Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, Nov 12, 2006

LOT 343

?Deck Chronometer? Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 170416, case No. 274701. Made in 1912, obtained the Geneva Observatory rating certificate on June 11, 1913, and sold on December 8, 1917. Very fine silver deck and pocket ?EXTRA? adjusted lever chronometer with 36-hour power reserve indicator and Guillaume balance. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

EUR 16,000 - 20,000 / USD 20,000 - 24,000

C. Four-body, ?bassine?, polished, silver hinged cuvette. D. Heavy, solid silver, bold champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer champlevé minute track, up-and-down sector at 12, and subsidiary seconds. Blued-steel ?spade? hands. M. 21?', Cal 18o, 21 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, anibal-brass Guillaume balance with ?winged? arms, gold temperature adjustment screws and platinum mean time ones, special alloy Breguet balance spring with Phillips' inner and outer terminal curves, diamond endstone, ?swan-neck? micrometric regulator, Patek Philippe & Cie. keyless winding (Swiss patent 2680, 27 September 1890), differential up-and-down mechanism. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 60 mm. Property of an American Gentleman


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

Please note that this lot and the following one have two consecutive number. It is very rare to find watches with consecutive numbers. These come from a small series of deck watches destined for the Kew and Geneva Observatory trials. The third watch from this series obtained 92 points at Kew in 1916. The present two, as well as the two previous ones, serial numbers 170414-15, were sold to U.S. Navy on December 8, 1917, and served on World War I battleships. These two watches came from the U.S. Navy Depot. Although the parts were made by machine, they were hand-finished, which can be seen by minute differences between the parts. The balance staffs have different pivots individually adjusted to the jewel holes, the stems have slightly different diameters, etc. Patek Philippe's large movements, such as these ones, with 18o, and more rarely with 18H calibers, were made to the highest possible standards. They were adjusted by such masters as Henri Wehrli, J. Golay-Audemars, F. Modoux, and C. Batifolier, who were the best-paid workers in the watch industry. Watches they adjusted, and particularly those awarded prizes at Observatory Contests, were several times more expensive than the regular production.