Patek Philippe & Co 1905 Chronometro Gondolo Top Winder

Patek Philippe & Co

1905 Chronometro Gondolo Top Winder

White Porcelian Dial with Painted Roman Numerals

18kt Yellow Gold

Have you ever wondered where the modern wrist watch design came from? The first wrist watches were essentially pocketwatches, with lugs soldered onto them, and here is a superb example of what is likely one of the first men's wrist watches ever made. This rare example was made by Patek Philippe in 1905!!!! 

This is the earliest example I have ever seen of a wrist watch for whatever it is worth. The photo appears courtesy of Antiquorum. The watch was certified with an extract from the Patek Philippe Archives, and the box in the photos originally came with the watch.

Upon close inspection of the dial we see it has painted radial Roman numerals on the white porcelain dial, with 5-minute Arabic markers, and sunken subsidiary seconds dial which also has Arabic markers in 10-second intervals. Also notice the seconds subdial is wrapped with the"Chronometro Gondolo" designation. 

The dial has the "Patek Philippe & CO" designation, which was changed many years later to simply say "Patek Philppe". The watch has blued steel feuille hands, and the case is 32mm x 10mm

I believe the reason this watch has extended lugs is in order to keep the winding crown far enough away from the top strap, so the wearer could easily wind the watch and change the time. 

Below, we see a side view, which is just amazing!!! I include this watch because if you look at the watch in the story below that shows off Vladimir Putin's Patek Philippe, you will notice his watch has elongated lugs...Man, it's old in Brazil!!!

Extremely Rare Patek Philippe 1939 Platinum Reference 570

Extremely Rare Patek Philippe

1939 Platinum Reference 570

Unique Astronomic, Minute Repeater with Moonphase

Marcello is a fan of Jake's Patek Philippe World and he just wrote in from Italy to say:

"Very impressive Patek Philippe blog! Loved the 1591 and the platinum 2497s. Check out this one, my personal favorite ever, now in the Patek museum. It's ref 570 and it should be a good fix to your obsession anyways."

Well Marcello, you are absolutely correct!!! What a treat!!! I have never seen this watch, and I am blown away!!! I realize the quality of this photo is not that great, but what an amazing Patek Philippe!!! This watch sold at an Antiquorum auction in 1996 for 2,093,500 CHF, which is $2.3 Million. In 1996!!! Twelve years ago!!! Can you imagine what this must be worth today!?!

The Antiquorum description reads:

"Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, "Calatrava", No. 198340, case No. 618840, completed in 1939. Unique astronomic, minute repeating, platinum gentleman's wristwatch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, with a heavy platinum bracelet.

C. massive, polished, satined. D. mat silver with applied platinum Arabic numerals + auxiliary seconds dial, outer graduation for the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the lunations, the moon disc is made of enamelled platinum. M. 11 '' rhodiumed, "fausses cotes" decoration, 29 jewels, lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance adjusted to heat, cold isochronism and 5 positions, flat balance-spring, repeater on gongs by means of a slide on the band. Dial, case and movement signed. In excellent condition. Diam. 31 mm.

This watch is published in "Patek Philippe Wristwatches", pages 240 - 241. This amazing work of art by Patel< Philippe, of very high quality, is considered as one of the most significant and representative pieces of 20th Century watchmaking. A masterpiece of horological engineering, execution and creative skill. This watch is also published in "Watches " by George Daniels and Cecil Clutton and it is the only prestige wristwatch illustrated in this "bible" of horological literature. 

This watch was formed in the Bloomfield collection, San Diego, CA. This piece was sold by Antiquorum on 4 October 1981 for the amazing sum of SFr. 185 ' 000. This price and this record triggered the outbreak of the collectors' wristwatch market. As a comparison with some of the most collectable wristwatches, hereunder are their 1981 estimates: - Patel< Philippe astronomic gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, Ref. 1526: SFr. 16'000 - 20'000 - Patel< Philippe astronomic gold wristwatch with square button chronograph, register, tachometer, perpetual calendar and moon phases, Ref. 1518: SFr. 25'000 - 30'000 (This particular example is extremely rare with a "Champagne" dial !) - Patek Philippe self-winding gold wristwatch with enamel dial, Ref. 2526: SFr. 3'800 - 4'200 - Patek Philippe gold waterproof wristwatch with round button chronograph, register and tachometer, Ref. 1463: SFr. 5'500 - 6'500 - Patek Philippe gold wristwatch with split-second chronograph, register and tachometer, Ref. 1436: SFr. 13'000 -16'000 - Breguet No 2926, unique Art Deco platinum, "Perpetuelle a Masse", self-winding wristwatch with date and power reserve indicator: SFr. 9'000 - 12'000. 

This watch, lot 172 of The Art of Breguet" sale in April 1991, by Antiquorum, so ten years later, was sold for SFr. 126'500! This comparison fully demonstrates the extraordinary price reached by this exeptional wristwatch in 1981. It is the first time since 1981 that this watch reappears on the Auction Market and since then wristwatches have enjoyed an ever increasing fascination for collectors all over the world."

Unique 1894 Pink Gold Repeater Patek Philippe Pocket Watch...

Unique 1894 Pink Gold 24 Hour Repeater

60MM Patek Philippe Pocket Watch

Sold in Switzerland for $2.29 Million

Antiquorum successfully auctioned this amazing complicated Patek Philippe pocket watch for $2.29 Million today. This 120 years old beauty was originally sold in 1894 for 3750 Swiss Francs. Notice there is no Patek Philippe designation on the dial. This watch his unusual in that it has a 24-hour train dial, meaning it keeps 24 hour GMT time, as opposed to the standard 12 hour time.

