.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Descrizione dettagliata lotto
First sold at Christie’s in 2016, this world-famous ‘Missing Dot’ First Series reference 3940⁄1 Perpetual Calendar has been a star of an important private collection for the last decade. We are beyond delighted to now have the opportunity to offer once again to international collectors the 3940⁄1 ‘Missing Dot’. Almost certainly unique, its name refers to a now legendary manufacturing defect where the gold beaded minute marker for minute 59 was mistakenly omitted from the dial. Located to the immediate left of the 12 o'clock index, this error left an ostensible blank gap on an otherwise pristine dial. The fact that it bypassed Patek Philippe's notoriously strict quality control, this "error dial" became a highly desirable anomaly. Its fame and legitimacy was assured by the original correspondence between the watch’s first owner and Mr. Philippe Stern, President of Patek Philippe. That original correspondence, now framed, and the original Certificate of Origin confirming its uniqueness accompany the watch.
The original owner purchased the watch in July 1987 and immediately noticed the missing gold dot. He reported the imperfection directly to Patek Philippe, first to the store manager, André Glad, who naturally offered to have the missing dot corrected, and then to Mr. Philippe Stern himself. While offering a replacement dial, Stern famously advised the owner to keep it, writing: "We have been checking all the watches in our inventory as well as our spare dials and I must advise you that all have 4 dots. You really must have a unique dial and it is almost worth while keeping it."
A Patek Philippe legend returns for this 40th Anniversary of Christie’s in Asia auction. A wonderful first series example of the rare gold bracelet version of reference 3940 in its own right, this reference 3940⁄1 is dream piece for collectors of neo-vintage Patek Philippe who now have the opportunity to acquire a true one-off among the entire reference.
The original owner purchased the watch in July 1987 and immediately noticed the missing gold dot. He reported the imperfection directly to Patek Philippe, first to the store manager, André Glad, who naturally offered to have the missing dot corrected, and then to Mr. Philippe Stern himself. While offering a replacement dial, Stern famously advised the owner to keep it, writing: "We have been checking all the watches in our inventory as well as our spare dials and I must advise you that all have 4 dots. You really must have a unique dial and it is almost worth while keeping it."
A Patek Philippe legend returns for this 40th Anniversary of Christie’s in Asia auction. A wonderful first series example of the rare gold bracelet version of reference 3940 in its own right, this reference 3940⁄1 is dream piece for collectors of neo-vintage Patek Philippe who now have the opportunity to acquire a true one-off among the entire reference.