1944, no.863.368, ref.1518; a rare and fine perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with over-sized numerals, tachometer, register and moon-phases
1944, no.863.368, ref.1518; a rare and fine perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with over-sized numerals, tachometer, register and moon-phases diameter 35mm , 18k, damascened nickel lever movement, 23 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, 8 adjustments, precision regulator, silvered dial, applied oversized applied arabic numerals, apertures for day, month and moon-phases, three subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 30-minute register and date, outer scales calibrated for minutes/chronograph seconds and tachometer, circular case with scooped bezel, down-turned lugs, large crown and flat oval pushers, case back with inscription, case, dial and movement signed, with an 18k Patek Philippe buckle, accompanied by an Extract from the Archives and a recent Patek Philippe presentation case and card outer box.Patek Philippe, Estimate
350,000 - 450,000 CHF
, Sold
, 1944, no.863.368, ref.1518; a rare and fine perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with over-sized numerals, tachometer, register and moon-phases diameter 35mm , 18k, damascened nickel lever movement, 23 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, 8 adjustments, precision regulator, silvered dial, applied oversized applied arabic numerals, apertures for day, month and moon-phases, three subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 30-minute register and date, outer scales calibrated for minutes/chronograph seconds and tachometer, circular case with scooped bezel, down-turned lugs, large crown and flat oval pushers, case back with inscription, case, dial and movement signed, with an 18k Patek Philippe buckle, accompanied by an Extract from the Archives and a recent Patek Philippe presentation case and card outer box., PROVENANCE
Purchased by the present owner's grandmother as a 40th birthday present for her husband.
EXTRACT FROM THE ARCHIVES
The accompanying Extract from the Patek Philippe Archives confirms that this wristwatch was manufactured in 1944 and sold on April 28th, 1945.
1518 OVERSIZED NUMERAL DIAL
The present lot is significant for its early manufacturing date, its impeccable provenance, oversized numerals and large cut calendar windows.
Examples of reference 1518 with over-sized numerals are exceptionally rare. From our research, it seems that less than 20 over-sized numeral dials may have been manufactured. Of these, only 7 (including the present lot) are known to have survived. Two of these seven have previously been offered for sale at Sotheby’s Geneva, no.863.249 (lot 379, 14/11/2001) and 863.246 (lot 55, 17/05/2004 sold for CHF 472,850). One of the seven is published in Negretti, G., De Vecchi, P., Patek Philippe , 1999, pp.106-107.
The over-sized Arabic numerals of the present wristwatch are substantially bigger than those of the standard production 1518 wristwatches. It seems that all the over-sized numeral 1518 models were manufactured before 1945.
REFERENCE 1518
The 1518 played an extremely important part in the development of Patek Philippe’s complication wristwatches. Together with reference 1526, it was the first perpetual calendar ever produced by the company in series. It is recognised that the introduction of reference 1518 greatly contributed to the manufacturer’s dominant position in the Swiss watch making industry. Indeed, the series produced perpetual calendar was almost exclusively a Patek Philippe commodity for four decades (other manufacturers tending not to list or distribute the complication other than for special orders).
The influence of reference 1518 can be seen in all the series produced Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronographs that came after it (2499, 3970, 5970). Even though the case design changed in the references which followed, the basic dial layout remained the same. In the same way, the functions of the movement have not changed in 65 years. Interestingly, the current perpetual calendar chronograph reference, 5970, once again uses square pushers in an echo of the 1518 and the first series 2499.
The 1518 was equipped with a Valjoux calibre 13Q (13 130Q) which was first upgraded and finished to the highest standards for the time in Patek Philippe’s workshop. Then, Victorin Piguet was employed to modify the under dial work and incorporate the perpetual calendar function. It was not until 1985 that Patek Philippe replaced the Valjoux for a Lemania calibre in its perpetual calendar wristwatches.
From 1941 to 1954, a total of 281 reference 1518 wristwatches were made, an incredibly small production run by today’s standards and an average of just 20 watches a year.
