Lot 98
98
PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH BOX
PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH BOX
PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH BOX
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Many of the watches offered for sale in this catal… Read more PATEK PHILIPPE François Modoux’s Ref. 2406The Property of an Important Private European Collector
PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH BOX

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENÈVE, REF. 2406, MOVEMENT NO. 927’815, CASE NO. 639’375, MANUFACTURED IN 1945

Details
PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD WRISTWATCH WITH BOX
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENÈVE, REF. 2406, MOVEMENT NO. 927’815, CASE NO. 639’375, MANUFACTURED IN 1945
Movement: cal. 12-120 PS, manual, 18 jewels, signed
Dial: signed
Case: snap on back engraved "F. MODOUX Souvenir de 25 ans de Collaboration 1920 – 1945 Patek Philippe et Cie. Genève", 35 mm. diam., signed
With: 18K gold Patek Philippe buckle, Extract from the Archives confirming the production of the present watch with silvered dial, applied gold indexes in 1945, case back with engraved inscription and its subsequent sale on 27 December 1945 and original fitted presentation box
Special notice
Many of the watches offered for sale in this catalogue are pictured with straps made of endangered or protected animal materials such as alligator or crocodile. These endangered species straps are shown for display purposes only and are not for sale. Christie’s will remove and retain the strap prior to shipment from the sale site. At some sale sites, Christie’s may, at its discretion, make the displayed endangered species strap available to the buyer of the lot free of charge if collected in person from the sale site within 1 year of the date of the sale. Please check with the department for details on a particular lot. On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT will be charged at 7.7% on both the premium as well as the hammer price.

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Sabine Kegel
Sabine Kegel
+41 (0)22 319 1723

Lot Essay

This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.

As confirmed by the engraved inscription on the case back of the present watch it was presented by Patek Philippe to their employee François Modoux for his 25th working anniversary in 1945.

François Modoux was one of the best precision adjusters of the time, “régleur” for observatory watches and head of Patek Philippe’s chronometer workshop in the 1960s. He was also one of the two régleurs responsible for the regulation of most of the firm’s watches made for the legendary Henry Graves Jr.

The régleurs were the highest paid workers in the watch industry because success in Observatory trials conferred reputation and prestige on the brand and therefore greater commercial success.

For a detailed description and images also of François Modoux see Patek Philippe – The Authorized Biography by Nicholas Foulkes, Chapter 11, The age of the champion régleurs, pp. 219-237.

Reference 2406
Reference 2406 was launched in 1945 and remained in production until 1951, available in yellow and pink gold.

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