PROPERTY OF BEN CLYMER
34
Patek Philippe
Ref. 2526
An extremely rare, well-preserved, and important white gold automatic wristwatch with enamel dial
- Estimate
- $120,000 - 240,000
$279,400
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Patek Philippe
- Year
- 1956
- Reference No
- 2526
- Movement No
- 760’070
- Case No
- 694’845
- Material
- 18K white gold
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 12-600, 30 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Leather
- Clasp/Buckle
- Metal pin buckle
- Dimensions
- 35.5mm Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial and movement signed.
- Accessories
- Accompanied by a Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1956 with enamel dial, and its subsequent sale on March 4th, 1957
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
There is not a more “me” watch in this world than this one. The Patek Philippe 2526 is one of my first, last, and truest loves in watches. I have owned no less than 11 different examples of the 2526, none longer than this example in white gold. If you’re reading this note, and already know who I am, than you surely know why I love the 2526 as a whole (if you don’t, search 2526 on Hodinkee), but I think it’s worth discussing why, of all the examples I’ve owned, this is the one I’ve held on to the longest.
There is so much that can be said about the 2526 – and what it represents not only for Patek Philippe but for the watch collecting world at large. The quality of the caliber used in this watch still, to this day, sets a bar for self-winding watches. The case, with its downturned lugs and screw back, sized at a perfect 36mm, fits every sized wrist well, on strap or bracelet. And the dial – well, how can one not love a twice baked glossy enamel dial produced in the 1950s? What has long elevated this particular example above the rest to me is the fact that it is white gold – indeed the most seldom seen material used on any 2526 – and a supremely elegant metal on a watch like this. Beyond that, of the 20 or so white gold 2526s known in the world (yes, they really are that rare), only a small handful exist with an archive that state the watch was born with an enamel dial. This is one of them. White metal 2526s were, in most cases, born with metal dials, often times with diamonds for the hour markers, and then later swapped to enamel as collectors’ whims changed. This watch, however, was born this way, and that elevates it above most other white gold or platinum 2526s. This watch was brokered to me privately by John Reardon about ten years ago, and has not been seen on the market for over twenty years.
There is so much that can be said about the 2526 – and what it represents not only for Patek Philippe but for the watch collecting world at large. The quality of the caliber used in this watch still, to this day, sets a bar for self-winding watches. The case, with its downturned lugs and screw back, sized at a perfect 36mm, fits every sized wrist well, on strap or bracelet. And the dial – well, how can one not love a twice baked glossy enamel dial produced in the 1950s? What has long elevated this particular example above the rest to me is the fact that it is white gold – indeed the most seldom seen material used on any 2526 – and a supremely elegant metal on a watch like this. Beyond that, of the 20 or so white gold 2526s known in the world (yes, they really are that rare), only a small handful exist with an archive that state the watch was born with an enamel dial. This is one of them. White metal 2526s were, in most cases, born with metal dials, often times with diamonds for the hour markers, and then later swapped to enamel as collectors’ whims changed. This watch, however, was born this way, and that elevates it above most other white gold or platinum 2526s. This watch was brokered to me privately by John Reardon about ten years ago, and has not been seen on the market for over twenty years.
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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