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Lot 313 The Property of an Important Asian Private Collector
Patek Philippe. A fine and very rare 18k gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with sweep centre seconds and moon phases
Signed Patek Philippe, Geneve, Ref. 2438/1, Movement No. 888'102, Case No. 687'967, Manufactured in 1954
Closed14 November 2016
Price Realised
CHF 331,500
More Information
Specialist note
Purchased by the present owner, an important Asian private collector, at Christie’s New York in 2011, this reference 2438/1 has remained in the same colletion ever since and is now offered for the second time only in public.
It has always be treated with respect, confirmed by the very attractive overall condition: the case is has not been subject to careless polishing, the fluting to the lugs is sharp and both gold marks are crisp. The dial has been extremely carefully cleaned, however a while ago, and displays a lovely shine. Signature and scales are beautifully raised as the connoisseur would expect, the accent grave - “`” on the E in GENÈVE, particularly sensible to intense cleaning, still clearly visible.
One of the exceedingly small number of reference 2437/1 examples ever made, the present specimen represents the exciting and rare opportunity to acquire an example of this highly desirable model.
Ref. 2438/1
In 1951, Patek Philippe launched reference 2497 and its water-resistant counterpart, reference 2438/1, the firm's only vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch made in series with a screw back. A combined total of only 179 examples of these two models were produced, the majority cased in yellow gold. Reference 2438/1 is generally divided into two different series:
- the first with applied Arabic numerals and dauphine hands
- the second series, such as the present watch, with applied baton numerals and dauphine hands
Reference 2438/1 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 284, and in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Watches, Vol. II, pp. 295 & 296.
It has always be treated with respect, confirmed by the very attractive overall condition: the case is has not been subject to careless polishing, the fluting to the lugs is sharp and both gold marks are crisp. The dial has been extremely carefully cleaned, however a while ago, and displays a lovely shine. Signature and scales are beautifully raised as the connoisseur would expect, the accent grave - “`” on the E in GENÈVE, particularly sensible to intense cleaning, still clearly visible.
One of the exceedingly small number of reference 2437/1 examples ever made, the present specimen represents the exciting and rare opportunity to acquire an example of this highly desirable model.
Ref. 2438/1
In 1951, Patek Philippe launched reference 2497 and its water-resistant counterpart, reference 2438/1, the firm's only vintage perpetual calendar wristwatch made in series with a screw back. A combined total of only 179 examples of these two models were produced, the majority cased in yellow gold. Reference 2438/1 is generally divided into two different series:
- the first with applied Arabic numerals and dauphine hands
- the second series, such as the present watch, with applied baton numerals and dauphine hands
Reference 2438/1 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 284, and in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Watches, Vol. II, pp. 295 & 296.