One of the world’s most legendary collector’s wristwatches
Stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with phases of the moon, ref. 1518, circular three-body case with downturned lugs, two rectangular chronograph pushers in the band and snap-on back, diam. 35 mm. Te watch was manufactured in 1943 and sold on February 22th, 1944 to Joseph Lang, Budapest Hungary.
Circular snap-on back stamped with Patek, Philippe & Co Geneve Swiss, stainless steel marks and serial number 508473 and number 1 (this watch with reference in this material is the frst ever made). Te casemaker was Georges Croisier, later Genevor SA., this company manufactured for Patek Philippe only three cases of this reference in stainless steel.
Silver dial with hard enameled tachymeter scale, subsidiary dials and Patek Philippe & Co Genève signature, apertures for day and month. Te small arabic numerals are manufactured in white gold. Te dial manufacturer was Fabrique de Cadrans Stern Frères.
Te last four digit of the movement serial number, 3193, are engraved by hand, on the back of the dial.
Tree- body case with concave bezel and downturned lugs, two rectangular chronograph pushers in the band. Bracelet width between the lugs, 20mm. Te retail price in 1944 of the reference 1518 in stainless steel was Frs. 2265, the same model manufactured in 18K gold was Frs. 2800.
Te three last digits of the case number, 473, are engraved by hand on the inside of the stainless steel bezel.
Te two disc backs of the week days and the months are engraved by hand with the complete movement serial number, 863193.
Te two silver discs are circular hard enamel engraved with the days of week and the months. Te 18 k gold moon phases disc has an engraved and champlevé blue enamel led sky with gold stars and moons.
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Te under-dial view showing the quadrature for the date, day of the week, month and phases of the moon.Te watch with reference 1518 was the world’s frst perpetual wristwatch with chronograph made in series. It was launched in the market on 1941.
Tis drawing, in the 1948 instruction manual for watchmakers, details the procedures followed when dismantling and assembling a perpetual calendar movement. Te calendar requires no manual adjustment and is also programmed for February 29 of a leap year.
Nickel fnished circular movement stamped twice with the Geneva seal, straight-line lever escapement, Cotes de Genève decoration, self-compensating Breguet overcoil hairspring, bimetallic cut compensation balance and swan neck regulator, cal.13’’’130 Q, 23 jewels, nr. 863193. Stamped on the movement of the watches, the Geneva Seal (created in 1886 by the Swiss Society of Watchmakers to showcase watches made to the highest possible traditional standards within the canton of Geneva) depicts the coat of arms of the City of Geneva.
Silvered dial with applied white gold Arabic numerals , outer 1/5 seconds division and black tachymeter scale, white gold feuille hands. Tree subsidiary dials indicating constant seconds and 30 minutes register combined with phases of the moon, two windows for day and the month.
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© Patek Philippe Steel Watches, John Goldberger, pg. 312-315
Given the watch’s supreme importance, it should come as no surprise that our opinion is also echoed by John Goldberger in his book, Patek Philippe Steel Watches. Mr. Goldberger dedicated four entire pages to this watch, giving it a prominent position inside his historical tome, a privilege only shared by the world’s best examples in their category, and subsequently some of the most important vintage watches in the world. We can, without exaggeration, state that the present lot is quite possibly one, if not the most beautiful and important stainless
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steel wristwatch ever made by Patek Philippe. The impressive size, the superb complications it integrates, the immaculate condition, and its ultimate rarity come together to make this a watch that will exceed the demands of even the most discerning scholars, connoisseurs, and collectors. It is the frst time in over a decade that a stainless steel 1518 has appeared at auction, and it is quite possible that once it leaves us today, at least another decade will go by before another example is seen at auction.
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