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Lot Essay
US$320,000-500,000
This watch is accompanied by an Extract from the Archives confirming production of this watch in 1953 and its subsequent sale on 27 August 1957.
The two-crown world time mechanism was invented and produced by celebrated Geneva watchmaker Louis Cottier (1894 - 1966). The technology was incorporated into watches produced by several of Switzerland's leading watch manufacturers, including Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Rolex.
Patek Philippe produced a wide array of world time wristwatches from the 1930's through the 1960's, with tremendous variety in case and dial design. Several examples are illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 2nd edition, p. 240-247.
Replacing the reference 1415, the reference 2523 incorporating Cottier's world time mechanism began production in 1953 and was manufactured in a very small series. Produced only in yellow, pink and white gold, reference 2523 was adorned with a variety of different types of dial centers including a polychrome enamel map, single colour enamel or with guilloche decoration to a silver or gold plate. After 1957, Patek Philippe produced the reference 2523/1 which had only metal disks and was fitted with lugs of a less prominent design than the 2523.
The world time mechanism is a functional complication that is simple to calibrate. One must first set the local or meantime by the crown at 3 o'clock (the 24 hour ring will revolve in the opposite direction of the hands). Then the outer ring is adjusted by turning the crown at 9 o'clock until one's current global location is indicated at the 12 o'clock position. Once this is calibrated, the relative time of each world location is set. The two-tone 24-hour ring indicates world locations that are in night time by the grey section and daytime by the silvered section.
The present watch is extremely important as it is believed to be one of only two examples of reference 2523 in yellow gold with yellow gold guilloche dial known to exist in the world and possibly no more than five examples were ever produced. In addition to its rarity, this example qualifies as one of the most sought after timepieces from the epitome of the classic watch period of the 1950s and fits perfectly into the modern day desire for large watch designs.
This watch is accompanied by an Extract from the Archives confirming production of this watch in 1953 and its subsequent sale on 27 August 1957.
The two-crown world time mechanism was invented and produced by celebrated Geneva watchmaker Louis Cottier (1894 - 1966). The technology was incorporated into watches produced by several of Switzerland's leading watch manufacturers, including Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Rolex.
Patek Philippe produced a wide array of world time wristwatches from the 1930's through the 1960's, with tremendous variety in case and dial design. Several examples are illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 2nd edition, p. 240-247.
Replacing the reference 1415, the reference 2523 incorporating Cottier's world time mechanism began production in 1953 and was manufactured in a very small series. Produced only in yellow, pink and white gold, reference 2523 was adorned with a variety of different types of dial centers including a polychrome enamel map, single colour enamel or with guilloche decoration to a silver or gold plate. After 1957, Patek Philippe produced the reference 2523/1 which had only metal disks and was fitted with lugs of a less prominent design than the 2523.
The world time mechanism is a functional complication that is simple to calibrate. One must first set the local or meantime by the crown at 3 o'clock (the 24 hour ring will revolve in the opposite direction of the hands). Then the outer ring is adjusted by turning the crown at 9 o'clock until one's current global location is indicated at the 12 o'clock position. Once this is calibrated, the relative time of each world location is set. The two-tone 24-hour ring indicates world locations that are in night time by the grey section and daytime by the silvered section.
The present watch is extremely important as it is believed to be one of only two examples of reference 2523 in yellow gold with yellow gold guilloche dial known to exist in the world and possibly no more than five examples were ever produced. In addition to its rarity, this example qualifies as one of the most sought after timepieces from the epitome of the classic watch period of the 1950s and fits perfectly into the modern day desire for large watch designs.