50
Patek Philippe
Ref. 565
"Black, Starr & Gorham"
A surprising, remarkably well-preserved and extremely uncommon stainless steel wristwatch with luminous dial, retailed by Black, Starr & Gorham
Full-Cataloguing
- Bearing a dial signed by Black, Starr & Gorham with luminous Arabic numerals
- Only example known in this configuration
- Featuring exceedingly well-preserved condition
Black, Starr & Gorham was an American company born in 1929 from a merger. Originally called "Black, Starr & Frost-Gorham”, the name was shortened in the 1940s to Black, Starr & Gorham (as present on this watch), before becoming “Black, Starr & Frost” in 1962. Beyond watches, they retailed also jewelry and silverware of the highest quality. Their Fifth Avenue & 48th Street location in New York City was at the time one of the luxury epicenters of the city. Patek Philippe’s reference 565 is one of the most classic gentlemen’s wristwatches of the 20th century. Released in 1938, the model featured innovative and enduring qualities that today make it a collector’s favorite. These include the two-piece Taubert case (FB stamp) with screw down back, and a more generous case size, compared to the smaller reference 96 (first released in 1932).
The brand continued to manufacture the model until 1952. Designed for a public with a growing interest in outdoor activities, the reference 565 was waterproof with its screw-down caseback and offered with subsidiary seconds and less frequently, with center seconds. Over the course of time, the caliber was upgraded with first series examples, like the present watch, housing the caliber 12’’’120, while a Victorin Piguet indirect center seconds movement 12-120 SC was introduced in 1939. In 1950 a second series was released with the caliber 12’’’400, as well as the new caliber 27 SC (center seconds).
The present piece is highlighted by a number of fascinating traits. First and foremost, it is preserved in excellent condition. Importantly the case fully retains its architecture and edges, most notably the one creating a bezel-like flat surface around the dial - a defining feature of the model often softened by (or even lost to) polishing.
Secondarily, it features an equally well-preserved dial with Arabic luminous numerals - an extremely uncommon variation shared with extremely few other examples, among which the famous “Night Watch” black dial rare 565.
Finally, it presents the aforementioned retailer signature on the dial, one of the most rarely seen signatures on Patek Philippe timepieces and the only known reference 565 with this signature. A true “perfect storm” for the connoisseur of rare time-only mid-century Patek Philippe timepieces.
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.