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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1974 and its subsequent sale on 23 September 1974.
Purchased by the father of the present owner in 1974 and given to him as a gift, this watch has remained in the same family ever since. It has never been offered at auction before and is believed to be one of only six examples of reference 3448 in yellow gold and retailed by Tiffany & Co. to appear in public to date.
The rarity of this watch is furthermore enhanced by its unspoiled, original overall condition, showing oxidation traces to the case, a typical sign for watches which have not been used in a very long time. It has probably hardly ever been polished and is still retaining the original leather bracelet and gold buckle.
Reference 3448, introduced into the market in 1962, was at the time the first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. According to literature, a total of 586 examples were made, the majority in yellow gold cases. Few watches have been cased in white gold and only two examples in platinum are known to date.
Reference 3448 was fitted with the celebrated calibre 27-460, amongst the most sophisticated and lavish automatic movements ever made. It was later upgraded with Patek Philippe's patented perpetual calendar mechanism fitted on the movement plate underneath the dial and renamed 27-460 Q.
In 1981, reference 3450 (see lot 185 in this auction) was introduced into the market with the improved 27-460 QB (Quantième Bissextile) calibre. The model differs from its predecessor by the added leap year indication, the eccentric small window to 4 o'clock. The first series was made with a red disk and Arabic numerals, the second with Roman I, II, III and IIII leap year indication. A total of 244 examples of reference 3450 were made, the majority in yellow gold cases, only two in white gold are known to date.
Production of both reference 3448 and 3450 was discontinued in 1985 when reference 3940 was launched.
Reference 3448 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 288 and in Ore d'Oro by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, p. 45.
Purchased by the father of the present owner in 1974 and given to him as a gift, this watch has remained in the same family ever since. It has never been offered at auction before and is believed to be one of only six examples of reference 3448 in yellow gold and retailed by Tiffany & Co. to appear in public to date.
The rarity of this watch is furthermore enhanced by its unspoiled, original overall condition, showing oxidation traces to the case, a typical sign for watches which have not been used in a very long time. It has probably hardly ever been polished and is still retaining the original leather bracelet and gold buckle.
Reference 3448, introduced into the market in 1962, was at the time the first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. According to literature, a total of 586 examples were made, the majority in yellow gold cases. Few watches have been cased in white gold and only two examples in platinum are known to date.
Reference 3448 was fitted with the celebrated calibre 27-460, amongst the most sophisticated and lavish automatic movements ever made. It was later upgraded with Patek Philippe's patented perpetual calendar mechanism fitted on the movement plate underneath the dial and renamed 27-460 Q.
In 1981, reference 3450 (see lot 185 in this auction) was introduced into the market with the improved 27-460 QB (Quantième Bissextile) calibre. The model differs from its predecessor by the added leap year indication, the eccentric small window to 4 o'clock. The first series was made with a red disk and Arabic numerals, the second with Roman I, II, III and IIII leap year indication. A total of 244 examples of reference 3450 were made, the majority in yellow gold cases, only two in white gold are known to date.
Production of both reference 3448 and 3450 was discontinued in 1985 when reference 3940 was launched.
Reference 3448 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 288 and in Ore d'Oro by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, p. 45.