Patek Philippe Calatrava 2526

PATEK PHILIPPE, EXTREMELY RARE AND COVETED PINK GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH ENAMEL DIAL AND PATEK PHILIPPE BRACELET MANUFACTURED BY GAY FRÈRES, REF. 2526

MANUFACTURED: 1957 MOVEMENT NO: 765'199 CASE NO: 2'604'120 CASE MATERIAL: Pink gold CASE DIAMETER: 35.5 mm. BRACELET MATERIAL: Pink gold and signed 'Patek Philippe x Gay Frères' BRACELET SIZE: Approx. 200 mm. overall length DIAL: Enamel, luminous indexes (third series) MOVEMENT: Automatic BOX: No PAPERS: No WITH: Extract from the Archives confirming the manufacture of the present watch on pink gold bracelet in 1957 and its subsequent sale on 8 December 1958 REMARK: Fresh to market and from the family of the original owner, third series with less than 360 examples manufactured in pink gold in total for reference 2526 Fresh to market and consigned by the family of the original owner, this Patek Philippe reference 2526 is an extremely coveted, third series example with enamel dial and is further rarified by its original Patek Philippe bracelet made by Gay Frères. It's believed by scholars that only approximately 360 examples were ever manufactured in pink gold during the watch's relatively short 7-year production run. To add a further layer of interest, the watch is a luminous variant with application found on the hour markers, and slots for where it was present in the hands. Amazingly, the watch retains its original "PP" forged crown that was often changed during service, and it also has the same emblem the clasp, adding the allurement and charm of this timepiece. Reference 2526 Introduced into the market in 1952, reference 2526 was Patek Philippe's first self-winding or automatic watch, starting with movement number 760'000. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent no. 289'758 in 1953 for 'a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism'. The majority of reference 2526 was cased in yellow gold, a small series in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number in white gold and platinum. Mainly fitted with enamel dials with applied gold baton numerals, the white gold and platinum examples were also available with silvered metal dials with diamond indexes. The reference can be divided in four distinct series: First series: Domed case back, enamel dial and riveted indexes. The dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting. Second series: Domed case back, enamel dials with the numerals glued to the surface. The dial presents only two flared holes for the hands. Third series: Flat case back, same dial as on second series and in later examples metal dial. Fourth series: Same as third series, but with new caliber 27-460