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Lot Essay
The present watch is a wonderfully original and extremely attractive pink gold example of the reference 2526 with first series enamel dial and original Gay Frères bracelet. To the best of our knowledge, it has never been offered in public before and is one of only approximately ten examples of the reference fitted with luminous indexes and hands to appear at auction to date.
The enamel dial of the present watch is a superb “textbook” example of the first series type in which the dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting in two drilled holes secured from the back. Flared holes are also present around the centre for the hands and for the subsidiary seconds. This method of attaching the indexes meant that the enamel dials were both difficult and expensive to produce. Made only for a relatively short period, these first series dials are naturally the most sought after by collectors especially when combined with the exceedingly rare addition of luminous indexes as in the present watch.
Enhancing its desirability further is the exquisite pink gold bracelet made by renowned jeweller Gay Frères. The Extract from the Archives confirms that the present watch was sold with a rose gold bracelet in 1955, matching the punched "55" for 1955 on the clasp. It can therefore be concluded that the bracelet is indeed original to the watch.
The caliber 12-66 AT movement is universally recognized as one of the best automatic movements ever conceived, luxuriously finished and wound by a massive gold rotor, this calibre, thanks to the size of the plate, employs relatively large parts that allow for an accuracy comparable with that of modern mechanical timepieces.
Reference 2526
Introduced into the market in 1952, reference 2526 was Patek Philippe's first self-winding or automatic watch, starting with movement number 760'000. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent No. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism".
The majority of reference 2526 was cased in yellow gold, a small series in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number in white gold and platinum. Mainly fitted with enamel dials with applied gold baton numerals, the white gold and platinum examples were also available with silvered metal dials with diamond indexes.
A paragon of understatement and timeless class combined with a state-of-the art movement, reference 2526 has significantly influenced the popularity of wristwatches featuring enamel dials. In 1960, it was replaced by reference 3428, equipped with the second generation self-winding movement, calibre 27-460.
The reference can be divided in three distinct series:
- First series: domed case back, enamel dial and riveted indexes. The dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting.
- Second series: domed case back, enamel dials with the numerals glued to the surface. The dial presents only two flared holes for the hands.
- Third series: flat case back, and in later examples metal dial.
- Fourth series: same as third series, but with new calibre 27-460
Reference 2526 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe - Volume II, pp. 244-245.
The enamel dial of the present watch is a superb “textbook” example of the first series type in which the dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting in two drilled holes secured from the back. Flared holes are also present around the centre for the hands and for the subsidiary seconds. This method of attaching the indexes meant that the enamel dials were both difficult and expensive to produce. Made only for a relatively short period, these first series dials are naturally the most sought after by collectors especially when combined with the exceedingly rare addition of luminous indexes as in the present watch.
Enhancing its desirability further is the exquisite pink gold bracelet made by renowned jeweller Gay Frères. The Extract from the Archives confirms that the present watch was sold with a rose gold bracelet in 1955, matching the punched "55" for 1955 on the clasp. It can therefore be concluded that the bracelet is indeed original to the watch.
The caliber 12-66 AT movement is universally recognized as one of the best automatic movements ever conceived, luxuriously finished and wound by a massive gold rotor, this calibre, thanks to the size of the plate, employs relatively large parts that allow for an accuracy comparable with that of modern mechanical timepieces.
Reference 2526
Introduced into the market in 1952, reference 2526 was Patek Philippe's first self-winding or automatic watch, starting with movement number 760'000. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent No. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism".
The majority of reference 2526 was cased in yellow gold, a small series in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number in white gold and platinum. Mainly fitted with enamel dials with applied gold baton numerals, the white gold and platinum examples were also available with silvered metal dials with diamond indexes.
A paragon of understatement and timeless class combined with a state-of-the art movement, reference 2526 has significantly influenced the popularity of wristwatches featuring enamel dials. In 1960, it was replaced by reference 3428, equipped with the second generation self-winding movement, calibre 27-460.
The reference can be divided in three distinct series:
- First series: domed case back, enamel dial and riveted indexes. The dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting.
- Second series: domed case back, enamel dials with the numerals glued to the surface. The dial presents only two flared holes for the hands.
- Third series: flat case back, and in later examples metal dial.
- Fourth series: same as third series, but with new calibre 27-460
Reference 2526 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe - Volume II, pp. 244-245.