923
Patek Philippe
Chronometro Gondolo
A very rare and unusual 18k gold and enamel openface pocket watch with unique signed dial and Breguet numerals, retailed by Gondolo & Labouriau
- Estimate
- HK$60,000 - 100,000€6,800 - 11,400$7,700 - 12,800
HK$75,000
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Patek Philippe
- Year
- 1913
- Movement No
- 177'256
- Case No
- 279'965
- Model Name
- Chronometro Gondolo
- Material
- 18K yellow gold and enamel
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. 21
- Dimensions
- 53mm Diameter
- Signed
- Case, cuvette, dial and movement signed, cuvette signed by retailer
- Accessories
- Further accompanied with Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with special signature and enamel monogram in 1913 and its subsequent sale on September 12th, 1913
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
The relationship between Patek Philippe and the Brazilian retailer Gondolo & Labouriau, Relojoeiros was long and illustrious and produced some of the finest timepieces of the period. Patek Philippe supplied the first watches in 1872 and the relationship continued for another fifty-five years.
Gondolo & Labouriau established a collecting club, referred to as the Gondolo Gang, with membership from the highest levels of society. In addition to social events, the retailer created a “Plano do Club Patek Philippe System”, as a means to circumvent Brazilian gambling regulations, with each member purchasing a Patek Philippe watch. Members paid the retail price of 790 Swiss Francs in weekly instalments, however each week there was a lotto and the winner received his watch and released from future payments, thus the first winner got his watch for free, the second paid 10 Francs and the process continued.
Between 1900 to 1927 Patek Philippe produced hundreds of watches now known collectively as Chronometro Gondolo, and included the technical requirements of the retailer: stem-wound movement, ratchet wheels of the mainspring barrel arbour with wolf tooth winding and a square indentation for the release of the barrel spring, 9K gold wheel train, straight line moustache lever escapement with a bimetallic compensation balance and a Breguet balance spring, minimum of 18 jewels, cam wheel or snail cam regulator, allowing for very precise but practical adjustment of the watch.
The present Chronometro Gondolo, from 1913, is a lovely example and demonstrates the retailer and maker allowed members of the Gondolo Gang to personalize their timepieces. The original owner’s signature was added to the dial below the 12 o’clock and the back was enhanced with the blue, green and red enamel initials “FGC”.
Gondolo & Labouriau established a collecting club, referred to as the Gondolo Gang, with membership from the highest levels of society. In addition to social events, the retailer created a “Plano do Club Patek Philippe System”, as a means to circumvent Brazilian gambling regulations, with each member purchasing a Patek Philippe watch. Members paid the retail price of 790 Swiss Francs in weekly instalments, however each week there was a lotto and the winner received his watch and released from future payments, thus the first winner got his watch for free, the second paid 10 Francs and the process continued.
Between 1900 to 1927 Patek Philippe produced hundreds of watches now known collectively as Chronometro Gondolo, and included the technical requirements of the retailer: stem-wound movement, ratchet wheels of the mainspring barrel arbour with wolf tooth winding and a square indentation for the release of the barrel spring, 9K gold wheel train, straight line moustache lever escapement with a bimetallic compensation balance and a Breguet balance spring, minimum of 18 jewels, cam wheel or snail cam regulator, allowing for very precise but practical adjustment of the watch.
The present Chronometro Gondolo, from 1913, is a lovely example and demonstrates the retailer and maker allowed members of the Gondolo Gang to personalize their timepieces. The original owner’s signature was added to the dial below the 12 o’clock and the back was enhanced with the blue, green and red enamel initials “FGC”.
Patek Philippe
Swiss | 1839Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.
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