal. 20''' GC remains the only modern grand complication pocket watch movement.

Unlike superficial re-editions, the new movement faithfully reproduces the original calibre made in 1908, down to the smallest details, such as the counterweights on the pallet fork and the bi-metallic balance wheel. Every component is finished to Patek Philippe's highest standards, and the entire assembly and adjustment process was carried out from start to finish by a single master watchmaker of the brand's highest rank. Such a meticulous approach is unimaginable in the era of mass-produced wristwatches.

The 15 movements of the Cal. 20''' GC took a total of 10 years to produce, while their sales spanned more than 30 years. It is evident that these movements were offered only to Patek Philippe's most important clients at the time. This sales model followed the same approach used by Patek Philippe a century earlier: the movements were produced first, and the brand then carefully selected its clients. Since the cases and dials had to be custom-made following prior consultation with each client, almost every pocket watch based on the Cal. 20''' GC was assigned a different reference number.

The Reference 942/2 not only perfectly showcases Patek Philippe's technical and functional mastery, but also bridges the brand's heritage from past to present. It occupies a significant place in Patek Philippe's history and is a truly collectible treasure.