PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH
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On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT wil… Read more PATEK PHILIPPEWHITE GOLD REF. 2526
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENEVE, REF. 2526, MOVEMENT NO. 762'008, CASE NO. 688'732, MANUFACTURED IN 1955

Details
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENEVE, REF. 2526, MOVEMENT NO. 762'008, CASE NO. 688'732, MANUFACTURED IN 1955
Movement: Cal. 12-600 AT, automatic
Dial: Silvered with diamod-set hour markers
Case: 35 mm. diam.
With: 18k white gold Patek Philippe buckle, Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with gold lapped indexes and 4/4 diamond hour markers in 1955 and its subsequent sale on 8 June 1956
Remark: Only 20 pieces known in white gold
Special notice
On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT will be charged at 7.7% on both the premium as well as the hammer price. This watch offered for sale is pictured with straps made of endangered or protected animal materials such as alligator or crocodile. These endangered species straps are shown for display purposes only and are not for sale. Christie’s will remove and retain the strap prior to shipment from the sale site. At some sale sites, Christie’s may, at its discretion, make the displayed endangered species strap available to the buyer of the lot free of charge if collected in person from the sale site within 1 year of the date of the sale. Please check with the department for details on a particular lot.

Lot Essay

This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.

The present watch is without doubt one of the finest examples of the reference 2526 in white gold to be seen on the market for some considerable time. The diamond-set dial is both a true rarity and exquisitely beautiful, bestowing the watch with an entirely ‘ice-white’ aesthetic.

The white gold reference 2526 is in fact the rarest of all the versions of this classic model, even rarer on the market than platinum. Although 70 examples in white gold and 70 in platinum were made, according to research, only around 20 white gold examples have been so far discovered, whereas 24 platinum watches are now known publicly.

The true glory of the present watch is the wonderful Extract confirmed diamond-set dial which cannot fail to impress even the most astute and knowledgeable of collectors. Highly appealing, the metallic dial plate – in contrast to the ivory-coloured enamel dials usually associated with this reference, is applied with round diamond-set square numerals at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock and a baguette diamond numeral at 12 o'clock. It is believe that only 10 pieces in white gold features this dial variation.

While off-white enamel dials are usually seen on examples of the reference 2526, metallic dials are known to have been used for special orders or diamond-set examples, which needed to be more robust than their enamel counterparts. With its attractive combination of a state of the art movement, the white gold case and supremely elegant diamond-set dial, the present watch is a superb trophy for the collector of vintage Patek Philippe.

Reference 2526
The cases of the reference 2526 were all made by the Geneva master casemaker F. Baumgartner, whose punch mark of number 2 in a key is found inside the back. The most distinguishing features of the 2526 case are its screw back for water-resistance and the beautiful cast gold crown with opposing “PP” design.

With its attractive combination of a state of the art movement, the white gold case and highly attractive metal dial, the present watch is a superb trophy for the collector of vintage Patek Philippe.

Other examples of reference 2526 are illustrated in : Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, first edition pp. 168-169, second edition pp. 213, 216-217.

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