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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1955 and its subsequent sale on 8 June 1962.
The present watch is one of the most unusual versions of a vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch by Patek Philippe. When it first appeared publicly at auction in 1990, it was fitted with a black dial. Based on the circumstances of its offering at the time, one can safely assume that the watch had left the factory with such dial when initially sold in 1962.
Patek Philippe made only an extremely small number of perpetual calendar wristwatches with black dials. To date, only three watches without further complications are recorded to have appeared in public: one example of reference 1526 (perpetual calendar with subsidiary seconds), one reference 2438-1 (perpetual calendar with centre seconds and screw back case) and one reference 2497 (perpetual calendar with centre seconds and snap on back case), the present watch.
Reference 2497 was available with different dials, either fitted with Arabic and dot numerals or with faceted baton numerals. Interestingly, all examples known featuring the latter dial have small faceted square-shaped hour markers at 5 and 7 o'clock, whereas the present watch has baton numerals, even though shorter than the ones used for the other hour positions. One can easily assume that based on such differences as the numerals, this dial was always either a special order or a "one off" example.
Since its auctioning in 1990, the present watch has been carefully maintained and during one of the services executed, the black dial has been professionally restored.
The actual watch represents a rare and attractive opportunity to acquire a vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch by Patek Philippe with black dial - one of the most instantly recognizable combinations.
The present watch is one of the most unusual versions of a vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch by Patek Philippe. When it first appeared publicly at auction in 1990, it was fitted with a black dial. Based on the circumstances of its offering at the time, one can safely assume that the watch had left the factory with such dial when initially sold in 1962.
Patek Philippe made only an extremely small number of perpetual calendar wristwatches with black dials. To date, only three watches without further complications are recorded to have appeared in public: one example of reference 1526 (perpetual calendar with subsidiary seconds), one reference 2438-1 (perpetual calendar with centre seconds and screw back case) and one reference 2497 (perpetual calendar with centre seconds and snap on back case), the present watch.
Reference 2497 was available with different dials, either fitted with Arabic and dot numerals or with faceted baton numerals. Interestingly, all examples known featuring the latter dial have small faceted square-shaped hour markers at 5 and 7 o'clock, whereas the present watch has baton numerals, even though shorter than the ones used for the other hour positions. One can easily assume that based on such differences as the numerals, this dial was always either a special order or a "one off" example.
Since its auctioning in 1990, the present watch has been carefully maintained and during one of the services executed, the black dial has been professionally restored.
The actual watch represents a rare and attractive opportunity to acquire a vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch by Patek Philippe with black dial - one of the most instantly recognizable combinations.