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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin, spare 18K gold glazed snap on back number 4'261'703, spare 18K gold deployant clasp, leather file containing information and images of reference 5079 "George Pragnell Ltd", original fitted wooden presentation box and outer packaging, embossed with the commemorative inscription 50 Golden Years 1954 George Pragnell 2004.
The present watch has never been offered in public before and is in unused condition as still sealed in the original plastic pouch. It is furthermore the first example of this limited edition series to appear at auction to date.
This watch is from the extremely small series of only five reference 5079 wristwatches fitted with a black dial and gold Breguet numerals made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of George Pragnell Ltd. in 2004.
George Pragnell Ltd.
Situated only a few hundred yards from Shakespeare's birthplace in the centre of Stratford upon Avon, George Pragnell Ltd., one of the largest jeweller and retailer of the worlds most prestigious watch brands outside London, has been offering the country's most precious range of finest timepieces, gems and jewellery.
Headed by Jeremy Pragnell, son of the founder George who opened the business in 1954, the showrooms at numbers 5 and 6 Wood Street have been sympathetically developed over the years and originally comprised four Tudor cottages. Much of the character still remains and charming features such as the wooden beams and Jacobean ceiling add to a truly unique atmosphere.
Pragnell and Patek Philippe are connected by a very special relationship: some 35 years ago, Jeremy Pragnell trained with the renowned jeweller Christ in Frankfurt. With his earnings he ordered a Patek Philippe "Calatrava" wristwatch which was personally delivered to him by a certain Mr. Philippe Stern, today the owner and President of Patek Philippe.
Reference 5079
Introduced into the market in 2001, the standard version of this reference was made with a white enamel dial and black Roman numerals. Reference 5079 is fitted with the ingenious calibre R 27 PS that impresses not only by its remarkable number of 342 parts but also by Patek Philippe's masterly performance of combining a micro-rotor and minute repeating mechanism in a proportionally small 12 1/2''' movement.
It is furthermore incorporating a "Cathedral" repeating mechanism, consisting of a high-tone and a low-tone gong. When the repeating is activated, first the numbers of hours are stroke by means of one of the two hammers on the low-tone gong, followed by the quarter hours with double strikes on both the low-tone and the high-tone gong, and finally the number of minutes which have elapsed since the last quarter-hour with one hammer on the high-tone gong.
The length of the gong in a standard repeating mechanism corresponds to almost precisely one turn in the movement whereas those of the "Cathedral" mechanism exceed the case circumference by at least one and a half, even two turns. Consequently, a much richer and fuller timbre is achieved, resembling the chime of the bells of a cathedral.
Reference 5079 is not in production anymore.
The present watch has never been offered in public before and is in unused condition as still sealed in the original plastic pouch. It is furthermore the first example of this limited edition series to appear at auction to date.
This watch is from the extremely small series of only five reference 5079 wristwatches fitted with a black dial and gold Breguet numerals made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of George Pragnell Ltd. in 2004.
George Pragnell Ltd.
Situated only a few hundred yards from Shakespeare's birthplace in the centre of Stratford upon Avon, George Pragnell Ltd., one of the largest jeweller and retailer of the worlds most prestigious watch brands outside London, has been offering the country's most precious range of finest timepieces, gems and jewellery.
Headed by Jeremy Pragnell, son of the founder George who opened the business in 1954, the showrooms at numbers 5 and 6 Wood Street have been sympathetically developed over the years and originally comprised four Tudor cottages. Much of the character still remains and charming features such as the wooden beams and Jacobean ceiling add to a truly unique atmosphere.
Pragnell and Patek Philippe are connected by a very special relationship: some 35 years ago, Jeremy Pragnell trained with the renowned jeweller Christ in Frankfurt. With his earnings he ordered a Patek Philippe "Calatrava" wristwatch which was personally delivered to him by a certain Mr. Philippe Stern, today the owner and President of Patek Philippe.
Reference 5079
Introduced into the market in 2001, the standard version of this reference was made with a white enamel dial and black Roman numerals. Reference 5079 is fitted with the ingenious calibre R 27 PS that impresses not only by its remarkable number of 342 parts but also by Patek Philippe's masterly performance of combining a micro-rotor and minute repeating mechanism in a proportionally small 12 1/2''' movement.
It is furthermore incorporating a "Cathedral" repeating mechanism, consisting of a high-tone and a low-tone gong. When the repeating is activated, first the numbers of hours are stroke by means of one of the two hammers on the low-tone gong, followed by the quarter hours with double strikes on both the low-tone and the high-tone gong, and finally the number of minutes which have elapsed since the last quarter-hour with one hammer on the high-tone gong.
The length of the gong in a standard repeating mechanism corresponds to almost precisely one turn in the movement whereas those of the "Cathedral" mechanism exceed the case circumference by at least one and a half, even two turns. Consequently, a much richer and fuller timbre is achieved, resembling the chime of the bells of a cathedral.
Reference 5079 is not in production anymore.