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Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present movement in 1931, its completion and encasement in 1955 and the subsequent sale of the watch on 18 July 1955. Furthermore delivered with original fitted brown presentation box.
The present watch is believed to be one of only five examples of reference 658 to have appeared in public to date, the rarity enhanced by the very good, original overall condition.
Reference 658 is an ultra-rare representative of the hundred year old family of triple complication Patek Philippe watches. For the first forty some years of their making, until about 1930, they were usually fitted with white enamel dials and finished in rounded, slightly old-fashioned cases. From the 1930s, more modernist case and dial designs were applied until the 1960s when another modernisation took place with cases becoming very edgy and architectural and dial designs reduced to a minimalist level.
The present reference 658 is a perfect example of this "in between generation", dating from the 1950s. Scholars and collectors will probably agree that hardly any complicated watch unites the best of so many different styles as the present one: a state-of-the art complicated movement of pre-war conception, a refined and elaborate case, substantial enough to impress but handy enough to be used, and an extremely attractive silvered dial with all scales and signatures perfectly raised in hard enamel.
Wristwatch aficionados will instantly recognise the dial layout, mirroring so many style elements, most evidently the applied Arabic numerals and the feuille hands, known from the last generation of reference 1518 and the first of the new arriving reference 2499 - both dating to the same period like this reference 658.
The present watch is believed to be one of only five examples of reference 658 to have appeared in public to date, the rarity enhanced by the very good, original overall condition.
Reference 658 is an ultra-rare representative of the hundred year old family of triple complication Patek Philippe watches. For the first forty some years of their making, until about 1930, they were usually fitted with white enamel dials and finished in rounded, slightly old-fashioned cases. From the 1930s, more modernist case and dial designs were applied until the 1960s when another modernisation took place with cases becoming very edgy and architectural and dial designs reduced to a minimalist level.
The present reference 658 is a perfect example of this "in between generation", dating from the 1950s. Scholars and collectors will probably agree that hardly any complicated watch unites the best of so many different styles as the present one: a state-of-the art complicated movement of pre-war conception, a refined and elaborate case, substantial enough to impress but handy enough to be used, and an extremely attractive silvered dial with all scales and signatures perfectly raised in hard enamel.
Wristwatch aficionados will instantly recognise the dial layout, mirroring so many style elements, most evidently the applied Arabic numerals and the feuille hands, known from the last generation of reference 1518 and the first of the new arriving reference 2499 - both dating to the same period like this reference 658.