Lot Essay
The present Patek Philippe ‘triple complication’ watch is one of the masterpieces of watchmaking for which the company has become justly famous, it combines in one watch the three complications for which Patek Philippe is most admired – a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and chronograph. Even today, Patek Philippe watches featuring this combination of complications are regarded as masterpieces.
Between 1889 with the patent of the perpetual calendar mechanism and 1904, Patek Philippe patented many mechanisms used in its watch movements. This was an extremely important period in the company’s history when its reputation as the maker of the finest, most complicated, functional and attractive watches in the world was becoming firmly established. Most of Patek Philippe’s highly complicated movements and special projects were constructed using ébauches supplied by the legendary maker Victorin Piguet & Cie of Le Sentier, the present watch is no exception. The firm supplied most of the ébauches for complicated movements, including tourbillons, single button and split seconds chronographs, repeaters and perpetual calendars, exclusively to prestigious firms like Patek Philippe.
The three complications found in the present watch were first brought together in one watch in the mid-1870s. Only a very small number of these Patek Philippe ‘triple complication’ watches featuring a perpetual calendar without leap-year indication are known publicly, or have ever been offered for sale at auction. A great prize of high quality, this watch would make an impressive addition to any serious watch collection.
A similar hunting cased watch, no. 90’263, manufactured in 1891, was sold at Christie's Geneva, 13th November 2006, lot 258. It is now part of the collection of the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva (Inv. P-1544). Another similar open face watch, no. 97’680, manufactured in 1896, was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2023, lot 2300.
Between 1889 with the patent of the perpetual calendar mechanism and 1904, Patek Philippe patented many mechanisms used in its watch movements. This was an extremely important period in the company’s history when its reputation as the maker of the finest, most complicated, functional and attractive watches in the world was becoming firmly established. Most of Patek Philippe’s highly complicated movements and special projects were constructed using ébauches supplied by the legendary maker Victorin Piguet & Cie of Le Sentier, the present watch is no exception. The firm supplied most of the ébauches for complicated movements, including tourbillons, single button and split seconds chronographs, repeaters and perpetual calendars, exclusively to prestigious firms like Patek Philippe.
The three complications found in the present watch were first brought together in one watch in the mid-1870s. Only a very small number of these Patek Philippe ‘triple complication’ watches featuring a perpetual calendar without leap-year indication are known publicly, or have ever been offered for sale at auction. A great prize of high quality, this watch would make an impressive addition to any serious watch collection.
A similar hunting cased watch, no. 90’263, manufactured in 1891, was sold at Christie's Geneva, 13th November 2006, lot 258. It is now part of the collection of the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva (Inv. P-1544). Another similar open face watch, no. 97’680, manufactured in 1896, was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2023, lot 2300.