Patek Philippe Cartier Dial Designation Reference 2499

Cartier Dial Patek Philippe

Triple Date Chronograph

37.5 mm: Reference 2499

This is a very rare 1966 Patek Philippe Reference 2499 because it has the Cartier designation printed on the center of the moon phase sub dial. This watch was has the Cartier designation on the dial because it was originally retailed by Cartier. This watch was sold by Antiquorum Auction House in 2006 for $680,000. This is the ONLY known example of the Patek Philippe Reference 2499 to be produced with the Cartier designation on the dial.

Antiquorum Auction House Lot Notes:

Ref. 2499-100

Produced in 349 examples from 1951 to 1985, very few with tachometer, the majority in yellow gold, and some examples are in pink or white gold. Calibre 13'''CC:

- First series: From 1951 to circa 1960, square buttons, "Feuille" hands, applied Arabic numerals, fluted lugs.

- Second series: Square buttons, "Dauphine" hands, applied indexes, the 12 in Arabic numerals.

- Third series: From 1960 to 1978, round buttons, "Dauphine" or "Feuille" hands, applied "Bâton" indexes. Calibre 13''' CCR,

- Fourth series: From 1978 to circa 1985, becomes Ref. 2499/100, round buttons, sapphire crystal, "Dauphine hands", applied "Bâton" indexes. Very few examples were made with tachometer or telemeter scale and three pieces only with sapphire crystal back. For this series, models with the tachometer indication are extremely rare.

Patek Philippe Special Edition Wempe Triple Date Reference 5125 Platinum

Patek Philippe

Wempe 125th Anniversary Annual Calendar Triple Date

Special Edition of 125 Watches

37mm Reference 5125 Platinum

Antiquorum Auction House has successfully sold versions of this very rare Platinum Patek Philippe in the past. The one pictured below sold on July 12, 2006 for $117,400. The Reference 5125 is very rare in Platinum. Notice the version of this Reference 5125P was the WEMPE Logo designation printed on the moon phase sub-dial, and the version later in this story lacks the WEMPE logo.

Notice this model has red seconds markers. There were many people who wanted Patek Philippe to reintroduce the absolutely timeless triple-date for a long time, and the closest Patek Philippe came was by introducing the Reference 5125 as shown below.

The challenge was that Patek Philippe made this watch for Wempe, which is was, at the time a German Patek Philippe Authorized dealer and jeweler who had been selling Patek Philippe many years. In 2003 Patek Philippe made this watch to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Wempe Jewelers. The Patek Philippe Wempe Reference was limited to 125 pieces. In 2010 Patek Philippe finally brought back the triple-date model as the all-new Reference 5396.

Antiquorum Auction House lot notes:

In 1878, with a mere 80 Marks in pocket, the young watchmaker Gerhard D. Wempe opened a watch and jewelry business in his Aunt Caroline's house in the small German town of Elsfelth, just outside the northern city of Bremen. Business went well for the young entrepreneur and in the years to come he moved his venture to Oldenburg and later to Hamburg, where in 1907, he established the company's "Stammhaus" or "flagship store".

By 1914 Wempe had opened 4 more stores in Hamburg. However, with World War I sales dropped considerably. When Gerhard D. Wempe died in 1921, his son Herbert took over the business concentrating on exclusive connections to Swiss watch brands such as Omega and Longines. He further extended the business, buying in 1938 the famous "Hamburger Chronometerwerke" factory, an important manufacturer of ship's chronometers known for producing high precision nautical instruments. World War II again brought personal and professional difficulties. During this time, several stores were destroyed and 80% of the workforce was without housing.

In 1945 the company management was handed over to a trustee, and in 1951, the 19 year old son Hellmut had to take over the business. By 1953 Wempe again had 5 stores in Hamburg and by 1960s had opened additional stores in several other German cities. In 1980, Wempe entered the international scene with the opening of its US flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue.

Stores were also opened in Paris, Vienna, London and Madrid. Since 2003 daughter Kim-Eva Wempe, who joined the firm in 1987, officially heads Germany's most respected watch and jewelry retailer. Today, Wempe has over 500 employees and 26 branches worldwide and additionally operates in Hamburg the largest watch repair and service facility of any retailer in Europe.

Christie's Auction Catalog Cover 1944 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 35mm Reference 1591

Christie's Auction Catalog Cover

1944 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar

35mm Reference 1591

This is a beautiful and unique Patek Philippe Reference 1591 pictured on the cover of the Christie's Geneva Important Pocket Watches and Wrist Watches from November 12, 2007. This one-of-a-kind stainless steel 1944 Patek Philippe Reference 1591 sold for $2,240,714.

John Goldberger sent in the next images of the Patek Philippe Reference 1591 which is showcased in his amazing book named Stainless Steel Patek Philippe's. This unique watch is now on permanent display in Geneva in the Patek Philippe Museum.

Ironically, even though the image above is from the Christie's 2007 Auction Catalog, the photo below is of the exact same watch from a 2002 Antiquorum Auction House catalog.

Patek Philippe: Perpetual Calendar 1983 Automatic: Reference 3450

Patek Philippe: Perpetual Calendar

1983 Automatic: Reference 3450

This automatic Patek Philippe watch was auctioned by Antiquorum, and it has a circular Roman numeral aperture window that shows the leap year indicator.