Lot Essay
Reference 1463 is one of the most highly prized vintage Patek Philippe chronographs on the market today. The ownership of a 1463 of any type is regarded as a statement of exclusivity and discernment. Christie’s is therefore delighted to present in this auction this superb and wonderfully original very rare late period yellow gold 1463. Furthermore, the caseback of the present watch bears an engraved dedication in Japanese “永田雅一 奈良先生” recording its fascinating provenance as a gift from Masaichi Nagata, President of Daiei Film to Mr. Nara, a teacher.
In production between 1940 and 1969, the present watch, made and sold in 1963, is part of the third series that started in 1961. What is immediately apparent is that the overall aesthetic is much simpler with plain baton indexes and straight hands and does not have the ‘chemin de fer’ minute track of earlier series watches with the effect that the dial appears larger to the eye. The present watch is a sublime example of this final series of the reference 1463, the dial is untouched and the indexes have aged to an even patina, the case retains full proportions with sharp bezel and lugs and the distinctive original large winding crown of this model. According to scholarship, 400 yellow gold reference 1463 were made and today 157 have been identified publicly.
Considered one the most beautifully designed chronographs of the mid-20th century, reference 1463 is Patek Philippe's regular production vintage chronograph model (aside from the 1563) with screw back case and round pushers. The third series case of the present watch displays flatter and less downturned lugs than earlier series watches and a large gold crown. Made by Taubert (formerly Fréres Borgel), it is water and dust resistant, a soft-iron dust cap also protects the movement. The overall look of this late example is simpler and does not feature the ‘chemin de fer’ outer track of earlier series watches. Reference 1463 is one of Patek Philippe’s all-time classics and one of the ultimate vintage chronographs for the collector to own.
The Dial
Made entirely by hand by Stern Frères, who had always worked very closely with Patek Philippe, being the only company with the know-how to make the perfect dials that were essential for their watches. In fact, Stern Frères dials for complicated watches were reserved almost exclusively for Patek Philippe who were additionally offered the first and exclusive choice on each new design or technique as it was developed. The present dial has engraved and enamelled decoration (signature, tachymeter, minutes/seconds scale and subsidiary dials). Once the features were engraved from a template, the enamellers would fill the engraved recesses with enamel and ‘fire’ the dial up to a temperature of around 900 degrees therefore rendering the details both permanent and impervious. Both registers are sunk, using an engraving machine and the gold applied baton indexes are cut, faceted and polished by all hand. The ‘short’ Patek Philippe signature is correct for a post-1948 watch.
The Case
Two-piece ‘water-resistant’ with screw-down back, made by Taubert, Geneva master case-maker whose mark of the number 11 within a key is punched on the interior of the back. Overall it is extremely very well preserved with clear hallmarks, sharp edges and full proportions, the crown and pushers are likely original and period correct.
The Movement
Caliber 13’’’ 130, rhodiumed brass, based on a Valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, 23 jewels, 18’000 oscillations, amagnetic balance, swan neck micrometric (high precision) adjustment. The caliber 13’’’ 130, especially and exclusively made for Patek Philippe, was used from 1936 to 1985, a record 50 years, without any changes besides the shape of the main bridge in the first year or two, the micrometric balance regulator was introduced around 1938 on some movements and from around 1940 on all the production of the caliber.
Provenance
The caseback of the present watch is engraved in Japanese characters recording that Mr. Nagata (永田雅一) gifted this watch to 奈良先生 ( Mr. Nara teacher).
Masaichi Nagata (永田 雅一, 1906–1985) was a Japanese businessman and served as president of Daiei Film. The self-proclaimed creator of Gamera, he produced the kaiju's second film Gamera vs. Barugon, with the remainder of the Showa Gamera films produced instead by his son Hidemasa Nagata. Nagata joined the Nikkatsu studio in 1925 and, after working as a location manager, rose to become head of production at the Kyoto studio. Experiencing conflicts with the Nikkatsu president, he left the company in 1934, taking many Nikkatsu stars with him, to form Daiichi Eiga. That studio created such masterpieces as Kenji Mizoguchi’s Sisters of the Gion (1936) and Osaka Elegy (1936). When Daiichi Eiga folded, Nagata became head of the Kyoto studio of Shinko Kinema until the government reorganized the industry during World War Two. Against a government plan to combine the fiction film companies into two studios, Nagata fought hard for the alternative option of creating a third studio. His efforts resulted in the creation of the Daiei Motion Picture Company, where he first served as an executive. He rose to become president in 1947 and, apart from a brief period when he was purged by Occupation authorities, remained in that position until 1971. Under his reign, Daiei produced Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950) and entered it in the Venice Film Festival, where it won the grand prize and became the first Japanese film to win an international award, thus introducing Japanese cinema to the world. On the popular front, Nagata's Daiei Company was also known for such successful film series as the Zatoichi films starring Shintaro Katsu, theSleepy Eyes of Death series and the Gamera movies. Due to the decline of the film industry, and Nagata's extravagant expenditures, Daiei went bankrupt in 1971, but he continued as an independent producer for some years after that. He produced more than 160 films during his career.
Literature
For further study of the reference 1463 see:
‘Patek Philippe Wristwatches’, Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998 edition, p. 267, and for calibre 13’’’-130 see: pp. 262, 265 & 269.
