Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 13, 2012

LOT 122

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 2526 FIRST GENERATION Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 761441, Case No. 686604, Ref. 2526. Made in 1954, sold on June 28th, 1955. Very fine and rare, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe deployant clasp. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 40,000 - 60,000

USD 45,000 - 65,000 / EUR 33,000 - 50,000

C. Two-body, solid, polished and brushed, curved bezel, screw-down case back, concave lugs. D. Black enamel with applied yellow gold faceted baton indexes, outer dot minute divisions, subsidiary seconds dial. Yellow gold dauphine hands. M. Cal. 12-600 AT, stamped with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 30 jewels, straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator, 18K yellow gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 12 mm. Property of a German Collector


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 2

Very good

Dial: 2-54-01

Very good

Service dial

HANDS Original

Notes

The very appealing black enamel dial of the present watch was fi tted at the request of the present owner during servicing by Patek Philippe in the 2000s.
Ref. 2526. First launched by Patek Philippe in 1953, this was the fi rst self-winding wristwatch model ever made by the company, with the caliber 12'''-600 AT, bearing the serial number 760,000. It would appear that Patek Philippe produced the Ref. 2526 in 580 examples, mostly with an enamel dial. The latest automatic movement by Patek Philippe at the time, it became the Ref. 3428. The Ref. 2526 is a most appealing wristwatch and is highly sought after by collectors. This watch is illustrated on page 81 in the book "Patek Philippe - Kult-Objekt & Wert-Anlage" by J. Michael Mehltretter.