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Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with guilloché case in 1913 and its subsequent sale on the 28 May 1918.
The present pocketwatch was manufactured for the Brazilian firm of Gondolo & Labouriau, Patek Philippe's chosen retailer in Rio de Janeiro from 1872 until 1927. Due to the enormous success of Patek Philippe timepieces amongst the firm's clients in Brazil, the Swiss manufacture started designing watches especially for Gondolo & Labouriau, with specific mechanical and aesthetical characteristics.
To encourage the sale of Chronometro Gondolo watches by members of its buyer's club, the retailer invented a brilliant marketing scheme which consisted of lottery draws. Each member of the club had committed to buying a Patek Philippe Pocket watch and made a 10 Franc payment every week for 79 weeks until the watch was paid for in full. Gondolo would then hold 79 consecutive weekly lottery draws in which the winners would be released from their payment responsibilities. This process enabled the first weekly winner to receive a Patek Philippe for free; the second would receive it after his first payment of 10 Francs and so on. At the end of the lotteries, the remaining members would pay full price for their watches. The lottery system assured each participant would eventually acquire a Chronometro Gondolo for a reasonable amount, and also allowed members of the buyers club to circumvent the Brazilian ban on gambling.
During this collaboration, the Brazilian retailer sold nearly a third of Patek Philippe's total production. Even though the retailer Gondolo & Labouriau is now a distant memory, the name within the watch community has lived on and timepieces bearing the retailer's signature represent some of the most coveted Patek Philippe watches ever made.
The present pocketwatch was manufactured for the Brazilian firm of Gondolo & Labouriau, Patek Philippe's chosen retailer in Rio de Janeiro from 1872 until 1927. Due to the enormous success of Patek Philippe timepieces amongst the firm's clients in Brazil, the Swiss manufacture started designing watches especially for Gondolo & Labouriau, with specific mechanical and aesthetical characteristics.
To encourage the sale of Chronometro Gondolo watches by members of its buyer's club, the retailer invented a brilliant marketing scheme which consisted of lottery draws. Each member of the club had committed to buying a Patek Philippe Pocket watch and made a 10 Franc payment every week for 79 weeks until the watch was paid for in full. Gondolo would then hold 79 consecutive weekly lottery draws in which the winners would be released from their payment responsibilities. This process enabled the first weekly winner to receive a Patek Philippe for free; the second would receive it after his first payment of 10 Francs and so on. At the end of the lotteries, the remaining members would pay full price for their watches. The lottery system assured each participant would eventually acquire a Chronometro Gondolo for a reasonable amount, and also allowed members of the buyers club to circumvent the Brazilian ban on gambling.
During this collaboration, the Brazilian retailer sold nearly a third of Patek Philippe's total production. Even though the retailer Gondolo & Labouriau is now a distant memory, the name within the watch community has lived on and timepieces bearing the retailer's signature represent some of the most coveted Patek Philippe watches ever made.