Similar watches are illustrated in: ‘Patek Philippe Museum’, Patek Philippe, 2014 edition, vol. II, pp. 268-269.
Ref. 1463 is also illustrated in ‘Blue Book 1, Study on Patek Philippe Wristwatches’, 2018 edition, pp. 320-345.
In production between 1940 and 1969, the present watch, made and sold in 1963, is part of the third series that started in 1961. What is immediately apparent is that the overall aesthetic is much simpler with plain baton indexes and straight hands and does not have the ‘chemin de fer’ minute track of earlier series watches with the effect that the dial appears larger to the eye. The present watch is a sublime example of this final series of the reference 1463, the dial is untouched and the indexes have aged to an even patina, the case retains full proportions with sharp bezel and lugs and the distinctive original large winding crown of this model. According to scholarship, 400 yellow gold reference 1463 were made and today 157 have been identified publicly.
Considered one the most beautifully designed chronographs of the mid-20th century, reference 1463 is Patek Philippe's regular production vintage chronograph model (aside from the 1563) with screw back case and round pushers. The third series case of the present watch displays flatter and less downturned lugs than earlier series watches and a large gold crown. Made by Taubert (formerly Fréres Borgel), it is water and dust resistant, a soft-iron dust cap also protects the movement. The overall look of this late example is simpler and does not feature the ‘chemin de fer’ outer track of earlier series watches. Reference 1463 is one of Patek Philippe’s all-time classics and one of the ultimate vintage chronographs for the collector to own.
The Dial
Made entirely by hand by Stern Frères, who had always worked very closely with Patek Philippe, being the only company with the know-how to make the perfect dials that were essential for their watches. In fact, Stern Frères dials for complicated watches were reserved almost exclusively for Patek Philippe who were additionally offered the first and exclusive choice on each new design or technique as it was developed. The present dial has engraved and enamelled decoration (signature, tachymeter, minutes/seconds scale and subsidiary dials). Once the features were engraved from a template, the enamellers would fill the engraved recesses with enamel and ‘fire’ the dial up to a temperature of around 900 degrees therefore rendering the details both permanent and impervious. Both registers are sunk, using an engraving machine and the gold applied baton indexes are cut, faceted and polished by all hand. The ‘short’ Patek Philippe signature is correct for a post-1948 watch.
The Case
Two-piece ‘water-resistant’ with screw-down back, made by Taubert, Geneva master case-maker whose mark of the number 11 within a key is punched on the interior of the back. Overall it is extremely very well preserved with clear hallmarks, sharp edges and full proportions, the crown and pushers are likely original and period correct.
The Movement
Caliber 13’’’ 130, rhodiumed brass, based on a Valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, 23 jewels, 18’000 oscillations, amagnetic balance, swan neck micrometric (high precision) adjustment. The caliber 13’’’ 130, especially and exclusively made for Patek Philippe, was used from 1936 to 1985, a record 50 years, without any changes besides the shape of the main bridge in the first year or two, the micrometric balance regulator was introduced around 1938 on some movements and from around 1940 on all the production of the caliber.
Provenance
The caseback of the present watch is engraved in Japanese characters recording that Mr. Nagata (永田雅一) gifted this watch to 奈良先生 ( Mr. Nara teacher).
Masaichi Nagata (永田 雅一, 1906–1985) was a Japanese businessman and served as president of Daiei Film. The self-proclaimed creator of Gamera, he produced the kaiju's second film Gamera vs. Barugon, with the remainder of the Showa Gamera films produced instead by his son Hidemasa Nagata. Nagata joined the Nikkatsu studio in 1925 and, after working as a location manager, rose to become head of production at the Kyoto studio. Experiencing conflicts with the Nikkatsu president, he left the company in 1934, taking many Nikkatsu stars with him, to form Daiichi Eiga. That studio created such masterpieces as Kenji Mizoguchi’s Sisters of the Gion (1936) and Osaka Elegy (1936). When Daiichi Eiga folded, Nagata became head of the Kyoto studio of Shinko Kinema until the government reorganized the industry during World War Two. Against a government plan to combine the fiction film companies into two studios, Nagata fought hard for the alternative option of creating a third studio. His efforts resulted in the creation of the Daiei Motion Picture Company, where he first served as an executive. He rose to become president in 1947 and, apart from a brief period when he was purged by Occupation authorities, remained in that position until 1971. Under his reign, Daiei produced Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950) and entered it in the Venice Film Festival, where it won the grand prize and became the first Japanese film to win an international award, thus introducing Japanese cinema to the world. On the popular front, Nagata's Daiei Company was also known for such successful film series as the Zatoichi films starring Shintaro Katsu, theSleepy Eyes of Death series and the Gamera movies. Due to the decline of the film industry, and Nagata's extravagant expenditures, Daiei went bankrupt in 1971, but he continued as an independent producer for some years after that. He produced more than 160 films during his career.
Literature
For further study of the reference 1463 see:
‘Patek Philippe Wristwatches’, Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998 edition, p. 267, and for calibre 13’’’-130 see: pp. 262, 265 & 269.
Similar watches are illustrated in: ‘Patek Philippe Museum’, Patek Philippe, 2014 edition, vol. II, pp. 268-269.
Ref. 1463 is also illustrated in ‘Blue Book 1, Study on Patek Philippe Wristwatches’, 2018 edition, pp. 320-345.