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Lot Essay
Manufactured in 1993 with movement no. 1’903’011, as confirmed by the Extract from the Archives, this awe-inspiring platinum reference 3939HP-001 tourbillon minute repeater is only the 12th example to have been produced and therefore one of the earliest specimens of the reference. The ref. 3939H with movement no. 1'903'000 was never sold, it is now in the collection of the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. The present watch is, to the best of our knowledge, the earliest platinum cased 3939HP-001 to be offered at international auction.
Carefully looked after and greatly treasured by its current owner for almost a decade, for the serious collector, the present early movement number undoubtedly gives this watch an added cachet as one of the first dozen pieces of this now iconic grand complication reference to be completed, now more than 30 years ago.
Uniting the audible charms of a two-gong minute repeater with the gravity-defying precision of a tourbillon escapement, reference 3939 is one of the very few Patek Philippe models to feature an enamel dial with Breguet numerals. The superb white enamel dial made by Donzé with white gold Breguet numerals makes a wonderful classic monochromatic colour combination with the ‘white’ colour of the platinum case. This stunning aesthetic is part of the legend of the unconventional reference 3939. The movement provides a beautiful, clear and distinctive tone, particular to reference 3939 minute repeaters which are noted for their individual sonorous tones.
The Donzé Enamel Dial
A close inspection of the dial reveals that the under 6 o’clock the word “Swiss” has a triangle, or delta, on each side in black enamel. It is known that 3939 enamel dials from this period were made by Donzé Cadrans S.A. in Le Locle, Switzerland. The surprising element of this dial is that it is believed that Donzé placed the ‘Delta’ triangles on the dial as a sort of secret signature of his work, D for Delta for Donzé. These marks are easily mistaken for the APRIOR, or sigma marks, seen on dials made with gold elements. Interestingly, the 3939 dials were made with gold base plates but did not have the APRIOR mark.
Master Enameller Francis Donzé started his family company in 1972 and his niche business soon became a supplier of enamel dials to many of the most important watchmaking companies in the world, in particular Patek Philippe. In 1987, Mr. Donzé retired and his family continued the business of traditional enamel dial making. In 2012, Ulysse Nardin acquired Donzé Cadrans.
Case
Made by Ateliers Réunis, Geneva Master case-maker whose mark is the key for Geneva, and 28 to identify Ateliers Réunis. Ateliers Réunis, formerly Marcel Pugin, was one the most important suppliers to Patek Philippe, so much so, that when the casemaker suffered during the crisis in the 1970s and 1980s, Patek and the Stern family supported them, eventually taking over the company.
Movement
Caliber RTO 27 PS, rhodiumed brass, 28 jewels, 21’600 alternances, one-minute tourbillon with straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance, Breguet curve balance spring, eight adjustments.
In the early 20th century, Patek Philippe started to deliver ‘miniature’ (small size, under 14’’’ or 32 mm) minute repeater mechanisms, especially for Tiffany & Co, and soon made the first wristwatches with this complication. Originally an attempt to improve accuracy, tourbillons are today produced for their mesmerizing visual appeal and as a fashion product, therefore most of the brands show it through the dial. Only Patek Philippe remained traditional and classic, not sacrificing quality or good time keeping for aesthetic, kept it visible only from the back through a transparent display back.
Reference 3939
Officially launched in 1993 and remaining in production until 2009, reference 3939H was available in all three gold versions and in platinum. The suffix ‘H’ for ‘Haute’, refers to the half-round longer Cathedral gong that requires a higher space within the case to accommodate it.
One of the most elegant and understated of Patek Philippe’s Grand Complication timepieces of recent times, only around 200 pieces were ever made and fewer than around 20 examples in platinum are known to have returned to the market. Each watch of the series was tested for precision timekeeping before being awarded a C.O.S.C. certificate for superlative accuracy – a remarkable achievement in a complicated watch because any additional function in a watch, such as minute repeating, often adversely affects its timekeeping qualities. In keeping with its eternal style, reference 3939 ignores the contemporary trend for larger cases, measuring 33.3 mm. in diameter, it is a feat of technical excellence that makes it a watch of immense sophistication. As with all Patek Philippe minute repeaters, the present watch had to pass one final test before being handed over to its future owner - since Patek Philippe launched the production of these cherished timepieces in 1989, not a single one left the workshop before Philippe Stern, the company's president until 2009, now honourable president, had deemed the sound of its chiming worthy of the firm's exemplary standards. In the tranquility of his office, Mr. Stern listened to the sound of each watch to assure the inimitable richness of timbre that is one of the trademarks of Patek Philippe's minute repeating wristwatches.
Carefully looked after and greatly treasured by its current owner for almost a decade, for the serious collector, the present early movement number undoubtedly gives this watch an added cachet as one of the first dozen pieces of this now iconic grand complication reference to be completed, now more than 30 years ago.
Uniting the audible charms of a two-gong minute repeater with the gravity-defying precision of a tourbillon escapement, reference 3939 is one of the very few Patek Philippe models to feature an enamel dial with Breguet numerals. The superb white enamel dial made by Donzé with white gold Breguet numerals makes a wonderful classic monochromatic colour combination with the ‘white’ colour of the platinum case. This stunning aesthetic is part of the legend of the unconventional reference 3939. The movement provides a beautiful, clear and distinctive tone, particular to reference 3939 minute repeaters which are noted for their individual sonorous tones.
The Donzé Enamel Dial
A close inspection of the dial reveals that the under 6 o’clock the word “Swiss” has a triangle, or delta, on each side in black enamel. It is known that 3939 enamel dials from this period were made by Donzé Cadrans S.A. in Le Locle, Switzerland. The surprising element of this dial is that it is believed that Donzé placed the ‘Delta’ triangles on the dial as a sort of secret signature of his work, D for Delta for Donzé. These marks are easily mistaken for the APRIOR, or sigma marks, seen on dials made with gold elements. Interestingly, the 3939 dials were made with gold base plates but did not have the APRIOR mark.
Master Enameller Francis Donzé started his family company in 1972 and his niche business soon became a supplier of enamel dials to many of the most important watchmaking companies in the world, in particular Patek Philippe. In 1987, Mr. Donzé retired and his family continued the business of traditional enamel dial making. In 2012, Ulysse Nardin acquired Donzé Cadrans.
Case
Made by Ateliers Réunis, Geneva Master case-maker whose mark is the key for Geneva, and 28 to identify Ateliers Réunis. Ateliers Réunis, formerly Marcel Pugin, was one the most important suppliers to Patek Philippe, so much so, that when the casemaker suffered during the crisis in the 1970s and 1980s, Patek and the Stern family supported them, eventually taking over the company.
Movement
Caliber RTO 27 PS, rhodiumed brass, 28 jewels, 21’600 alternances, one-minute tourbillon with straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance, Breguet curve balance spring, eight adjustments.
In the early 20th century, Patek Philippe started to deliver ‘miniature’ (small size, under 14’’’ or 32 mm) minute repeater mechanisms, especially for Tiffany & Co, and soon made the first wristwatches with this complication. Originally an attempt to improve accuracy, tourbillons are today produced for their mesmerizing visual appeal and as a fashion product, therefore most of the brands show it through the dial. Only Patek Philippe remained traditional and classic, not sacrificing quality or good time keeping for aesthetic, kept it visible only from the back through a transparent display back.
Reference 3939
Officially launched in 1993 and remaining in production until 2009, reference 3939H was available in all three gold versions and in platinum. The suffix ‘H’ for ‘Haute’, refers to the half-round longer Cathedral gong that requires a higher space within the case to accommodate it.
One of the most elegant and understated of Patek Philippe’s Grand Complication timepieces of recent times, only around 200 pieces were ever made and fewer than around 20 examples in platinum are known to have returned to the market. Each watch of the series was tested for precision timekeeping before being awarded a C.O.S.C. certificate for superlative accuracy – a remarkable achievement in a complicated watch because any additional function in a watch, such as minute repeating, often adversely affects its timekeeping qualities. In keeping with its eternal style, reference 3939 ignores the contemporary trend for larger cases, measuring 33.3 mm. in diameter, it is a feat of technical excellence that makes it a watch of immense sophistication. As with all Patek Philippe minute repeaters, the present watch had to pass one final test before being handed over to its future owner - since Patek Philippe launched the production of these cherished timepieces in 1989, not a single one left the workshop before Philippe Stern, the company's president until 2009, now honourable president, had deemed the sound of its chiming worthy of the firm's exemplary standards. In the tranquility of his office, Mr. Stern listened to the sound of each watch to assure the inimitable richness of timbre that is one of the trademarks of Patek Philippe's minute repeating wristwatches.